Cultural Survival's internship program is an integral component to the organization. Interns are actively involved in all areas of the organization and play a vital role in the day-to-day operations. Our main office is in Cambridge, MA, and all internship positions are currently remote. Interns must be self-starters who are able to work both independently and as part of a team. Since a large portion of Cultural Survival’s work is in Latin America, we are especially in need of interns with strong Spanish language skills.
We ask interns to commit to working a minimum of 8 hours per week during their internship. On average, interns work 15 hours per week during the school year or 25 hours per week during the summer. The typical internship lasts for one school semester or two to three months in the summer. All interns are required to attend a weekly or biweekly team meeting online.
Due to the large number of applications we receive, preference will be given to those who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Applicant will receive academic credit for their internship
- Applicant is able to work at least 15 hours per week
- Applicant is fluent in Spanish or has advanced skills in reading and writing
Internship Departments
Advocacy: Interns in this department will learn about grassroots social movements who are fighting to defend their environment around the world. Advocacy Interns will help write news articles that keep our campaigns up to date, research and write reports on human rights violations, and use social media to build solidarity and bring about change. Advocacy Interns must have a bachelor's degree or be in their senior year of an undergraduate program. Strong research and writing skills required. Spanish language skills and prior knowledge of human rights mechanisms are a plus but not required. We encourage students and graduates with knowledge in Latin American studies, Political Science, Environmental Studies, and International Relations to apply.
Research and Publications: Interns applying in this department must have outstanding writing skills and be comfortable interviewing sources. Research and Publications interns will support existing Cultural Survival programs (Community Media, Indigenous Rights Radio, Advocacy) and the general administration and production of our publications, such as the Quarterly magazine, monthly e-newsletters, and website. Interns must have excellent communication skills. They should be adept Internet and journal researchers who pay particular attention to detail, and are able to read extensive amounts of information and present clear and concise summaries. Interns must be independent, self-motivated, and reliable. Please submit a writing sample (3-5 pages) with your application.
Social Media: Do you love social media? Help Cultural Survival promote Indigenous issues to our followers around the world on Facebook and Twitter! The Social Media Intern will work with our Communications Manager to design and implement a social media strategy consistent with Cultural Survival’s brand. The intern will monitor online platforms for key news and trending conversations, draft social media posts for advocacy campaigns and news articles, and help grow and engage our audience. Applicants should have strong communication skills, with the ability to quickly synthesize information and communicate complex information to general audiences.
Indigenous Rights Radio: This program promotes Indigenous Peoples’ rights to defend their lands from unwanted resource exploitation by producing informative radio programs to be aired on Indigenous radio stations worldwide. As an IRR intern, you will gain an understanding of Indigenous Peoples' unique rights and the value of radio in promoting them. IRR interns may research topics to be made into radio content; develop educational material to provide to radio stations to supplement our radio programs; design and produce newsletters to ensure our radio content reaches more listeners; and communicate with radio stations around the world. Interns who speak languages besides English may translate and/or record radio programs in those languages. Interns should have strong written and spoken communication skills and attention to detail.
Deadlines to apply:
Summer Internships-March 31
Fall Internships-August 25 (We have closed our application review for fall 2021 and are not able to take on any additional interns at this time. Please consider applying for spring 2022)
Spring Internships-December 31
Application Process:
To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to Miranda at internship@cs.org
In your cover letter, describe your goals for the internship and explain how your experiences and skill set will contribute to Cultural Survival's programs. If you are interested in multiple internship departments you can list your interests in a single cover letter in order of preference. Please be sure to include the minimum dates you are available to intern and the hours per week you are available (when possible). As this is an unpaid internship, we encourage applicants to seek grant support or for-credit options through their university. Please send inquiries to Miranda at internship@cs.org
