Founded in 1973 the Midwest Academy is a national training institute committed to advancing the struggle for social, economic, and racial justice. From local neighborhood groups to statewide and national organizations, Midwest Academy has trained over twenty-five thousand grassroots activists from hundreds of organizations and coalitions. Midwest Academy teaches an organizing philosophy, methods and skills that enable ordinary people to actively participate in the democratic process. Courses and consulting services are designed for progressive organizations and coalitions that utilize civic engagement activities to build citizen power at all levels of our democracy.

The Midwest Academy, a 32-year-old national training institute for progressive direct action organizing, will hire 10 or more community organizing interns for a paid ten week Summer 2006 program. We are still determining the exact locations of placements. We project that half the interns will work with community organizations on the south side of Chicago, on a variety of issues, and the other half will work on a health care issue with a statewide organization, Citizen Action/Illinois, in suburban locations. Preference will be given to applicants living in or near the area where they will work, or in school nearby. Applicants in suburban locations must have use of a car. Mileage will be reimbursed. Details about locations will be posted as soon as available.

Interns will spend the first week of the internship in the Midwest Academy five-day training program (see training agenda on our website, www.midwestacademy.com.) They will learn how organizers choose issues, develop strategy, assess their own organizational power and that of their target and opponents, recruit constituents, and move into action. (All costs for the training, including room and board, are covered.)

During the nine weeks in the field, interns will conduct community outreach and organize one or more public meetings. Interns will receive day-to-day supervision from their placement organizations, and ongoing training and mentoring from the Midwest Academy. For interns who are interested in pursuing a job in community organizing, we will provide job search assistance at the end of the internship or upon college graduation.

We are looking for young people who are ready to work hard and take on new challenges and responsibilities, who have a passion for social justice, and who want to learn solid skills in the field of organizing. We are particularly looking for people who want to explore a career in progressive organizing in Illinois.

Fluency in Spanish or other languages relevant to recent immigrants will be a plus for suburban locations. Use of a car will be required in the suburbs!

The program will run from Monday, June 5 – Friday, August 11.

The stipend will be $3000, and will be paid biweekly.

To apply: Fill out the application on our website at www.midwestacademy.com. Likely candidates will be interviewed via telephone. Review of applications will begin February 15 and continue until positions are filled; our target date to complete hiring is March 31st.

Questions? First review our website, then email Judy Hertz at mainterns@aol.com.

Note: Space is currently very limited due to funding. Some colleges make funds available to students for summer work. If you have a grant (or plan to apply for one) and would like to use it to participate in this internship, please fill out the internship application and email it with a paragraph explaining your proposed source of funds (which should be between $2000 and $5000, the full cost of the program). Applicants with their own funding must go through the regular application process and must follow the same ten week program as other interns.

For more information about the Midwest Academy program contact:

Midwest Academy
Judy Hertz
28 E. Jackson Blvd., Suite 605
Chicago, IL 60604

Phone: 312-427-2304
Fax: 312-427-2307

Email: Midwestacademy5@aol.com