Public Witness Internship
Internship and Fellowship for the Office of Public Witness and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations
About
The Office of Public Witness and Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations believes that formation of servant leaders and advocates is vital to the public-policy ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The Internship seeks to provide substantive, formative work and guidance for persons seeking experiential learning and vocational discernment in the church and in the public square.
Interns will receive a broad experience of the ministry of Public Witness and international advocacy and will explore the connections among their own faith journey, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s social justice teachings, and political and social realities in the world and United States today.
A justice model for service learning
Washington, D.C., is a town that runs on unpaid labor. People from all over the country flock to our nation’s capital in search of knowledge and experience. And while the goals are lofty, the practice falls far short of the mark, as many are pulled into unpaid junior staff positions (not experiential learning situations) where they have great responsibility and no power.
In the Office of Public Witness, we seek to challenge the dominant paradigm of internship as source of labor. In offering Internships and Fellowship in this office, we are not seeking a source of “cheap labor,” or even an extra pair of hands, but rather we are working to provide real opportunities for experiential learning, growth, and discernment. Our interns and fellows are empowered with responsibility for ministry in this office, and are supported by our staff with the resources they need to accomplish their goals. Our interns experience both responsibility and power.
We believe we are partners with our interns in their learning experiences. We seek to leave doors open, providing a wide array of experiences, responsibilities, and opportunities for discernment and growth, so that when interns and fellows leave the Office of Public Witness, they can truly say, “I have learned something new, I have gained new skills, I have continued to discern God’s call for my life.” We give thanks to God for the tremendous joy and responsibility that comes with the opportunity to guide and teach interns and fellows. The gift of working with them enriches our experience of ministry.
Programs
Internship for Public Witness and Ministry at the UN
The Internship takes place during the academic year, September to May. We do not assume that all participants will be students, but we do assume that interns will serve with us part-time because they will have other responsibilities, such as class or jobs. Interns may serve during the fall, spring or for the full academic year, but for no less than 12 weeks.
Interns who participate in this program may be seeking academic credit for their experience, and we are pleased to work with field education and internship offices to comply with reasonable site and supervision requirements.
The Office of Public Witness and Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations already participates with some academic internship programs, including the American Studies Program of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (for undergraduates), Wesley Theological Seminary’s Practice for Ministry and Mission Program (for Wesley Seminary students), Princeton Theological Seminary, and Union Theological Seminary. Students at other institutions should feel free to contact us about the possibility of working with their institution’s experiential learning program.
Fellowship for Public Witness and Ministry at the UN
The Fellowship takes place during the summer, June to August. Summer fellows will have a similar experience to interns serving for a longer period of time, but on a more compressed timeline. Summer Fellows usually serve at or near full-time hours for eight to 10 weeks.
Because we understand that most participants in this program will be coming from outside of D.C. and NYC for the summer fellowship experience, we strive to offer a modest housing stipend to fellows. Due to fundraising considerations, we reserve the right during a given summer not to offer housing stipends. Further, we will not offer such a stipend if the fellow is also participating with an institution-based or other kind of program that provides financial support during the summer fellowship placement.
The Office of Public Witness participates with a number of programs for summer theological experiential learning, including the Beatitudes Society, Vanderbilt Divinity School Field Education, Princeton Theological Seminary, Union Presbyterian Seminary (Richmond, Va.) and Union Theological Seminary.
Intern/Fellows’ Responsibilities
There is increased need for focused attention on domestic and international issues of justice and peace. The intern/fellow will be assigned a public-policy issue or portfolio of issues to follow throughout the political and decision-making process. This may include compiling news reports and writing articles and/or blog posts for publication; communicating Presbyterian General Assembly positions to members of Congress and their staffs as well as representatives of the executive branch, attending congressional hearings, obtaining bill text and testimony, providing analysis of bills and legislative outlook, working in coalition with the faith community and producing issue-based resources accessible to a general audience.
In addition to an issue portfolio, the intern/fellow will also be invited into full participation in the life of the Office of Public Witness and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, including regular staff meetings and preparation for and participation in commissions, forums and public events. She/he/they will also be assigned outreach, communications, and/or event-planning tasks, which may include outreach to Presbyterians, web content monitoring, maintenance of the online action alert system, social media strategy, contributing to planning an event or workshop at our Annual Advocacy Training Weekend, which includes Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day and Ecumenical Advocacy Days, at the Presbyterian Big Tent, at our monthly Second Tuesday public briefings, or another special project. Other duties may also be assigned.
Compensation
The Internship, which takes place during the academic year, is unpaid and does not include a stipend.
The Fellowship, which takes place during the summer, is also unpaid, but is accompanied by a modest housing stipend.
Candidates who participate in our programs with the sponsorship of another organization, such as an educational institution’s field education office, will not receive the housing stipend if their sponsoring program also provides a stipend. Most of these programs require that sites not offer duplicate stipends to participants.
The Office of Public Witness and Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations is regularly fundraising for these programs. As funds become available, we hope to increase the financial support we can offer to interns/fellows. Likewise, in the unfortunate event that funds should not be available, the OPW/PMUN reserves the right to offer summer fellowships with no housing stipend.
The Office of Public Witness and Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations is happy to collaborate with summer theological experiential learning programs, including those offered through seminary and theological school field education opportunities.
Who should apply?
Young adults (and the young in spirit) – all those with a thirst for knowledge and a passion for justice!
The Office of Public Witness and Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations invites diverse candidates to apply for its Internship and Fellowship programs. While we are aware that young adults who are currently students or who have recently graduated may be in a better position to participate in an unpaid internship, other adults are encouraged to apply.
Local pastors who are interested in spending their study leave or sabbatical concentrating on a public-policy project in the Office of Public Witness should consider our Visiting Associate Program.
Applicants must display a commitment to social justice and an interest in working for a more just community, in the United States and globally; strong written and verbal communications skills; the ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and work effectively as a member of a team; display self-motivation, dependability, creativity, flexibility and problem-solving skills; possess good “people skills” to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds; experience with standard office software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook; and a willingness to learn new software and computer skills.
From the Human Resources Department: All employment policies and practices, including recruiting, selection, benefits, compensation, performance appraisals, promotion, transfers, discipline, training and separation, will be administered without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, creed, disability or religious affiliation (except where a category is determined to be a bona fide occupational qualification).
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) cannot assist with the attainment of visas for internship purposes.
Applications
To apply, please submit application form, resume, and cover letter by email to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness. Please note your name and “intern/fellow application” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted from November 1 to March 1.