TeamChild is a nationally recognized nonprofit serving vulnerable youth across Washington State. TeamChild is best known for its legal services program reaching children in crisis in King, Pierce, Spokane, and Yakima counties. Our clients are generally 12-18 years old or older and many are involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Our legal services program is designed to keep young people out of juvenile court by supporting them in how they want to reconnect to education, healthcare, housing, and other community supports. We work closely with families, public defenders, juvenile court staff, and the community to positively impact the young person’s life while helping the youth to accomplish their goals and reduce further contact with the courts. Our mission is to uphold the rights of youth involved, or at risk of involvement, in the juvenile justice system to help them secure the education, healthcare, housing, and other support they need to achieve positive outcomes in their lives. In our work we aim to move systems away from exclusion, arrest, and incarceration towards more effective strategies that have the best chance of promoting the well-being and success of our most vulnerable children.
At TeamChild we believe that racial and other social identities should be respected and affirmed. In support of this belief, we are building an equitable and inclusive organization and providing our team of staff, volunteers, and Board members with the tools to address institutionalized racism and other forms of oppression. All members of our team are responsible for providing and supporting an equitable and inclusive work environment that will enrich our interactions with each other and our products and services. This responsibility provides the foundation for empowering the children and families that we serve so their needs are justly represented and their desires amply fulfilled.
OVERVIEW OF INTERNSHIPS
TeamChild is excited to announce that we will be hosting a full-time intern in three of our offices for Summer 2018. Please see the details for each position listed below.
• Post-Disposition and Reentry – This workgroup serves youth and young adults placed in Juvenile Rehabilitation facilities across the state. Our Post-Disposition and Reentry attorneys provide direct legal representation to these youth and young adults on a wide range of legal issues. Along with good research and writing skills, we seek a law student intern who is culturally competent and adept at working with incarcerated youth. The position itself will entail a wide mix of tasks and opportunities. Interns will research and write memoranda about legal issues impacting our clients. Additionally, interns will research and create one-pagers for distribution to youth clients regarding basic issues and legal rights. Interns will create or revise template pro se documents and information or instruction packets on issues that include relief from sex offender registration, reinstatement of firearm rights, and record sealing. The position will also require direct case work responsibilities, including making and processing records requests. Interns will likely do some traveling with attorneys to meet with incarcerated youth clients. This position will be based in our King County office.
• Spokane County – We seek a law student intern to assist with general client work and related research. The intern will be involved directly with casework which will include assisting with intake, case investigation, and client interviews. In particular, our office sees a lot of clients who are experiencing homelessness and need help accessing benefits and housing resources. This position may also involve a legal research project.
• Yakima County – We seek a law student intern to work directly with our staff attorneys on sex offender registration removal cases. The intern’s work will involve legal research, managing discovery and records, and helping our team evaluate clients’ cases. It is likely the intern would also be involved in drafting pleadings and preparing arguments for hearing.
COMPENSATION
TeamChild is not able to provide compensation for this internship. The intern will need to find or provide their own financial resources for the summer.
• Current law student available to work full-time (35 hours a week) at TeamChild for at least ten weeks during the 2018 summer. TeamChild’s offices are flexible regarding start and end dates.
• Prior experience working with disadvantaged youth preferred.
• Strong initiative, creativity, problem solving abilities, and thrives in work environment that nurtures growth, exploration, and innovation.
The positions are open until filled. To apply please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]. In the subject line of the email please put “Summer 2018 Intern: (Location(s))” and also indicate in the cover letter which of the offices you wish to be considered for.