The San Mateo County Health System is seeking a dedicated and hardworking Civic Engagement and Health Intern to join the Health Policy and Planning (HPP) team, a program within the Public Health, Policy and Planning Division. The HPP Internship Program is designed to provide work opportunities and practical learning experiences in public health, policy, planning, and research, with an emphasis in health equity and place-based primary prevention.
HPP Framework: Primary Prevention & Health Equity
There is a growing recognition that where we live, work, play, and go to school shape our health. HPP focuses on building healthy, equitable communities that prevent people from getting sick in the first place. HPP works to ensure all people have the opportunity for health and wellbeing and seeks to build health equity by addressing the root causes of poor health, such as the social, economic, and physical conditions around us. To achieve this goal, HPP employs expertise in policy, planning, research, equity, epidemiology, communications, and advocacy. HPP has a particular focus on supporting populations with higher rates of preventable health issues and in places with the fewest opportunities for health.
HPP is currently focused on four areas of work:
- Stable and affordable housing: protects health and provides the ability to engage in healthy opportunities.
- Complete neighborhoods: make it easy for residents to be healthy every day in their own communities.
- High quality education: creates pathways to better health.
- Strong local economy: builds household financial security for all.
To learn more about HPP’s work visit www.gethealthysmc.org.
Internship Overview: Civic Engagement and Health Intern
The Civic Engagement and Health Intern will assist Health System staff in researching the impact of civic engagement on community health and developing strategies for addressing the root causes of racial health inequities. They will conduct analyze current conditions, synthesize model practices, and help communicate the connections between social inclusion and health. More specifically, they will work on any of the following:
- Help craft brief on health impacts of social exclusion and civic engagement.
- Support analysis of local leadership development and civic engagement assets, needs, and gaps
- Conduct an analysis of model practices that optimize civic engagement of marginalized populations
- Develop strategic communications material to share research findings
- Support stakeholder forums on racial health equity and civic engagement
The ideal candidate will have:
- Interest and dedication to advancing health and equity demonstrated through work experience and/or personal experience being impacted by health inequities
- Background in public health, public policy, and/or community organizing
- Understanding of the intersection between public health and exclusion as well as knowledge of health equity principles and a systemic analysis to race issues.
- Knowledge of civic engagement and community organizing practices
- Strong skills in public health, public policy, governance or political science research
- Ability to review technical and policy documents/publications, synthesize complex data, and identify recommendations
- Strong writing, communication, and people skills
- Strong organization and time management skills and ability to work independently toward excellent outcomes
Eligibility
- Current students in a master’s degree program or graduates of a master’s degree program are eligible to apply.
- You may not be a current San Mateo County employee.
- Successful applicants will possess a deep passion for addressing health inequities and experience working to change them. Relevant experience may include:
- Personal or family experience dealing with inequitable economic, social, health and educational systems and environments. For instance: being the first in your family to attend higher-education, growing up in a low-income neighborhood, experiencing housing/financial instability, or facing racial/ethnic or other types of discrimination.
- Professional experience in programs that promote equity (this can be through a multitude of intervention types and variety of locations or organizations).
Internship Term & Pay
This HPP Internship program runs year round. The Summer Internship cycle runs from June 3 until August 30, 2019 (flexible). The intern must commit to working between 32-40 hours per week. Reasonable timeframe adjustments can be negotiated. Current graduate students pay starts at $24.00 per hour depending on experience.
How to Apply
Complete an application by clicking on the link here. After you have filled out an application from the link, please submit your completed application to HPPinternship@smcgov.org with the following required attachments:
- Cover Letter: Please describe your interest in and qualifications for this internship in the cover letter including position you are applying for.
- Resume
- Completed application and supplemental questionnaire (see next page)
The application deadline for the Summer Internship is February 28 at 5 p.m. PST.
Only completed applications will be reviewed; please contact us if you do not receive a confirmation we received your application. If selected, you will be invited for an interview. In-person interviews are strongly preferred, but telephone interviews can be arranged if needed.
Questions
Rosa Torpis, Program Coordinator
225 37th Avenue, 1st Floor, San Mateo, CA 94403
Telephone: (650) 573-2462
E-mail: hppinternship@smcgov.org
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