Dec. 15 deadline to apply for Ethnic Young Adult Summer Internships


May 30 to July 31 in U.S. capital for ages 18 to 22 from United Methodist racial/ethnic minority caucuses.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Deadline to apply for a 2010 Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Summer Internship in Washington, D.C., is Dec. 15. The EYA program is for young adults, ages 18-22, who have an interest in exploring issues of public policy, social justice advocacy and social change.

Sponsored by the United Methodist Inter-Ethnic Strategy Development Group (IESDG) and administered by the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), interns will work in social justice placements in the U.S. capital from May 30 to July 31, 2010.

IESDG is a coalition of the denomination’s five racial/ethnic minority caucuses: Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR), Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans (MARCHA), the Native American International Caucus (NAIC), the National Federation of Asian American United Methodists (NFAAUM), and the Pacific Islander National Caucus of United Methodists (PINCUM).

Interns will live in Christian community. Work placements will be supplemented by evening intern-led devotions, Friday seminars on topics of social justice concern, area field trips and Sunday worship in area United Methodist churches. Participants must commit to participating in these activities.

The intern group will experience the rich diversity of The United Methodist Church by visiting a different congregation each Sunday. Congregations will reflect diversity in worship style as well as ethnicity.

Concern for social justice
Applicants must be in good academic standing at their college or university, demonstrate evidence of their concern for social justice through extracurricular activity, academic study and have some history of involvement in their church and/or community.

If employed full-time, applicants must show active leadership and participation in their local church and community, including involvement in social justice activities.

IESDG and GBCS will provide round-trip transportation to and from Washington, D.C.; housing for the eight-week EYA Internship; commuter stipend for travel to intern work sites; and $1,500 for each intern for the eight-week period.

Ethnic Local Church Grant
EYA is funded through GBCS’s Ethnic Local Church Grant program.

Participants are expected to return to their schools, churches and communities with an increased commitment to working with and on behalf of marginalized groups in society. Participants are also expected to share their experience with other persons from their community, school and church.

Application form is available at EYA Internship Program.

For more information, contact the Rev. Neal Christie, assistant general secretary, Education & Leadership Formation, General Board of Church & Society, 100 Maryland Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, (202) 488-5611 or the Rev. L.A. McCrae, EYA coordinator, (202) 488-5644 (office) or (443) 528-5138 (mobile).