Careers & Internships
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Finance and Operations Associate
To apply, please email [email protected]
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Interns for Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire give of their time and talents to help create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. All of our internships are unpaid; however, in return for their hard work and dedication, our interns receive valuable training, knowledge, hands-on non-profit work experience, a chance to meet others, and the gratification of making a difference in the life of a child.
Academic credit can also be provided for students (specific criteria/requirements of the student’s educational institution apply). All interns must be a current undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a course within their internship semester (over the age of 18) with excellent written and oral communications skills, organizational skills, attention to detail, the ability to multitask and maintain confidentiality, computer proficiency, and a passion for the work of Make-A-Wish.
COVID-19 Update: Our offices are open to the public once again. All internships are planned to be in-person either at our Irvine or Riverside offices. We are no-longer offering a remote format for the internship program.
Our interns assist in various areas of Make-A-Wish alongside staff and other volunteers. The following are the current internship opportunities that are available for Summer 2024:
IRVINE OFFICE
The Marketing and Communications Intern will assist with marketing and communications as well as creating and developing content and social management efforts of Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire. The Intern will also further develop skills in marketing, brand management, and written and oral communications.
Responsibilities:
- Assist with launching the Make-A-Wish OCIE Chapter merchandise store
- Creating promotional materials for both internal and external use
- Support marketing department operations by assisting with the monthly newsletter and event marketing.
- Provide updates to the Make-A-Wish OCIE Chapter website as needed
- Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team and other departments to ensure cohesive branding and messaging across all platforms
- Stay up-to-date with the latest social media trends, tools, and best practices to continuously improve our social media strategy
- Assist with developing content, including text, images and videos, to showcase wish stories, events, and fundraising initiatives
The Public Relations Intern will assist with public relations efforts of Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire while further developing skills in public relations, brand management, and written and oral communications. We are looking for someone who can commit to 8-10 hours/week.
Responsibilities:
- Craft wish stories to use for storytelling partnership pitches and grants
- Assist with creating content for press releases and developing media alerts for upcoming events and wishes
- Support marketing pitches to Business Wire and local news outlets
- Support the Marketing & Communications Manager in cultivating and maintaining media relations
- Attend and support the Pickleball for Wishes event
The Social Media Intern will assist with managing strategic social media content for Make-A-Wish OCIE’s various platform accounts such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Youtube.
Responsibilities:
- Participate in content creation including text, images, and videos to showcase wish kid stories, events, and fundraising initiatives
- Work with the Marketing & Communications Manager to plan strategic social media campaigns
- Assist with promoting the Pickleball for Wishes tournament and capturing content to highlight this and other events
- Draft media to highlight and celebrate Make-A-Wish community partners
The Events Intern will assist with soliciting in-kind donations for auctions and setting up Silent Auctions at events such as The Desert Underground. They will also assist with additional event logistics coordination.
Responsibilities:
- Assist in event and project management functions such as auction coordination
- Learn development and fundraising aspects within and relative to a non-profit setting
- Conduct research and outreach related to major projects, campaigns, and fundraising events
- Support marketing and communications related to events
- Participate in the creative process of event coordination by designing elements to elevate guest experience
The Youth Programs Intern will assist with Kids for Wish Kids (KFWK) and Wish Makers on Campus (WMOC) programs, creating and updating toolkits and resources for KFWK and WMOC, assisting in developing leadership trainings and seminars, and other efforts for our youth programs.
Responsibilities:
- Assist with the Youth Programs Leadership Summit
- Work to onboard new Make-A-Wish clubs
- Updating materials for Kids for Wish Kids (KFWK) and Wish Makers on Campus (WMOC) programs
- Assist with general office duties, conducting research, event planning, and marketing/public relations
- Build and strengthen relationships with local schools
- Coordinate event logistics related to youth engagement programs
The Volunteer Services Intern will assist with the onboarding process and database management of the Volunteer Services program.
Responsibilities:
- Support onboarding processes by creating files and performing data entry of new volunteers and interns
- Assist with Wish Granter and event specific volunteer training preparation
- Assist with facilitating volunteer recognition and engagement initiatives
- Research potential community partners to recruit volunteers/interns
The Development Intern will be assisting with event preparation and logistics of fundraising events, supporting donor communication efforts, and maintaining fundraising databases.
Responsibilities:
- Conduct research on potential donors, foundations, and corporations in the local community
- Perform community outreach to promote Make-A-Wish's mission
- Preparing informational collateral to promote the organization, events, etc.
- Identify opportunities for local partnerships and manage research results
- Conduct research and outreach related to major projects, campaigns, and fundraising events
All internships require a passion for and commitment to the work of Make-A-Wish.
To apply for an internship position, you must submit:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Intern Application Form
E-mail: [email protected]
Please note that the dates below are subject to change. Based on a student's availability and school schedule, internships can begin or end before or after the dates indicated below.
2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR
SPRING 2025
Dates of program: January 13 - May 16
Applications Accepted: November 4 - December 2
SUMMER 2024
Dates of program: June 3 - August 9
Applications Accepted: April 15 - May 10
FALL 2024
Dates of program: August 26 - December 13
Applications Accepted: July 8 - August 9
Interns generally work between 8-10 hours per week. While these time frames work best for most students, all scheduling, including start/end dates and hours per week, is flexible and negotiated between the candidate and their supervisor during the interview stage of the selection process.
All hired interns must successfully complete a background check and attend an orientation session prior to beginning their internship.
Should you have any questions during the application process, please email [email protected].