Youth Program INTERNAt — GOALS

Internship Opportunity at GOALS: Make an Impact, Gain Real-World Experience!

Are you looking to gain hands-on experience that aligns with your career goals? GOALS is excited to offer internship opportunities for college students from all majors — we’ll work with you to tailor the experience to your unique interests and career aspirations!

Internships Available Year-Round

At GOALS, we understand that every intern brings different skills and goals. That’s why we customize your internship experience to help you grow in the areas that matter most to you.

GOALS runs several after-school programs that serve low-income and at-risk youth, providing them with enriching activities that promote physical, social, and academic development. We blend sports, arts, and mentorship to create a positive environment for every participant.

What Will You Do?

As an intern, you’ll have the chance to build your leadership skills and work with a dedicated team to support youth through a variety of activities. Here’s a glimpse of your responsibilities:

Create a Positive Environment: Help enforce program procedures to ensure a safe, supportive, and respectful space for all participants.

Support Program Activities: Assist in leading athletics, educational enrichment, and homework sessions for groups of 20–25 youth. You’ll also learn effective classroom management and behavior strategies to help keep things running smoothly.

Teamwork: Work alongside program coordinators to help with pre- and post-program tasks, like setting up materials, organizing equipment, and preparing for the day’s activities.

What’s in It for You?

Tailored mentorship and a hands-on learning experience that fits your career interests.

A chance to develop valuable leadership, organizational, and communication skills.

Exposure to a dynamic after-school program with a meaningful impact on local youth.

Potential to get involved with creative projects like the startup Children's Influencer/ Podcast Program, Futbulito Soccer Team, etc.

Who Should Apply?

Anyone with an interest in working with youth, education, community service, or simply gaining experience in a non-profit or after-school setting. We welcome applicants from all majors — whether you’re studying education, social work, arts, sports management, or something else entirely, we’ll make sure your internship is meaningful and aligns with your career path.

Ready to Apply?
Submit your application today! We look forward to seeing how you can contribute to the GOALS mission and develop your professional skills in the process.

Tasks:

Students placed at the site will engage in professional and pre-professional duties that support youth development, program operations, and applied learning outcomes. Duties include, but are not limited to:

Planning, facilitating, and leading small-group and whole-group enrichment activities aligned with program goals

Supporting classroom and behavior management using positive youth development strategies

Mentoring and coaching students through academic, social-emotional, and recreational activities

Implementing conflict-resolution techniques and restorative practices with students

Collaborating with site staff to adapt programming based on student needs and daily conditions

Observing, analyzing, and reflecting on student behavior to inform engagement strategies

Designing and completing an internship project aligned with the student’s academic major, contributing to curriculum development, enrichment programming, or operational improvement

Collecting and organizing basic program data (attendance, participation, reflections) to support program evaluation and accountability

Communicating professionally with site supervisors and staff regarding progress, challenges, and goals

Participating in program planning meetings, debriefs, and reflective discussions

Demonstrating professional workplace skills including time management, initiative, adaptability, and ethical conduct

These duties require independent judgment, problem-solving, collaboration, and applied academic knowledge, ensuring the internship experience is predominantly professional in nature and appropriate for the awarding of college credit.

Training:

~General Employer Orientation (mandatory):
An initial orientation covering program mission, site expectations, professional conduct, safety procedures, child supervision protocols, and confidentiality requirements.
~Site-Specific Onboarding & Job Shadowing:
Students will shadow experienced core staff to observe classroom management, behavior-support strategies, and enrichment facilitation before assuming independent responsibilities.

~Ongoing Mentorship & Check-Ins:
Interns will receive regular informal feedback and guidance from site leadership, with scheduled check-ins as needed to reflect on experiences, address challenges, and set goals.

~Overview and Contextualization of Assigned Tasks:
Supervisors provide clear expectations, modeling, and context for assigned duties to ensure interns understand how their work supports student outcomes and overall program goals.

~Skills-Based, On-the-Job Training:
Interns receive hands-on training in conflict resolution, youth engagement, behavior management, and group facilitation through real-time coaching and observation.

~Internship Project Support:
Students are guided in developing and implementing an internship project aligned with their academic major, including feedback, revision, and practical application within the program setting.

~Access to Program Materials and Work Samples:
Interns are provided with relevant curriculum materials, lesson examples, and documentation to support learning and successful task completion.

Learning Outcome:

Interns will function as student leaders and will have the opportunity to mentor, coach, and lead enrichment activities alongside the program’s core staff. Throughout the internship, students will also have the opportunity to:
~Develop practical conflict-resolution skills through daily student interactions
~Work in a professional, fast-paced educational environment
~Learn effective classroom management strategies
~Build foundational behavior-management skills
~Gain knowledge of the diverse population served within the community
~Strengthen awareness of gender, ethnic, and cultural considerations in youth development
~Build a tolerance for ambiguity and adapt to sudden changes in programming or schedules
~Implement concepts from their educational major by designing and completing an internship project that contributes to the program’s overall enrichment, curriculum, or operations