Organization

The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC), a project of Tides Center, was founded in 1992 as an alliance of health professionals and community stakeholders with the mission of improving health for all Californians through a focus on Latino communities. Currently, LCHC’s strategic priorities include: increasing access to health care for all Californians, and reducing health disparities through a focus on increasing health equity and health justice.

LCHC seeks to impact Latino health through increasing community and provider consciousness on the underlying social and economic determinants of health disparities, and to transform this new knowledge into action at both the statewide and local levels. The Coalition’s major functions include: legislative advocacy; increasing community awareness and consciousness through education; and using strategic communications to inform and broaden the movement for health justice.

Summary

LCHC is looking for graduate and advanced undergraduate students who are passionate about health justice and who are committed to advocating for equity and justice for our 2015 summer internship program.

LCHC will hire three policy interns to help advance LCHC’s vision to increase health care access for all Californians and also ensure that the social and economic environments within communities support opportunities for a long healthy life. One intern will work closely with LCHC’s Executive Director, the second with the Director of Legislative Affairs, and the third with the Health Policy Outreach Manager.

LCHC’s two priority areas for this summer include supporting legislative policy efforts to expand healthcare coverage to all Californians, regardless of immigration status, and addressing the root causes of preventable chronic disease, especially the obesity and diabetes epidemics, in Latino communities.

Though we anticipate graduate student applications from the fields of public health, social work, public policy, public administration, urban planning, communications, law, and other related fields, we also anticipate undergraduate applications from all fields. Our internships, typically 40 hour per week for 10-12 weeks, are paid depending on experience. We also welcome interns that have their own funding or who are eligible for work study.

Our internships are designed to provide students with a very real experience of the health justice/policy field. For graduate students, this will be an opportunity to apply your skills in a real world campaign; for undergraduates, this is an opportunity to explore the fields of public policy, public health, communications, and environmental justice.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Support the coordination of LCHC’s strategic outreach across California;
Contribute research to written materials such as op-eds, articles, and blog posts;
Contribute to the development of trainings and presentations;
Assist with social media and curate research and best practices for advancing health equity and justice;
Participate in legislative advocacy meetings and briefings with LCHC staff; and
Administrative work directly related to LCHC’s organizational policy priorities and communications efforts.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

We are looking for interns who are committed to equity and justice, possess excellent writing skills, and are experienced users of social media.

Skills and Qualifications

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required;
Experience and facility with social media, including: Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn;
Demonstrable interest in equity and justice issues through either personal experience, past employment, or volunteer opportunities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

For graduate student applicants: knowledge and experience in public policy, health, public health, environmental justice or health equity;
Undergraduate student applicants: demonstrable interest in equity and justice;
Both undergraduate and graduate applicants: basic knowledge of state governmental structures – executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Qualifications

Excellent and demonstrable research, writing, and communication skills; and
Proficiency in Spanish language, especially writing, preferred.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Physical Demands

Sitting, walking, and listening for up to 6-8 hours per day.
Computer keyboarding an average of 6 hours per day.
Ability to lift up to 15 lbs.
Duties may include travel to other regions within California.

Work Environment and Travel

This position is based at LCHC’s office in Sacramento.
This position will share a private office with a street facing window that offers natural light or may share an open work area or desk that is illuminated by fluorescent lighting. We have the light rail crossing on our street causing street noise levels that vary from moderate to loud. The facility has an ADA compliant restroom. The building has five stories with stairs and an elevator.
Travel throughout California (rare but possible).

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, a project of the Tides Center, is an “at-will” and equal opportunity employer. Applicants and employees shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy and gender expression) identity, color, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance.

Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.

Compensation

This full-time, temporary position is based in Sacramento and is not eligible for benefits. The salary ranges from $14.00 to $17.00 per hour depending on experience. Start and end dates are negotiable. Compensation type: Biweekly.

Housing

While LCHC does not provide housing, there are many opportunities to find short term housing in Sacramento. UC Davis, located 10 miles west of Sacramento, also has many student sublets available. There is a regular commuter train between Davis and Sacramento as well as a bike path.
How to apply

Applications are due by March 15, 2015. Please send a one-page cover letter, resume, and a writing sample (no more than 3 pages). Your cover letter should describe your interest in health justice, and why you are interested in an internship with the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California.

Please send materials to sspilker@LCHC.org with the subject heading: Policy Intern.