Health & Wellness Program-The Linkage-to-Care InternAt — LGBTQ Center Orange County

About the LGBTQ Center OC:
The LGBTQ Center Orange County has been advocating for the well-being and positive identity of LGBTQ+ individuals since 1971. Through direct services, community engagement, and educational outreach, we serve thousands of individuals annually across Orange County.

Position Summary:
The Linkage-to-Care Intern will work closely with the Health & Wellness team to provide critical support in connecting LGBTQ+ community members to affirming care and services. This role is ideal for students passionate about health equity, public health, social work, or advocacy who want hands-on experience with inclusive, community-centered care coordination and outreach.

Key Responsibilities:

Assist clients in navigating resources including referrals to LGBTQ-affirming physicians and therapists.

Support the coordination and tracking of cultural competency trainings for healthcare providers and community partners.

Participate in health outreach events, including resource fairs, community education days, and free testing events.

Help clients connect to health insurance enrollment assistance and support follow-up.

Assist in scheduling and promoting legal support clinics, such as name and gender marker change clinics.

Contribute to the planning and implementation of Health & Wellness events, such as Trans Pride, health fairs, and community education forums.

Preferred Skills & Qualifications:

Interest in LGBTQ+ health equity, public health, or case management

Strong organizational and communication skills

Comfortable speaking with diverse populations in a professional and compassionate manner

Bilingual skills are a plus (especially Spanish, Vietnamese, or Korean)

Basic knowledge of LGBTQ+ terminology and community needs (training provided)

Tasks:

Students placed in the Linkage-to-Care program under the LGBTQ Center OC’s Health & Wellness Department will engage in the following professional and pre-professional duties:

Client Navigation & Support Services

Assist clients in identifying and accessing LGBTQ-affirming healthcare providers.

Support clients in enrolling in public or private health insurance options, including Medi-Cal and Covered California.

Provide referrals and scheduling support for gender marker and legal name change clinics.

Respond to inquiries and connect individuals with appropriate internal and external services.

Health Outreach & Education

Develop and distribute inclusive health education materials in collaboration with staff.

Support tabling and health outreach events by engaging community members and providing accurate resource information.

Help promote health access campaigns and health-related services on social media or through printed materials.

Event Planning & Program Support

Assist in the coordination of community events such as health fairs, wellness workshops, and resource days.

Manage logistics including vendor communication, event outreach, supply preparation, and day-of event coordination.

Help collect and analyze post-event evaluations to improve future programming.

Cultural Competency Training Support

Assist staff in preparing training materials and presentations for external partners and service providers.

Track training participation and support follow-up communications with participants.

Administrative & Data Support

Maintain accurate records of client services, referrals, and outreach efforts using internal tracking systems.

Assist with reporting requirements, including service logs and documentation for grant reporting.

These tasks are designed to build student competencies in health equity, service coordination, LGBTQ+ cultural competency, and community-based health systems while reinforcing professional communication, project management, and public service ethics.

Training:

Students will receive the following training and ongoing support to ensure a successful learning experience:

General Volunteer Orientation (mandatory): An overview of the LGBTQ Center OC’s mission, policies, confidentiality protocols, and cultural competency expectations.

Program-Specific Training: A dedicated introduction to the Health & Wellness Department, with emphasis on Linkage-to-Care services, community resources, and key support areas (e.g., insurance navigation, physician referrals, gender marker/legal name change processes).

Weekly One-on-One Mentor Meetings: Students will have scheduled weekly check-ins with a staff supervisor to review progress, receive feedback, ask questions, and align on goals.

Skills Development Workshops: Interns may participate in internal or external trainings on topics such as LGBTQ+ health disparities, trauma-informed care, inclusive language, and culturally competent practices.

Job Shadowing Opportunities: Interns will shadow staff during outreach events, resource fairs, or service navigation sessions to observe and apply best practices.

Project-Based Learning: Students will be assigned projects related to event coordination, outreach, and community education with context provided through briefings and sample materials.

Resource and Literature Review: Interns will be provided readings and resource toolkits related to LGBTQ+ health equity, linkage systems, and public health engagement.

Ongoing Supervision and Support: Staff will provide structured guidance, collaborative feedback, and contextualization of tasks to ensure interns understand the impact of their contributions

Learning Outcome:

Learning Outcomes – Linkage-to-Care Internship
By the end of this internship, students will be able to:

Identify and apply culturally competent practices when serving LGBTQ+ individuals seeking healthcare, legal, and social support services.

Navigate systems of care and community resources, including insurance enrollment, physician referrals, and legal name/gender marker change processes.

Support and coordinate outreach initiatives, gaining experience in event planning, health education, and public engagement.

Demonstrate professional communication and client service skills, including intake coordination, confidentiality, and affirming support.

Analyze health disparities and systemic barriers that impact LGBTQ+ populations in accessing affirming care, and articulate strategies to address them.

Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and participate in internal planning meetings to understand how nonprofit service programs are developed and implemented.

Reflect critically on their own learning, community impact, and professional development within a diverse and equity-focused organization.