Paid Internship Opportunities at ICOY

The Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY) champions the safety, health, and success of Illinois’ children, youth, and families—by acting as a collective voice for policy and practice, and by connecting and strengthening the organization that serve them.

ICOY champions social justice and human rights for youth-serving agencies in Illinois with an emphasis on child welfare, juvenile justice, behavioral health, prevention and intervention services, trauma-informed care, and race equity. ICOY seeks students with a demonstrated interest in a systems-focused internship with an emphasis on providing capacity building, advocacy, and policy for programs and direct-service providers that are committed to helping children, youth, families, and communities thrive. ICOY engages in this work through several areas, as listed below:

Marketing & Communications Team
Operations / Administration Team
Policy & Government Affairs Team
Prevention & Intervention Team
Training & Intact Family Recovery Team
Trauma Initiatives Team

The internship can be structured with interns completing rotations in each department or concentrating on a specific area and department. While this internship will support a variety of activities related to capacity building, the internship itself is non-clinical. Specific projects will be designed based on the assigned area and in collaboration with the intern. The following descriptions provide an overview of the departments and internship opportunities.

Open Internships:

Intact Family Recovery Intern

Intact Family Support is a program to assist child welfare agencies with providing substance use disorder treatment and intact family support to increase the family's safety and provide resources needed for parental drug abuse recovery. ICOY has developed a collaborative case management model to serve families, Intact Family Recovery (IFR). This model partners with substance use agencies and child welfare providers to enhance the recovery of individuals, the safety of children, and the stability of families. The IFR model is an evaluation-based initiative that engages local and state organizations to provide co-case management support through a Recovery Coordinator, who supports the family in their recovery process, and an Intact Worker, who supports the safety and stability of children and their families.

The intern may support with the following:

Assist in the development and facilitation of PowerPoint presentations and prepare formal presentation materials for stakeholders
Contribute to semiannual performance/progress report on the program (SAPR reporting)
Organize and maintain program files and complete federal level note and minute taking of all meetings (including Executive, Supervisory, and Recovery Coordinator meetings)
Other duties may be assigned based on the agreement of the supervisor and interns across systems.

The intern may support this work with the following:

Summarize key research findings for internal use and prepare polished presentation materials for distribution to targeted audiences
Assist with content contributions for communications and policy education resource development
Observe and develop skills to serve as a subject-matter resource in the areas of child welfare and multisystem-involved youth, including maintaining effective relationships with youth-serving system stakeholders, building coalitions, and staying abreast of state and federal policies in the form of law, rules, and guidance that allows for accurate research and policy analysis
Shadow and attend meetings on behalf of ICOY and its members on policy commissions, committees, and various workgroups
Other duties may be assigned based on the agreement of the supervisor and intern

Marketing & Communications Intern

The Marketing and Communication team leads ICOY’s communication strategy and produces its external and internal communications materials, promotes a positive public image of ICOY, and disseminates information on ICOY’s behalf. The Marketing and Communications team ensures the authenticity and effectiveness of the organization’s branding and messaging and ensures the implementation and evaluation of the organization’s communications, outreach, and engagement goals under ICOY’s strategic plan.

The intern may support with the following:

Review and analyze engagement across various channels such as Mail Chimp, social media platforms, and Slack and research new ways we can broaden our reach
Learn how to manage the back end of our website, including editing and/or adding pages, creating blog posts, updating copy on pages, and more
Collaborate across all teams at ICOY to continue ensuring marketing strategies are effective
Create marketing graphics for various platforms like email banners, social media, and inter-department documents
Utilize project management tools to make sure various projects remain on track for completion
Other duties may be assigned based on the agreement of the supervisor and intern.

Policy Intern

ICOY conducts policy advocacy at the state and federal levels to ensure that children and youth have the tools and skills needed to thrive, and that the organizations and systems serving them have the capacity and necessary resources to be effective. Policy issues include an array of topics, but typically concentrate on forming state-level policy recommendations for child welfare, juvenile justice, children’s behavioral health, homeless youth, community-based investments, multi-system collaboration, and addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities (RED) across systems.

The intern may support this work with the following:

Summarize key research findings for internal use and prepare polished presentation materials for distribution to targeted audiences
Assist with content contributions for communications and policy education resource development
Observe and develop skills to serve as a subject-matter resource in the areas of child welfare and multisystem-involved youth, including maintaining effective relationships with youth-serving system stakeholders, building coalitions, and staying abreast of state and federal policies in the form of law, rules, and guidance that allows for accurate research and policy analysis
Shadow and attend meetings on behalf of ICOY and its members on policy commissions, committees, and various workgroups
Other duties may be assigned based on the agreement of the supervisor and intern

Prevention & Intervention Intern

ICOY works as an intermediary between the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and youth service agencies that receive funding from IDHS to support the diversion of youth from the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. The P&I team provides technical assistance and capacity-building support to youth service agencies and other community stakeholders in working in juvenile justice, violence prevention, youth homelessness, and youth employment. The P&I team works with the following IDHS programs: Redeploy Illinois, Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, Homeless Youth, Comprehensive Community Based Youth Services, Illinois Youth Investment Program, Community Youth Services, and Reimagine Public Safety Act youth providers.

