Central Corridor Internship Program

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Overview

This program ended in August 2013, and all deadlines have passed; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site again for future internship opportunities.

The 11-mile, $957-million Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (LRT) line will cross through multiple Minneapolis and St. Paul neighborhoods with diverse residents, business owners, and other stakeholders, whose participation in public planning and decision-making processes may be hindered by language barriers, cultural differences, and limited time.

HECUA launched the Central Corridor Internship Program (CCIP) in 2010 with funding from the Otto Bremer Foundation, The Saint Paul Foundation, and the F. R. Bigelow Foundation. Previously, HECUA had a decade's worth of experience managing a summer internship program called the Partners Internship Program, which placed full-time summer interns in nonprofit organizations across Minnesota, North Dakota and western Wisconsin. In 2009, HECUA designed a new internship program to be deliberately collaborative, focused on a single place and on a set of issues important to that place. In the new CCIP model, HECUA invited community organizations in Saint Paul’s Central Corridor to apply to receive a full-time intern for efforts to address civic, environmental, social, and economic opportunities and impacts of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) on diverse communities along that corridor.

With additional funding from the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Central Corridor Internship Program has brought about the largest coordinated infusion of student interns ever involved in a single Twin Cities infrastructure project. Between June 2010 and August 2103, thirty-seven interns worked more than 14,000 hours on community engagement initiatives along the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line in Saint Paul.

Example Internships:

AfroEco

By collecting and analyzing data from a 2010 Neighborhood Food Project survey and partnering with leaders in the Frogtown and Aurora Saint Anthony neighborhoods, the CCIP intern was able to isolate data pertaining to food access and environmental deficits for African Americans along the Central Corridor. She created an instant GIS mapping and streamlined data system in order to better understand food security and nutrition along the Central Corridor. She also completed a literature review of similar projects that will be helpful in building a national coalition of food-related organizations within African American communities. Findings will be presented at a national conference, Black Environmental Thought II, to be held in September 2012.

The Access Group

Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 requires that recipients of certain financial assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provide job training, employment, and contract opportunities for low- or very-low income residents in connection with development projects in their neighborhoods. The CCIP intern’s work in summer 2011 contributed to The Access Group’s national effort to provide best practices related to Section 3 regulations and compliance. The practices outlined by The Access Group are expected to influence upcoming revisions planned for Section 3 regulations and administration. The revisions will have a direct impact on low-income communities along the Central Corridor as they seek access to jobs on HUD funded projects.

Aurora-St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation

Researched community assets and conducted a series of listening sessions in Rondo, Frogtown, and the African American artist community to help shape the vision for the Old Home site.

Website Link:

http://www.aurorastanthony.org/

The Central Corridor Friendly Streets Project

The Friendly Streets Project aims to be part of designing traffic calming and other designs for streets parallel to University Avenue, where the Light Rail Transit is being built. The CCIP intern coordinated five Friendly Streets Block Parties with the Hamline Midway Coalition and the Frogtown Neighborhood Association. The block parties were held in July and August 2011 at various spots along Charles Avenue and introduced over 700 residents to a variety of techniques to make streets more attractive and safe. Block party attendees cast over 1700 “votes” on a series of 24 images of concepts for street design, expressing their like, dislike, or ambivalence about traffic circles, bump-outs, speed bumps, bike boulevard striping and signage, public art, and more. Additionally, over 200 people completed a detailed survey about street use, design concepts, and related ideas. Input gathered at the block parties will be used to guide the future design of streets parallel to University Avenue between Rice Street on the east and Aldine Street on the west. The CCIP intern coordinated the five events in partnership with neighborhood residents and with Springboard for the Arts and local food vendors. She collected and analyzed the completed surveys for use in residents’ future efforts to advocate for their preferences in traffic calming street designs and amenities.

District Councils Collaborative

The CCIP intern identified key stakeholders along the Central Corridor and conducted a series of interviews to better understand communication efforts and impacts related to LRT construction and identify communication gaps in reaching various stakeholders along the corridor. She presented her findings and a set of recommendations for how to improve communications to the Metropolitan Council and other government bodies responsible for communicating with the public about Light Rail construction.

