Children and Youth Service Internships

Aguila Youth Leadership Institute

AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute is a unique college access organization carefully designed to serve a growing number of youth navigate through their academic, personal and professional world.  The Institute provides a comprehensive support system to ensure the success of each student through a personalized plan. Adult professionals contribute to students who journey through a holistic approach that values their unique stories, goals and aspirations. .

 Contact: Olivia Zelaya “Ms OZ”

Program Director, College Prep Counselor

Email: Olivia.zelaya@aguilayouth.org

Website: aguilayouth.org

To apply, please send resume and contact Olivia directly by phone or email.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona

Make a Big Impact!

There are so many ways to support Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Central Arizona’s mission to provide Arizona youth facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better.

BBBS AZ Internships Offered Fall, Spring and summer in the following programs:

Community Based Mentors

Be a Big by spending  4 hours a month with a  child and help him or her build confidence and realize their potential

Site Based Mentors

Help a child succeed during lunch break. Mentors meet with their Little Brother or Little Sister at their elementary school for about 45 minutes per week. Youth and mentors spend time playing games, working on homework or hanging out on the playground together.

Contact: Emma Mones, Community Relations Specialist

4745 N. 7th St, Suite 210, Phoenix, AZ 85014
Phone: 602-393-4100, Fax: 602-264-9283
Email: emones@bbbsaz.org

Bloom 365

Childhelp Children’s Center of Arizona

The Phoenix Chapter has been supporting Childhelp and its programs since 1988. The members of this chapter work hard to raise awareness and funds for Childhelp programs in Arizona through various fundraising efforts. They collaborate with local businesses for BBQ lunches and sell Diamond Back tickets, but they also have larger events such as their annual dinner and auction.

Here are just a few of the volunteer opportunities available:

• Work with children
• Help fundraise so we can continue our work to help children and families
• Help plan and organize Childhelp events
• Join or start a local Childhelp Chapter
• Administrative help in our offices and chapter

Contact: Marina Awerbuch, Program Administrator
Email: Mawerbuch@childhelp.org                                                                                              

Address: 2346 North Central Avenue
                Phoenix, AZ 85004
Phone: (602)-271-4500                                                                                                               

http://www.childhelp.org/programs/entry/children-center-of-arizona 

Defenders of Children

The Defenders of Children is an Arizona nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization launched in January 2008 by a team of professional child advocates with 60 years combined experience. Defenders does not directly represent children or family members in legal matters, but employs its resources to ensure that abused (or allegedly abused) children receive the protections and the rights to which they are entitled. Defenders services are free or offered at a reduced fee.

Contact: Donna Lee Sarda
Email: dsarda@defendersofchildren.org
Address: Post Office Box 10128                                                                                                         
                Phoenix, Arizona 85064
Phone: (602)-710-1903

Department of Child Safety- Office of Prevention

The Department of Child Safety Office of Prevention was established to prevent child abuse/neglect. To support the needs of children and strengthen families, the Office of Prevention collaborates with the Community, Service Providers, Stakeholders and the DCS Field Staff.  Through these collaborations, the Office of Prevention leverages resources, education, training and programs based on best practices to serve Arizona’s children and families. Learn more at https://dcs.az.gov/services/prevention.

The DCS Office of Prevention (OP) would like to recruit interns that can commit a year (2 semesters) to working with their office. OP has several projects that can take months to complete and we’d like our interns to be able to learn from start to finish. OP interns will experience various activities during their internship that include:

• Field shadowing (to experience DCS field work)
• Grant research
• Data collection
• Feedback gathering from parents (Baby Box Program and Fast Pass)
• Research various topics such as substance abuse effects on the occurrence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Help coordinate Baby Box Build Events
• Identify various resources
• Assist in training Safe Sleep Practices
• Recruiting families for parent advisory boards
• Assist in the rollout of programs

 If you are interested in interning with DCS Office of Prevention, please email Vanessa Bustillos, Prevention Coordinator at Vanessa.Bustillos@azdcs.gov

Eisenhower Center for Innovation- Mesa Public Schools

At Eisenhower Center For Innovation (ECFI), we are working to build a community-centered school that embraces the strengths and supports the needs of each of our students and families. ECFI is a K-6 elementary school that is part of the Mesa Unified School District. Eisenhower serves a diverse population of learners, 90% of whom qualify for free and reduced lunch.

Contact: Alyssa Weston
Email: amweston@mpsaz.org

Florence Crittenton

Florence Crittenton’s programs provide individual group and family counseling for girls and young women in challenged and destructive situations while promoting responsibility, accountability, education, job readiness, positive parenting skills and financial literacy.

Florence Crittenton offers special internship programs to aid in our mission of providing safety, hope and opportunity. The internship programs address specific agency and community support needs. These internship opportunities support Florence Crittenton clients, staff and the agency as a whole. For more information on how to apply and submit application, please visit: https://www.flocrit.org/internships/

Address: 715 W Mariposa Street
                 Phoenix, Arizona 85013

www.flocrit.org

The Florence Project Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project

The Florence Project provides and coordinates free legal services and related social services to indigent men, women, and unaccompanied children detained in Arizona for immigration removal proceedings. The Project strives to ensure that detained individuals have access to counsel, understand their rights under immigration law, and are treated fairly and humanely by our judicial system.

