Internships at The Eden Alternative!

Grow your talents. Improve lives.

Find all the details about The Eden Alternative and applying for our Internship Program!

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Internship Program

This page has been developed to provide specific details regarding the internship program with The Eden Alternative.
It serves three purposes:

To provide The Eden Alternative and university supervisors with details regarding policies, procedures and responsibilities of the student, The Eden Alternative, and the university.

To promote communication and understanding between the triad of participants in the internship program (student, Eden Alternative, university).
To define the internship program through delineation of its goals, objectives and procedures.

History of The Eden Alternative

Founded by award-winning geriatrician Dr. Bill Thomas and his partner Jude Thomas, The Eden Alternative began as a grant-funded project in a single nursing home.

Since 1994, we have been committed to helping elders take their lives back by:

Reframing how we see aging

Reimagining care as we know it

Eliminating loneliness, helplessness, and boredom

Revolutionizing how we support people living with changing abilities

Delivering transformative education and consultation

Today, we are a global, 501c3 non-profit organization that impacts hundreds of thousands of people across 22 countries and transforms caring relationships throughout all care settings and services.

Welcome from President & CEO, Michelle Daniel

Principle 10 of the Eden Alternative states, “Wise leadership is the key to meaningful and lasting change. For it, there can be no substitute.” Providing opportunities for people to grow through internship with our organization while working towards higher education follows that principle. We want to create an internship program that inspires college students to choose careers that strengthen well-being and create a life worth living for care partners wherever they live.

Mission Statement of The Eden Alternative

To improve the well-being of Elders and their care partners by transforming the communities in which live and work.

Purpose of the Internship Program

An Internship with The Eden Alternative provides real-life opportunities for students to gain perspective toward their career path. During the internship, the student will practice under the guidance and supervision of Eden Alternative professionals. As part of the internship, the student is evaluated by the Eden Alternative supervisor. In addition, the student continually reviews their knowledge, skills, accomplishments, and professional growth as they apply to preparation for entry as a professional.

Opportunities within The Eden Alternative

*Non-profit Operations

*Marketing

*Business Operations

*Content Development

*Education

*Membership

*Project Coordination

*Fundraising

Internship Criteria & Application Process

Interested students should apply following the schedule below:

Spring Semester internship	Completed application by October 15
Summer Semester internship	Completed by application by March 1
Fall Semester internship	Completed application by June 15

Application Criteria includes:

2 letters of recommendation

At least 3.0 GPA in major classes

Statement of interest in internship with The Eden Alternative

Submit application to by the above deadline

The Eden Alternative Internship Application

Thank you for your interest in the internship opportunity at The Eden Alternative. We are excited about the prospect of welcoming a passionate and dedicated student to join our virtual team and contribute to our mission of improving the well-being of Elders and the care partners they work with.

After clicking submit, wait for the thank you message to confirm submission. Thank you!

Dress Code: Students interning with The Eden Alternative will be expected to dress in business casual attire when out in a community as a representative of The Eden Alternative. When conducting virtual meetings and/or appointments, students are expected to appear professional.

Working hours: Dependent upon the assignment and/or project being completed by the student.

An internship project will be determined by the Eden Alternative supervisor during an interview with the student based on their interest and skills and the need of the Eden Alternative.

An Internship Agreement will be signed by the student and Eden Alternative supervisor prior to student beginning internship hours with The Eden Alternative. This agreement will include privacy and protection of the intellectual properties of The Eden Alternative.

An evaluation will be completed by the Eden Alternative supervisor in conjunction with the timeline required by the college for grade completion.

Internship Student Requirements:

Working laptop

Wi-fi

University Supervisor Responsibilities:

Will assist the student in identifying an internship placement compatible with interests and skills.

To represent the University in all official arrangements with cooperating agencies.

Will maintain contact with Eden Alternative Supervisor and Student during the internship.

To review and evaluate all student written assignments required through the internship.

To determine the final grade for the internship student through consultation with the Eden Alternative Supervisor.

To always maintain open communication with the Eden Alternative concerning their cooperation and supervision of the student.

Eden Alternative Supervisor Responsibilities:

Become familiar with the objectives and procedures established by the University for internships.

Orient interns to the policies and objectives of the Eden Alternative and establish a weekly schedule of work activities. It is suggested that this be done at the beginning to enable the intern to gain a better understanding of his/her involvement in the total operation of the Eden Alternative during the internship period.

To acquaint intern with the organizational hierarchy (organizational chart), and administrative policies regarding organizing, directing, and evaluating performance.

Involve the intern in as many program operations as is feasible including leadership and administration.

Expose interns to total operations including reports, meetings, public relations, and budgeting as appropriate.

Provide the student with meaningful experience throughout the internship period. It is expected the intern would be involved in many different facets of the Eden Alternative’s operation depending on the project.

Maintain regular and consistent contact with interns, review weekly reports, and provide feedback.

Internship Responsibilities may include:

*Assist with conference preparation and tasks

*Research on systems that would benefit the Eden Alternative’s efforts

*Assist with fundraising appeals, mail outs & campaign designs

*CRM management, e.g., assistance with bounced emails, contact information edits, open rate tracking, etc.

*Gathering current research on aging, loneliness, helplessness, meaning, purpose, and assistive technology that reinforces what The Eden Alternative teaches

*Assisting with documentary development and production

*Mailing, sorting, shipping, and supply management

*Local projects support, e.g., data analysis and reporting

*Social media

*Content development, e.g., assessments, measurement tools, checklists

*Member surveys

*Tracking data for the systems used by the Eden Alternative

*Editing videos into useful resources, e.g., soundbites

*Gathering stories from Eden communities

*Hosting or assisting with live online events or gatherings

Thank you for reading and we look forward to connecting with you!