Website Link:

http://dcc-stpaul-mpls.org/

Frogtown Gardens

To leverage support for Frogtown Farm, a proposed urban farm and public green space in the heart of the Frogtown neighborhood of Saint Paul, the CCIP intern conducted door-to-door outreach to 250 households in the neighborhood, providing bean seeds to plant along residents' chain link fences. By the end of the summer, at least one house on every block in Frogtown had scarlet runner beans tumbling over a fence, raising awareness and visible support for Frogtown Farm. The intern also organized a community meal, and established new community and organizational partnerships in the neighborhood that bring together urban farming, gardening, and food access.

Frogtown Neighborhood Association

in summer 2012, Twin Cities LISC and the Frogtown Neighborhood Association (FNA) co-created a shared internship that connected the work of the FNA with the larger framework and recommendations of the Big Picture Project. The intern worked with the Frogtown Neighborhood Association on housing preservation projects such as Frogtown Focus, and condecyed extensive research on homes in Frogtown to demonstrate their historic value,

Website Link:

http://www.frogtownmn.org/about-us

Greater Frogtown Community Development Corporation

The foreclosure crisis has heavily impacted the Frogtown neighborhood, leaving over 300 vacant properties, many of them former rental units. GFCDC, recognizing the need to help place families in stable housing, decided to create an affordable rental program that would allow low to moderate income families access to high-quality housing. The CCIP intern’s primary task for the summer was to work on community engagement around the affordable rental program. She organized three National Night Out Block Parties to get give the staff at the GFCDC the opportunity to talk with residents about the program. Over 100 people attended the events. She also created a renters' handbook and created brochures for renters interested in GFCDC programs.

Website Link:

http://www.greaterfrogtowncdc.org/

Hmong Organizing Project -Take Action MN

The CCIP intern established a Teen Hmong Leadership Team and worked with that team to organize and lead a community forum at Rondo Community Outreach Library. The forum brought members of the Hmong community together to discuss issues related to the light rail, including home foreclosures and affected Hmong businesses. Forty- one Hmong residents participated in the youth-led forum.In an article in the Twin Cities Daily Planet, participant Bee Kevin Xiong commented, “I learned a lot from this forum and have used some facts about home foreclosures and the light rail when talking to Hmong families.” Xiong added, “It is important for our young people to be involved because the elders in our Hmong community do not participate in mainstream politics—therefore, we need young people like these to educate and organize our people around these issues.”

Website Link:

http://takeactionmn.org

Preserve & Benefit Historic Rondo Committee

The CCIP intern conducted face-to-face outreach with African and African American small business owners along University Avenue and just north and south of the Avenue, informing small business owners about loan opportunities available to them. She also offered support for completing the Forgivable Loan Program application process with the City of Saint Paul. After finding that many of the small business owners she talked with were unaware of the loan or how to apply, the intern organized an African and African American Ready for Rail Resource Fair, which attracted twenty participants. The intern also put together a database of all of the African and African American small businesses along the corridor for use by the Metropolitan Council and other organizations charged with helping small businesses survive through construction.

Union Park District Council

Two CCIP interns conducted two separate projects in summer 2011.
1. Over the past two summers, with the assistance of two CCIP interns, Skyline Tower residents formed the Skyline Tower Leadership Team (STLT), a group of residents that represent Skyline Tower and work to engage community members along the light rail. The STLT has involved residents in the planning of the Hamline Station area, facilitated residents' testimony at a City of Saint Paul Planning Commission Public Hearing, and brought residents to Construction Communication Committee Meetings of the Central Corridor Project Office. In addition, team members have spoken at events and continue to promote the involvement of the Skyline Community in the Central Corridor project and other initiatives in their neighborhood.

2. The Union Park District Council recently started the District Planning process, which allows a Saint Paul community to develop its own plan for growth and development that then becomes an official part of the city's comprehensive development plan. Communities can influence development and investment in their neighborhoods. The process for creating a District Plan is overseen by a Steering Committee of volunteers from the community. The CCIP intern was responsible for organizing this committee and completed outreach and information-sharing about the process of developing a District Plan. In person and via an online survey that generated 122 responses, the intern was able to recruit 30 residents to participate in the Steering Committee. He also created a web page for the District Plan, allowing for exchange of files and public display of the entire process, and he researched previous plans developed by the neighborhood to see what recommendations might usefully inform the new plan.