Contact: Greer Millard
Email: gmillard@firrp.org

Address: 202 E McDowell Rd.
                 Phoenix, Arizona
Phone: 602-307-1008                                         

http://www.firrp.org/ 

https://firrp.org/getinvolved/volunteer/

Future for Kids

Future for KIDS Mission is to provide mentor driven out-of-school time programs and camps that focus on academics, athletics, and ethics to improve the lives of youth who face adversity. Future for KIDS is an organization recognized for excellence and innovation committed to creating brighter futures for our community’s most vulnerable youth. Be a mentor, change a life. Discover your future & lead youth mentoring programs. To learn more, visit www.futureforkids.org/volunteer

1425 W Southern Ave, Suite 10A
Tempe, AZ 85282

Kortney Jones, Program Assistant

Kortney@futureforkids.org

480-947-8131

GiGi's Playhouse- Down Syndrome Achievements Centers-Educate, Inspire, Believe

On February 14, 2015 GiGi’s playhouse opened its doors and was proud to become the 21st playhouse nationwide! GiGi’s playhouse Phoenix provides free programs that are educational and therapeutic in nature to individuals with Down syndrome from birth through adulthood, their families and communities. All ages are welcome from pre-natal to adults.

Contact: Jennifer Gage, Founder GiGi’s Playhouse, Scottsdale/Phoenix

Email: jgage@gigisplayhouse.org

For more information on GiGi’s Playhouse and if interested in an internship or volunteer opportunity, visit: https://gigisplayhouse.org/phoenix/volunteer/

Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine

Support and guide girls to become strong and courageous leaders. Internship sites may include group homes, community centers, juvenile justice facilities, homeless and domestic violence shelters or schools.

Contact: Karla Chavez, Program Coordinator

Girl Scouts-AZ Cactus-Pine Council

Email: kchavez@girlscoutsaz.org

Make-A-Wish Foundation 

Address: 2901 North 78th St. Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Phone: 602-395-9474

http://arizona.wish.org/about-us/work-with-us/internships/internship-information

Make-A-Wish Arizona internships are coveted, both because of the inspiring mission and because interns get real-world experience alongside talented professionals. We offer several unpaid internships for each of the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters. All internships are based in the Make-A-Wish Arizona Wish House in Scottsdale, Arizona.

*Please Note: Internships are unpaid and considered volunteer positions. All interns must be 18 years of age or older.

 INTERNSHIP CYCLES

FALL: Late August – Early December (Applications accepted June – July)

SPRING: Early January – Late April (Applications accepted September - October)

SUMMER: Mid May – Early August (Applications accepted February - March)

New Life Center

New Life Center’s Emergency Shelter is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Victims of domestic violence and their children are able to reside in New Life Center’s emergency shelter for up to 120 days. New Life Center is unique in that each family is given their own casita, complete with bathroom, shower, beds, closets, dressers, sitting area, and television. Using a client-centered approach, the case manager and family advocates support residents with creating and fulfilling case plans with goals centered on obtaining self-sufficiency. Along with shelter, residents have access to safety planning, basic hygiene needs, clothing, meals, one-on-one emotional support, psychoeducational support groups, case management, resources and referrals, lay legal advocacy, housing program referrals and barrier reduction funds while residing in our emergency shelter program.

 Once residents exit our emergency shelter, they are connected with our Outreach Program, so they can receive ongoing services and continue to be successful in their new life.  The Outreach Team meet with survivors residing in the community and provide all of the same services we offer at our shelter. 

Contact: Devin De Fendis

Community Development Director

Email: ddefendis@newlifectr.org

Phone: 623-932-4404 ext 101

Read Better Be Better

RBBB is a non-profit organization, founded in 2014 to help children in Arizona improve reading skills and become better learners. RBBB organizational values are simple. Thye define the organization, the programs and the expectations. We train 8th grade students to implement a highly structured, evidence-based after school curriculum- Proven to improve reading comprehension, confidence, and enjoyment of reading, for 3rd grade students considered to be at risk of being kept behind, according to the Arizona State Literacy Plan.

RBBB needs excellent Site Leaders to facilitate the program our after school program for two hours, two days a week at our partners schools.  Site Leaders gain classroom management and a deeper understanding of Ariona's literacy crisis. You will experience how educators can create positive change in the lives of students. 

To apply for internships and get to know more about RBBB, please visit: http://www.readbetterbebetter.org/get-involved

Contact: Sophie Etchard, Founder & CEO
Email: sophiee@readbetterbebetter.org
Phone: 623-229-7880
Address: 715 E. Montecito Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85014

Rosie’s House

Rosie’s House mission is to eliminate barriers to high-quality music education. Through music, we support youth as they develop their full creative and personal potential.

Contact: Adeyinka Shonaike, Program Coordinator

Email: yinka@rosieshouse.org

Phone: 602-252-8475

Website: www.rosieshouse.org

Streetlight USA

Our mission can be summed up in three words:  Stop Child Rape from 2009-2011, more than 70 places of workship from across the nation combined their fundraising efforts and generated $2.5 million in initial support for StreetLightUSA.  We are deeply grateful to these churches of many different denominations whose members have shown their compassion and their faith that, together, we can apply national resources to save the lives of these girls.

Lea Benson, President/CEO.

For internship inquiries, email: Chelsea@streetlightusa.org 

PO Box 6178
Peoria, AZ 85385

http://streetlightusa.org/volunteer/

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights

We serve unaccompanied children who are fleeing violence, trafficking, abuse and extreme poverty. We advocate for the safety and well being of each child, while they're detained and throughout deportation proceedings, every step of the way.. We stand for the creation of an immigration system that serves children.

Make a difference in the life of an unaccompanied immigrant child by volunteering to serve as a child in Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Harlingen, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York or Washington, D.C.

Contact: Priscilla Guadarrama, email: pguadarrama@theyoungcenter.org. For more information on how to apply, please visit https://www.theyoungcenter.org/volunteer-at-the-young-center/