Internship

Watch this video created by Owen Murphy, featuring former interns and current CASA team members & share this video with your communities through Facebook!

About The Program’s Objectives

The Internship Program is a one-year paid Internship designed to increase the staff diversity within the Affordable Housing and Community Development field, and assist in meeting the diverse needs of the communities served throughout the rural West, including its emerging areas.   This includes recruiting, training and retaining ethnically diverse students who may not otherwise know about the field. We specifically target underrepresented People of Color, who come from low-income rural backgrounds and reflect rural West’s diverse cultural and linguistic demographics.  We give high priority to students entering their last academic year at four-year universities so that upon graduating from college, they may be able to be employed in entry-level professional positions in the field.

How The Internship Works

There are three main entities that make up the program:  the Intern, CCRH, and the Host Agency. CCRH is a nonprofit organization that serves as the Program Administrator and coordinator of the program (we are not a public/government agency).   CCRH sponsors the program and coordinates all trainings and supplemental program activities. The Host Agency is the location where each Intern carries out his/her day-to-day work. Each year, an average of twelve interns participate working and learning at one of the following three types of agencies:  nonprofit affordable housing developer, housing authority or community development financial institution. Internsare selected via a competitive application process from across each state, and placed with a host agency for one year, beginning work in the summer (full-time) and continuing through the spring (part-time).  The intern works closely with a supervisor and follows an Intern Work Plan that provides a well-rounded intern experience in the field of nonprofit affordable housing and community development. Interns and host agencies sign agreements with CCRH to ensure understanding of the program terms and policies, and to ensure an optimal experience for the Intern and the Host Agency.  Selected interns are placed at host agencies located within driving distance to the university in which they attend.

In general, during the course of the year, the Intern will be actively involved in one of the following nonprofit housing and community development tracks:

In addition, interns can be exposed to different leadership styles via CEO and Executive Director shadowing experiences; and are able to further develop their leadership skills through the program’s supplemental activities described below.

Program Activities And Other Opportunities

The Intern’s Program year will include a variety of pre-professional and personal skills development opportunities.  Interns also get to know their other peer group members and program alumni through various activities and develop strong long-lasting relationships because of the work and activities that occur over the year.  Some of these opportunities include:

Internship Program Term And Pay

The term of the program is for one year. Interns are expected to start no later than June and the pay range is from $14.00-$16.00 per hour, depending on geographic location.  For external CCRH program sponsored trainings, CCRH pays for all intern lodging and meals per CCRH guidelines.

Who Should Apply

Priority is given to full-time students the current academic year enrolled full-time and the following entire academic year or at the very least the fall term. Preference is given to those entering their last year of school, want to pursue a career in the nonprofit housing and community development field, have a solid understanding of basic math calculations, have good writing skills, have solid Excel (spreadsheet) skills, are from rural, farm-worker, American Indian Reservations/Rancherias, immigrant or low-income backgrounds, and demonstrate a commitment to improve the quality of life of low-income and rural communities.  The program encourages applications from various majors. Access to a vehicle is strongly preferred. See more under each geographic location. Students of Color, bilingual, bicultural students are strongly encouraged to apply. A strong commitment to affordable housing and social justice is a must!