The intern may support this work with the following:

Support facilitation of state-wide management meetings, advisory board meetings, and oversight board meetings
Support the development of webinars/trainings/other learning opportunities on topic areas relevant to the needs of providers
Conduct site visits to assess youth-service providers, gather data on program metrics, and develop reports and action plans
Research projects on evidence-based programs/informed interventions
Develop resources to support youth service agencies, such as program fact sheets, best practice resources, and program monitoring rubrics
Other duties may be assigned based on the agreement of the supervisor and intern

Training Intern

ICOY hosts trainings, policy forums, special events, and other meetings for our membership, direct service providers contracted through the Illinois Department of Human Services, and service administrators. The Training team assesses training needs and develops training opportunities to meet the needs of providers.

The intern may support this work with the following:

Support in the development, distribution, and analysis of training and technical assistance needs assessments
Assist in the development and facilitation of trainings, meetings, and workshops for providers
Conduct research on new trends regarding training in the field, and practice relevant to service providers
Collaborate with the Training team for IDHS Monthly Training Newsletter updates
Draft and update documents used for the upcoming fiscal year, including manuals, contracts, fact sheets, and additional resources
Other duties may be assigned based on the agreement of the supervisor and intern

Trauma Initiatives Intern

ICOY has adopted a public health approach to our trauma-informed education and training to strengthen youth-serving organizations’ trauma-informed capacity, working directly with agencies and communities to build and sustain trauma-informed policy, practice, and culture.

The intern may support with the following:

Support the development and revision of trauma trainings including but not limited to researching training topics and resources, creating training activities, and reviewing previously developed training
Contribute to the distribution and evaluation of the Capacity Building Assessment Tool for Organizations (CBAT-O)
Use CRM software to help track trauma trainings and complete administrative functions, including note-taking, and planning and coordinating trauma initiative strategies
Research the impact of trauma as connected to the intersection of identities (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation) and systemic structures
Research best practices in trauma-informed policy and practices
Other duties may be assigned based on the agreement of the supervisor and intern

THIS INTERNSHIP WOULD FIT STUDENTS WHO:

Look for opportunities to practice creative problem-solving and who are comfortable taking initiative to move projects forward
Excel when provided opportunities for independent learning
Are interested in mitigating the impact of systems on children, youth, and families
Are interested in policy practice for social change
Are interested in multi-disciplinary collaboration
Are interested in macro-level work and exploring systemic solutions

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: The student must be seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree from a degree-granting academic entity. Student interns must be enrolled and in good standing with the academic institution. Interns must agree to a learning plan and be available for at least 15-20 hours per week.

SUPERVISION & SUPPORT: The intern will be provided with weekly supervision to review assigned duties and responsibilities, as well as a reflection of the experience of the intern and their learning experience. Individual supervision will be between the intern and the assigned supervisor.

SALARY: $15.80 per hour. The estimated total stipend for an academic year intern is $10,800.

LOCATION: This will be a hybrid internship and the schedule of virtual and in-person work will be determined with the supervisor. The office is located at 333 S. Wabash Ave, Suite 2750, Chicago, IL 60604.

EQUITY STATEMENT: ICOY is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, personal appearance, family responsibility, political affiliation or any other status protected by applicable law. Women, transgender people, veterans, and people of color are encouraged to apply.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: For consideration, interested candidates should complete the online application below. You will be asked to provide a resume and a letter that addresses your interest in this internship and what you hope to gain through this internship experience.

Complete the application here:

Click here to open the application in another window

What is ICOY? A membership based org that ICOY champions the safety, well-being, and success of all Illinois’ children, youth, and families by connecting and strengthening the organizations that serve them and by being a collective voice for policy and practice. What are the different departments ICOY has? ICOY has 6 teams you can intern with or rotate through: Marketing & Communications Operations / Administration Policy & Government Affairs Prevention & Intervention Training & Intact Family Recovery Trauma Initiatives What can I expect as an intern? As an intern, you can expect to: Complete a legacy project Either participate in a rotation or concentration internship Network with our membership orgs and interact with federal & and state contract deliverables. What is the process of transitioning an intern out into the real world? ICOY offers ample opportunities for interns to network during their internship. We also work with our interns on their resumes and cover letters, along with providing professional references. How often are interns hired on after their internship? Interns have been hired on as staff at ICOY; employment after internships is contingent on qualifications and job openings.

Timeline

Internship applications should be sent in for the following academic year from January through March. If you have restrictions on the timeframe(s) in which you would be able to accept an internship, please email Lauren Henderson.

Contact Us

Please email the following individuals with questions about the internship program:

Maha McDiarmid, Chief Program Officer
Lauren Henderson, Special Projects Coordinator

About ICOY

Capacity Building

Policy & Advocacy

Members

CCBYS Bidders Conference

Protected: Casey Life Skills (IYIP)

Motivational Interviewing (RPSA)

About ICOY

Capacity Building

Policy & Advocacy

Members

CCBYS Bidders Conference

Protected: Casey Life Skills (IYIP)

Motivational Interviewing (RPSA)

Paid Internship Opportunities at ICOY

Open Internships:

Timeline

Contact Us

See what our team is saying.

Stay updated on the latest topics and trends.

Recent News & Blogs

ICOY Can Support Your DEI Journey!

ABA Resolution 606: The Original Story of Racism in the Child Welfare System

ICOY’s Statement on Heidi Mueller’s Appointment to Serve as Next DCFS Director

Upcoming Events

CCBYS Bidders Conference

Protected: Casey Life Skills (IYIP)

IYIP Management Meeting

Help ICOY Shape Illinois' Human Service Policy

Follow Us On