Website Link:

http://www.unionparkdc.org/

The Neighborhood Energy Connection

In summer 2010, the Neighborhood Energy Connection (NEC) intern created and implemented community education and outreach strategies to increase low-income residents' access to home energy and cost saving services. She conducted home energy audits with the buy-in of residents, rather than going through landlords, and informed the residents of ways they could save both energy and money. The NEC intern also wrote a cultural competency guide for Home Energy Squads. Finally, after successfully engaging with low-income communities in ways the organization had not done before, the intern created a high-rise and public housing building protocol.

Website Link:

http://thenec.org

Asian Economic Development Association

In summer 2010, the CCIP intern housed with the Asian Economic Development Association (AEDA) recruited, organized, and convened a committee of Asian business owners along University Avenue to address the impacts of LRT construction. He found that organizing a steering committee of small business owners was challenging, but one-on-one meetings were very effective in building the business owners’ awareness of the issues and commitment to be more involved in advocacy and decision-making.

Website Link:

http://www.aeda-mn.org/

Summit University Living at Home (SULAH)

In summer 2010, The Summit University Living at Home (SULAH)/Frogtown Gardens intern built strong relationships with elders in part by delivering donated fresh vegetables every week. She also prepared information on city guidelines for using vacant land for community gardens—information that was used not only by her own host organization but also by another participating organization after she shared it at a CCIP seminar.

Website Link:

http://www.blocknurse.org/sulah/

Summit-University Planning Council

In summer 2010, the intern housed with the Summit-University Planning Council (SUPC) held participatory arts-oriented events at visible locations in order to spark curiosity, build community, and bring forward residents’ definitions of a neighborhood and its importance. As a result of her work, SUPC began collaborating with the SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development on its arts-based outreach events.

Website Link:

http://summit-u.com/

University Avenue Betterment Association

The University Avenue Betterment Association (UABA) summer 2010 intern organized small businesses along University Avenue to prepare for light rail construction, survive, and prosper in the future. She devoted significant time to organizing materials within the organization’s Business Information Center and preparing a training handbook for volunteers, since the staff anticipated a sharp increase in visits and requests from small businesses after construction began.

Website Link:

http://www.universityavenuebiz.com/

Coordinating an Affordable Housing Plan: The District Councils Collaborative, HECUA, and Twin Cities-LISC

In 2011, the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative supported two HECUA Community Engagement interns who reached out to community stakeholders along the corridor in order to increase participation in public forums designed to contribute to decisions made about affordable housing along and near the University Avenue corridor. The interns worked to bring into the conversation under-represented residents, district councils, and neighborhood land-use committees. The two HECUA interns created a community engagement model of listening sessions co-hosted by trusted community leaders, and gathered input from local residents about affordable housing and livability values. The voices from the eight listening sessions dramatically influenced the outcomes of the recommendations that the Local Initiatives Support Corporation made via the Big Picture Project. These recommendations were presented to the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The success of the community engagement model piloted for the Big Picture Project led to the District Councils Collaborative and the Metropolitan Council creating a pilot program of Trusted Advocates in the community to better engage community members on an extremely local level, drawing on the strengths of community leaders.

Website Link:

http://spclc.org/

For Organizations

This program has ended, and all deadlines have passed; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site later for future internship opportunities.

Deadline for Organizations to Apply for Summer 2013: January 18, 2013

The Central Corridor Internship Program will support paid internship projects focused on civic, environmental, social, and economic opportunities and impacts of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) on diverse communities in Saint Paul’s Central Corridor. The program is intended to strengthen the capacity of community organizations to communicate with residents and small businesses, increase their knowledge of each other’s work, support neighborhood cohesion and strength, foster further collaboration, and communicate the strengths and successes of community organizations along the corridor.

In summer 2013, special emphasis will be given to projects addressing affordable housing along the Corridor.

Grantee organizations will receive funds to hire and pay an hourly wage for a 400-hour summer intern. In addition, grantee organizations and interns will be invited to participate in seminars throughout the summer to strengthen ties among organizations and to provide support for the student interns as a cohort working together over the summer.

Application Process

Complete cover form and grant narrative, save copies for your files and mail, email, or drop off applications to the HECUA office by 5pm January 18th, Attention: CCIP Selection Committee, HECUA 2233 University Avenue W. Suite 210, Saint Paul, MN 55114, or email Emily Seru.

