AACF Seeks Sexual Health Education Intern Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF)

Position Overview

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) seeks a self-motivated intern who is interested in conducting, analyzing, and organizing research regarding sexual health education in Arkansas. This internship is an excellent opportunity to join efforts aimed at reducing the state’s teen birth rate by improving access to age-appropriate, effective, and equitable sexual health education while working for a well-known nonprofit organization.

This sexual health education internship is a part-time, paid internship through the academic year, with the possibility of a short extension into the summer. This is an exciting position that will allow the qualified candidate to expand their knowledge of education and health policy fields.

This role requires an energetic, dedicated, and detail-oriented person who enjoys engaging with a variety of stakeholders. This individual is a team-player with an entrepreneurial spirit, a willingness to learn, and the ability to synthesize information from different sources.

Under the supervision of the Education Policy Director and the Policy Director, the intern will be responsible for collecting and organizing information regarding the sexual health education curricula used in each Arkansas school district, as well as sexual health education programs that may exist outside of school-based settings. This will include independent research, as well as collaboration with educators, administrators, parents, young people, and other community stakeholders, to conduct a comprehensive scan of sexual health education in Arkansas.

Education

The ideal candidate is a recent college graduate (graduated within the past year) or an undergraduate/graduate student.

Responsibilities

Conduct research, outreach, and other data collection regarding sexual health education curricula statewide

Assist in planning and implementation of focus groups regarding sexual health education in Arkansas

Attend community meetings as needed

Take notes during focus groups and related meetings

Compile and synthesize research and data into a final report or other formats for dissemination, to include content for AACF social media platforms

Participate in legislative advocacy during the 2025 legislative session

Knowledge and Skill Requirements  

Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage and advance multiple projects at once

Strong verbal and written communication skills

Experience working successfully in collaborative team environments

General interest in public policy

Commitment to the mission and work of AACF

Learning Outcomes and Benefits

Network with community leaders and public policy professionals

Increase knowledge of child- and family-focused public policy in Arkansas

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, mentoring, 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: By October 1, 2024 

Hours: 10 hours/week in a hybrid work environment between the Little Rock AACF office and remote work. Additional paid hours during certain times of the year may be approved. 

Compensation: $15/hour

To Apply: Please send cover letter and resume to sbrown@aradvocates.org with the subject line: Sexual Health Education Intern.  AACF will accept applications until the position is filled. 

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 Policy Director.

Stage 1: Up to four candidates will be asked to participate in an in-person interview with the Policy Director.

Stage 2: Final candidates may be asked to do a final interview with the Policy Director and another member of the AACF staff before the final decision is made.

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.