City Council Internship

Posted by on June 2, 2009

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY IN CITY COUNCIL

Looking for an exciting and meaningful internship?  Want to help people, make a difference and impact city policy?  Then the Office of Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. is the place for you!

Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. just took office in January 2008 and is already making his mark.  Here are some of the accomplishments to date:

Stopped Sheriff sales and set in motion the creation of the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion program, a model that has gained attention nationwide including by President Obama;
Held hearings on creating sustainable green zones and has introduced a bill to incentivize green building in Philadelphia;
Held hearings on Aging in Place to help seniors remain in their homes and neighborhoods;
Held hearings on expanding community-based courts, a prison diversion program, as one response to the high cost of incarceration;
Worked with the two other new council members and developed the “Freshman 15” which identified $28 million in budget savings;
Ran a “Block Captain Boot Camp” that provided over 200 neighborhood block captains with information and resources to improve their communities.

How does he do so much in such a short time?  With the able assistance of interns!!  Interns have made key contributions in the areas of budget analysis, constituent services, economic development projects, web design and legislative drafting.  Whether you are studying law, social work, sustainable design, economics, communications or liberal arts, this fast-moving office is sure to have something of interest that will hone your skills.

One past intern, a junior majoring in Political Science from Brandeis, put it this way:  “Interning for Councilman Jones has afforded me an invaluable first hand exposure to the workings of City Government . . . The Councilman and his staff encourage and appreciate your contribution to whatever critical issues present themselves . . .it’s like being on the front lines of a policy battle.”

Internship applications are accepted on a rolling basis.  Currently, we are interested in applications for the Fall.  While this is an unpaid internship, we are an eligible work-study placement and can work with any student interested in gaining academic credit.  Send cover letter, resume and brief writing sample to:  Shoshana Bricklin, Legislative Counsel at shoshana.bricklin@phila.gov, with “INTERN APPLICATION” in the subject line.  See also our new website: http://www.runcouncilmanjones.net.