Download the 2013 application here!

Grant and Project Consultation

HECUA is available to consult as you develop project proposals. Please feel free to contact us for advice or feedback on the project you are considering for submission for an internship grant. Emily Seru is the Manager of Internships and Community Partnerships at HECUA and has extensive experience designing and supporting project-based internships. Contact Emily at 651-287-3313

CCIP Goals and Objectives

The internship program’s objectives are for participating community organizations to:

1) have greater capacity to increase participation and support from residents and business owners in their goals of equitable community and economic development;
2) find value in discussing their different perspectives on and approaches to the LRT construction and learning about related city, community, and neighborhood initiatives;
3) identify and act on new opportunities to collaborate to meet their shared goals;
4) sustain related efforts to support community development along the Central Corridor;
5) increase their capacity to utilize summer interns;
6) share project impacts and lessons with the broader public;
7) identifiy and practice appropriate, effective organizing strategies within and across African American, Hmong, and new immigrant and refugee communities in the Central Corridor;
8) increase participation of low-income, transit-dependent residents in district councils and groups that feed into the district councils, such as block clubs, advisory groups, and neighborhood update sessions and events;
9) support full participation of local communities in shaping policies related to LRT construction and area development that reflect shared interests and the needs of low-income, transit-dependent residents.

Student Selection and Placement Process

In consultation with grantees, HECUA will recruit recent alumni of HECUA programs to be selected for the summer internship positions. Young people who have been part of HECUA programs typically have an understanding of how to enter communities respectfully, have been trained to recognize multiple view points on contentious issues, and have the adaptability and project management skills needed for community-based internships. Many alumni of HECUA’s four decades of Twin Cities programs have emerged as leaders in a variety of local community and advocacy organizations. Advanced undergraduate students and recent graduates will be invited to apply for the program, and will submit an essay and resume to HECUA in which they demonstrate their interest, experience, and the skills they bring to the proposed summer projects. From the pool of applicants, which could be as large as 100, HECUA will select finalists and alternates, and in close consultation with the internship grantees, will make suggestions for final placements. Grantees will interview the recommended candidates in April 2013, and will decide on the final hire.

For Students

This program has ended, and all deadlines have passed; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site later for future internship opportunities.

Deadline for Students to apply for Summer 2013 internships: April 5, 2013

The CCIP positions focus on the impacts of the Light Rail Transit on low‐income neighborhoods in Saint Paul and are located in nonprofit organizations along University Avenue in Saint Paul. The positions will be 400 hours between June and August, will pay $10.00 an hour, and will include educational and reflection seminars covering topics related to equitable development and community building facilitated by HECUA throughout the summer. HECUA alumni are given first priority for these positions. Undergraduates and students who have recently graduated are both welcome to apply. First-generation college students, students of color, and students living in or who are from low‐income neighborhoods in Saint Paul are strongly encouraged to apply.

Summer 2013 Positions:

*Organization Name*	*Project* *A HECUA intern will…*
African Economic Development Solutions	Advance the organization’s mission of economic stability within the Twin Cities African immigrant community. Create an asset map of the Central Corridor to identify resources for financial literacy and small business development that exist among and that can be accessed by African immigrant communities near the Central Corridor.
Asian Economic Development Association	Support AEDA’s Little Mekong Creative Placemaking Initiative. Use the arts and culture to enhance the Little Mekong district and to strengthen economic opportunities for small businesses during the recovery from LRT construction.
Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation	Assist in the implementation of a community investment model that will facilitate participation of low-income community residents in Ward 1 (Summit/University, Frogtown, and Historic Rondo) in real estate development and business, in particular for the Old Home Plaza Project at University and Western Avenues in Saint Paul.
District Councils Collaborative	Conduct 5 Walks/Walkability surveys in the Capitol/Rice station area to gather feedback on pedestrian realm information, concerns and needs from this area, which is under-represented in the DCC’s 2012 Walkability Survey.
Hamline Midway Coalition	Help coordinate a variety of activities related to the Green Line Friendly Streets Initiative, a joint project of District 7, 8, 11, 13, & 17. The goal of the Friendly Streets Initiative is to create more vibrant, livable neighborhoods and healthier communities by transforming streets into PLACES that are more FRIENDLY- i.e. safe and inviting for residents and all users- and CONNECTED, especially to the Green Line LRT.
St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium	Work to increase enrollment in Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes among low-skilled adult learners living along the Eastern end of the Central Corridor. Increased ABE enrollment will lead to improved literacy and language skills, resulting in higher rates of employment and higher income, bringing economic benefits to individuals and families along the Corridor.
Union Park District Council	Connect UPDC residents with the affordable housing discussions, prioritizing, and development decision-making processes currently happening along the Central Corridor LRT. The project aims to draw attention to the affordable housing needs and visions of the diverse UPDC communities, as well as evaluate current UPDC processes for attracting and vetting affordable housing priorities.

