Position Overview
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) seeks a dynamic self-starter to assist in research and policy advocacy. This internship is an excellent opportunity to experience various aspects of nonprofit work while working for a well-known organization.
This internship is an 8-month, part-time, paid internship. The intern will work in person in Arkansas Advocates’ Springdale office with occasional opportunities to work remotely, for a total of 10 hours per week. This is an exciting position that will allow the qualified candidate to expand their knowledge of public policy and nonprofit communications and fundraising. The intern will work under the supervision of the Northwest Arkansas Director and the Northwest Arkansas Development Director.
This role requires an energetic, dedicated and detail-oriented person who can manage multiple tasks. This individual is a team-player with an entrepreneurial spirit, willingness to learn and ability to manage multiple tasks while adapting to shifting priorities. Depending on skillset, this individual will assist with public policy advocacy and event-planning tasks including, but not limited to: research, writing and editing, photo and video production and editing, social media content, graphic design, event promotion and other communications and administrative support tasks as assigned.
Education
The ideal candidate is a recent college graduate (graduated within the past year) or an undergraduate/graduate student.
Responsibilities
- Assist in research and data collection regarding child well-being in Northwest Arkansas and statewide
- Attend community meetings in the Northwest Arkansas area
- Assist with AACF outreach and engagement on public policy
- Assist with bill tracking during the 2025 state legislatives session
- Assist in the planning and implementation of community events, including a child advocacy symposium in November and a post-legislative symposium in May
- Assist in the planning and implementation of fundraising events, including our signature fundraiser, Soup Sunday, in February
- Draft and organize social media content to promote AACF events on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
- Create and coordinate content for social media campaigns, working with our Little Rock staff as needed
- Source content from staff and at events
- General social media planning, research, reporting and coordination as assigned
- Assist with additional projects as assigned
Knowledge and Skill Requirements
- Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage and advance multiple projects at once
- Experience working successfully in collaborative team environments
- General interest in public policy
- Writing and editing
- Content creation including photography and videography
- Commitment to the mission and work of AACF
- Proficient in Canva
Learning Outcomes and Benefits
- Exposure to community leaders and public policy professionals
- Increase knowledge of child- and family-focused public policy in Arkansas
- Apply the principles of public relations and communication in a nonprofit organization
- Gain experience in project management
- Create materials that can be included in a professional portfolio
Academic Credit
The intern may receive academic credit for the internship. It will be the intern’s responsibility to make arrangements with their school. AACF will provide the necessary internship description and performance review upon request.
Additional Requirements and Details
Must have valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation for attending meetings and helping with events.
Start Date: Position open until filled, requires 8-month commitment or through May 2025.
Hours: 10 hours/week, in office with occasional remote work as required.
Compensation: $15/hour
To Apply: Please a send cover letter and resume to sbrown@aradvocates.org with the subject line: Northwest Arkansas Intern.
Interview Process
From the time the position is advertised, AACF collects resumes for two to three weeks before scheduling interviews. Candidates can continue to apply after the interviews begin. AACF accepts applications until the position is filled.
If we receive a high volume of applications, potential candidates may be asked to participate in an initial screening call or Zoom meeting with the Northwest Arkansas Director and Northwest Arkansas Development Director.
Stage 1: Up to four candidates will be asked to participate in an in-person interview with the Northwest Arkansas Director and Northwest Arkansas Development Director.
Stage 2: Final candidates may be asked to do a final interview with the Northwest Arkansas Director and Northwest Arkansas Development Director.
About Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families
AACF was founded in 1977 by a group of prominent Arkansans who believed that children needed an “independent force to provide information and education to parents and citizens about our state’s policies toward children and families.” For 45 years, AACF has provided leadership, research, and advocacy to promote wide-ranging reforms that have improved the lives of Arkansas’s children.
The mission of AACF is to ensure that all children and their families have the resources and opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives and to realize their full potential. To carry out its mission, AACF serves as a voice for children at the Arkansas State Capitol and in Washington, D.C., gathers and analyzes data to support public policy that serves all children and families, and organizes coalitions of diverse groups to drive change across the state.
Equity at AACF
AACF has been a dynamic and effective voice for Arkansas’s children and families, guided by a vision calling for equity for all children. AACF’s work spans all policy areas impacting Arkansas’s children and families, including child welfare, economic security, COVID-19 response, early childhood, education, health, hunger, immigrant children and families, juvenile justice, tax and budget, and racial equity. Learn more about these policy areas at www.aradvocates.org/issues.
In all of this work, AACF’s racial equity focus strives to align mission and stated values with organizational practices and programs. It recognizes that structural inequity has been embedded in our national and state culture and policies and has had a lasting effect, as seen today in disparities in children’s outcomes across race and many other identities. AACF believes in intentionally engaging diverse perspectives throughout its work and is committed to amplifying the voices and wisdom of those most directly affected by systemic oppression, with a focus on building a more equitable and inclusive Arkansas to truly serve every child and family.
Apply Now
Please a send cover letter and resume to Shyy Brown, sbrown@aradvocates.org.