Prison Book Club Internship

Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop is a non-profit that works with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youths and adults. Our mission is to build community to foster personal development and systems change through the literary arts, workforce development, trauma healing, peace-building, and member-led advocacy. We support our members as they heal from violence and pursue education and employment post-incarceration. We are currently seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic individual to serve as the Prison Book Club Intern. This position is a great fit for students interested in social justice, mass incarceration, education, or creative writing.

Responsibilities may include:

• Typing member poetry and providing constructive feedback
• Digitizing letters from incarcerated individuals and tracking vital information from this correspondence
• Writing letters to the incarcerated youths and adults in our program
• Writing content for our newsletter, the Free Minds Connect, distributed to 500+ members in the federal prison system
• Creating activity kits and educational worksheets for Book Club members in solitary confinement
• Assisting with the preparation and planning of our “On the Same Page” community engagement program
• Coordinating with volunteers providing program support
• Tracking the locations of incarcerated members and assisting with mailings
• Assisting with book distribution to 500+ incarcerated members
• Conducting research and/or attending events to learn more about the criminal legal system and system change efforts, with the goal of sharing knowledge with program participants and other staff, interns, and volunteers
• Assisting with other program support as needed

This position is for 10-20 hours per week, and we can be somewhat flexible on scheduling. In addition to regular business hours, we have evening programming on Mondays; applicants must be available during this time (6-8 ET). This internship will be hybrid in-person and virtual with some time in the office and some time teleworking.

This internship offers a unique chance to make a direct and meaningful impact in the lives of people affected by mass incarceration, using the innovative tools of books and poetry. Internship available starting in January. Start/end dates are flexible but we ask for at least a 12-week commitment. Please visit www.freemindsbookclub.org for more information on our program.

Qualifications:

• Interest in the nonprofit sector and social justice
• Flexible self-starter with willingness to take on a variety of assignments
• Strong work ethic and a good sense of humor
• Experience with Microsoft Excel a plus
• Experience with Zoom a plus
• Experience with Miro or other digital whiteboards a plus
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage time effectively and work independently in a fast-paced environment
• Passion for books, creative writing, and the power of expression as a tool for change
• Creative with basic art or design skills a strong plus
• Available to work in the office (in-person) and virtual, for a minimum of 10 hours per week
• Spanish language skills are a plus

Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop is an equal opportunity employer.

Individuals who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system are strongly encouraged to apply.