Application Instructions

After reviewing the full job descriptions following the links to organizations above, please prepare the following to apply for ONE of the available internships:

1) A current resume, which includes the name and date of your HECUA program and describes what you learned from your HECUA internship experience;
2) A cover letter addressing why you are interested in one specific CCIP internship position and why you feel you are uniquely qualified for the project work. Please address how you meet the required skills the CCIP project of your choice is seeking. You may be asked to also submit a writing sample.

Send application materials to: CCIP Student Selection HECUA 2233 University Avenue W Suite 210 Saint Paul, MN 55114 (email applications to Emily Seru). Student applications will be screened by HECUA. Students selected as finalists will have the opportunity to interview directly with the internship site of their choosing. The internship site supervisors will make the final hiring decisions by the end of April 2013.

Results

This program has ended; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site later for future internship opportunities.

External evaluator Julie Plaut, Executive Director of Minnesota Campus Compact, summarized the HECUA Central Corridor Internship program:

HECUA is a trusted ally to many community organizations, and CCIP seems to have struck a healthy balance between overarching program goals and locally defined priorities. The work HECUA has done in preparing, screening, and overseeing internship candidates has resulted in supervisors very satisfied with the program’s quality and results. The interns’ projects have clearly achieved the program’s goals for increased community engagement and organizational capacity, while also sparking new relationships and collaborations among participating organizations and others.

CCIP Grantees In The News

Central Corridor Funders Collaborative Blog
The DCC announces their Trusted Advocate Program:

District Councils Collaborative
Read about the public Forum for Hmong residents of Frogtown to learn about foreclosure prevention programs:

Hmong Organizing Project
Read about the Skyline Tower Leadership Team and increased civic engagement of immigrant residents:
Skyline Towers

Read about the turnout and results of the summer block parties that focused on place-making and traffic calming:
Friendly Streets Initiative

Reflections

This program has ended; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site later for future internship opportunities.

At the final public gathering in August, 2012 the CCIP interns reported on their work over the summer. Below are links to a sampling of the final presentations:

Asian Economic Development Association--Little Mekong

Aurora Saint Anthony CDC--Old Home Site

Frogtown Neighborhood Association

Union Park District Council--Skyline Towers

Over the summer of 2011, CCIP participants took part in a Media Justice training to help them tell the stories of their work with communities along the Central Corridor. Below are two of the short videos they created. The first is made by Saint Catherine's University student Chia Lor about her own personal journey to becoming a community organizer and her experience organizing in the Frogtown neighborhood with the Hmong Organizing Program. The second video was made by University of Minnesota student Karin Todd about her experience working with the Greater Frogtown CDC rental program.

HECUA interns (Betsy and Siri holding sign) supporting Frogtown Farm

CCIP intern with Skyline Towers Leadership Team

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Central Corridor Internship Program

Tabs

This program ended in August 2013, and all deadlines have passed; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site again for future internship opportunities.

This program has ended, and all deadlines have passed; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site later for future internship opportunities.

Deadline for Organizations to Apply for Summer 2013: January 18, 2013

Application Process

Grant and Project Consultation

CCIP Goals and Objectives

Student Selection and Placement Process

This program has ended, and all deadlines have passed; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site later for future internship opportunities.

Deadline for Students to apply for Summer 2013 internships: April 5, 2013

Application Instructions

This program has ended; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site later for future internship opportunities.

CCIP Grantees In The News

This program has ended; this page is kept live to show HECUA's internship processes. Please check HECUA's web site later for future internship opportunities.