Policy Advocacy Internship

The mission of Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN) is to empower low-income immigrants and refugees in Santa Clara County through direct services, community education, leadership development and policy advocacy. We believe that all people, regardless of legal status or nationality, are entitled to essential services, human dignity, basic rights and protections, and access to full participation in society.

SIREN is proud to be a leader of the immigrant rights movement in Santa Clara County and to promote and implement policies and strategies that support equitable participation in, and access to, society's resources and opportunities for immigrant communities.

SIREN is offering a semester long internship with its policy advocacy program division.  The following are examples of primary responsibilities.  Essential duties will be identified on a more specific work plan.   

Duties:

• Create fact sheets to facilitate community understanding of ballot measures, current and pending legislation, propositions, and other issues that affect the immigrant community.
• Research background on legislators and their positions on immigrant issues; track federal, state, and legislation; analyze eligibility requirements for public benefits, and other issues relevant to the immigrant community.
• Develop position letters in support or opposition to immigrant related legislation.
• Translate flyers, brochures, fact sheets, and other written materials.
• Assist in designing community outreach/educational materials (brochures, flyers, posters, signs).
• Engage in community outreach such as distributing educational materials to local organizations, flyering, and door-to-door campaigns to promote participation
• Conduct interviews on a needed basis.
• Interact with media, drafting op-eds and letters to the editor, press releases, media advisories, media outreach and tracking immigrant-related press.

Qualifications: 

• Committed and passionate about immigrant rights 
• Ability to follow projects through to completion
• Motivated, independent and capable of working with minimal supervision  
• Must be responsible
• Must have capacity to analyze multi-faceted issues 
• Must have transportation   

·    Excellent verbal and writing skills
·    Computer skills: Microsoft Word, Internet, Excel

• Bilingual in English/Spanish or English/Vietnamese and prior experience in community organizing, public service, and policy advocacy are a plus.

Application Procedure: 
SIREN is looking for public policy intern to commit to intern at least eight hours per week during the spring or fall semester or at least 20 hours per week (usually for 10 weeks) during the summer.
Please email a cover letter describing your interest in interning in SIREN’s policy advocacy program, resumé and writing sample to the attention of:
Zelica Rodriguez, Policy Advocacy Program Director
Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network
1425 Koll Circle Suite 109
San Jose, CA 95112
zelica@siren-bayarea.org