Policy Institute Internships

Deadline for submissions is Nov. 15, 2008

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute is pleased to announce internships for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. The mission of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is to build the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from the ground up. We do this by training activists, organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and by building the organizational capacity of our movement. Our Policy Institute, the movement’s premier think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality and to counter right-wing lies. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all.

Job Description
Upcoming projects include data analysis and research support for the first-ever national survey of discrimination against transgender and gender nonconforming people, conference support for a discussion of LGBT sexuality, completion of a report on LGBT aging issues and creation of a report illustrating the connections between LGBT and reproductive rights.

Interns are typically involved with:

• Writing research reports
• Opposition research on anti-LGBT groups
• Policy research on LGBT issues
• Attendance at meetings and conferences
• Research support, including conducting literature reviews and fact-checking

Interns with experience in statistics may assist with data checking and statistical analysis.

Skills

Necessary:

• Strong writing skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently
• Experience in LGBT community and passion about LGBT issues

Preferred:

• Coursework or research experience in sexuality and/or gender studies
• Coursework or research experience in behavioral statistics
• Experience with new media, such as blogging and social networking sites
• Knowledge of other movements that intersect with our work (e.g., feminism, reproductive justice, human rights, racial and economic justice)

Location and timing

Applications, including a cover letter, CV and the names and contact information for three references are due Nov. 15, 2008.

Internships are 10-20 hours per week and are located on site at the New York office.

Interns must be available during all or part of normal business hours (9 a.m.-6 p.m.)

Start and end dates are negotiable. Internship will roughly correspond to spring semester 2009. Interns must commit to at least three months of work.

The Policy Institute is currently unable to pay interns, but staff members are happy to provide assistance in attaining course credit for eligible interns.

Please send application materials to:
Somjen Frazer
Senior Policy Analyst
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 1504
New York, NY 10038
Phone: 646.358.1476
Fax: 212.604.9831
sfrazer@theTaskForce.org [1]