INTERNSHIP PRIMER
For more than 30 years, the Citizen Advocacy Center hosts students in a hands-on internship program where high school, college, and law students work under the supervision of a community lawyer. An internship with the Citizen Advocacy Center is an ideal place for any student interested in learning how government really works and how community members can make a measurable impact in the communities they live, and is especially valuable for students pursuing political science, sociology, pre-law, public administration, and journalism. For law students, an internship with the Citizen Advocacy Center builds traditional legal skills in research, writing, and analysis, as well as a linty of "law plus" skills that are not taught in law school classes. All interns gain a wide-array of experiences that generally include:
Learning how local government entities operate and how to make government more accountable to the citizens they serve
Learning how to interview and work with community members who have an issue of public concern
Learning how to deconstruct a local issue of public concern to identify solutions
Figuring out what civic and legal tools can be applied to an issue of public concern to either maximally impact government decision-making or the ability of concerned community members to have an impact
Auditing government practices and developing best practices
Facilitating community forums on current issues of public concern
Creating public educational resources
Researching various public policy issues related to legal and civic issues promoting, or deterring, civic engagement
Monitoring local governments
At the end of their summer internships, we convene our annual Democracy Night where all interns give presentations to the general public and field questions about the issues they worked on and their internship experiences. For information about how to apply for a CAC internship or volunteer opportunity during the school year or summer, please email cac@citizenadvocacycenter.org.