Social Media and Communications InternAt — Neutral Ground

Social Media Intern

Communications & Community Engagement — Orange County, CA

Organization: Neutral Ground

Position Type: Internship — Unpaid, Academic Credit Available

Program Areas: Social Media & Content Creation, Public Relations & Media Outreach, and Community & Professional Partnership Building

Focus Areas: Content strategy, public relations, and community/professional relationship-building

Duration: 10 sessions over one semester (compressed schedule)

Hours: Arranged with your site supervisor to meet your availability and, if applicable, your academic program's requirements

Location: Orange County, CA — in-person, community-based, with some remote flexibility for content creation

Ideal For: Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, Media Studies, Graphic Design, or related majors seeking an internship or practicum placement

About Neutral Ground

Neutral Ground works to create a healthier and safer Orange County, centered on the communities most affected by gang violence. Through restorative practice, youth development, academic support, and meaningful relationships, we address the root causes of gang violence, poverty, academic failure, and teen pregnancy.

About the Internship

This internship places you at the center of how Neutral Ground tells its story and builds its network. You'll create content that spreads the word about our programs and impact, support public relations efforts to build relationships with local media, and help grow our connections with community and professional partners across Orange County.

The placement is structured as a compressed, session-based experience (10 sessions over a semester) with weekly supervision, a written learning agreement, and midpoint and final evaluations — designed to satisfy Communications, Marketing, or related fieldwork/internship requirements, where applicable.

What You'll Do

• Create and schedule engaging content across Neutral Ground's social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and others) to raise awareness of our programs and impact.
• Photograph and document events, workshops, and community activities for use in social media, newsletters, and grant reports.
• Help build and maintain relationships with community partners, schools, local businesses, and other nonprofits to expand Neutral Ground's network.
• Support outreach to potential donors, volunteers, and community members through social media engagement and follow-up.
• Track social media analytics and engagement metrics, and help refine content strategy based on performance.
• Assist in planning and promoting community events, fundraisers, and awareness campaigns.
• Represent Neutral Ground at community events and, with supervision, help deliver brief presentations introducing our programs to attendees, partners, and potential supporters.
• Contribute to newsletters, website updates, and other public-facing communications.
• Participate in weekly individual supervision and team meetings.
• Complete a final capstone project (a communications or social media strategy recap) connecting your work to Neutral Ground's mission.

Who We're Looking For

• Currently enrolled in a Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, Media Studies, Graphic Design, or related undergraduate or graduate program (or equivalent experience), seeking an internship or practicum placement.
• Comfortable creating content for and navigating platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and/or LinkedIn.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an eye for storytelling and community voice.
• Outgoing and comfortable initiating and maintaining professional relationships with media, community partners, and other organizations.
• Creative, organized, and able to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Comfortable engaging with youth, families, and community members from a range of backgrounds.
• Reliable and coachable, with the ability to commit to the full placement schedule.
• Own transportation required, as work may include off-site events and community activities.
• Willing to complete required clearances before engaging with program participants, including Livescan (fingerprint/background clearance), TB clearance, Mandated Reporter Training, and any district certification/paperwork required for your assigned site(s), plus site orientation.

Key Skills

• Social media content creation and scheduling (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and others)
• Public relations and media outreach — pitches, media contact lists, and public speaking
• Relationship-building with community partners, professional contacts, and media
• Photography, videography, and basic graphic design for social content
• Copywriting and storytelling for varied audiences
• Analytics and social media performance tracking
• Event promotion and community engagement
• Reliability and self-management within a structured, supervised placement schedule

What You'll Gain

• Direct, hands-on experience in nonprofit communications, public relations, and community engagement.
• A professional portfolio of content, campaigns, and media materials.
• An individualized learning agreement with weekly supervision and midpoint and final evaluations.
• A capstone project connecting your communications work to real community impact, to bring to future employers or graduate programs.
• An expanded professional network across local media, community organizations, and nonprofit partners.

Compensation & Academic Credit

This is an unpaid internship that can be structured to fulfill academic fieldwork, practicum, or internship credit. We're glad to coordinate with your school's field liaison or internship coordinator on learning agreements, hours, and evaluations.

How to Apply

Submit your resume, a brief cover letter describing your interest in nonprofit communications and community engagement work, and (if available) a link to a portfolio or social media work sample through CAREERLink. Applicants who advance will be invited to an interview with our communications and program team.