The Youth as Changemakers Project trains and empowers young people to address issues impacting their health and wellbeing while strengthening community health in Dorchester and Fields Corner. Through leadership development, organizing, and community engagement, youth gain the skills to advocate for their communities and lead meaningful change.

The Fields Corner Crossroads Collaborative supports youth leadership through the Crossroads Youth Board (CYB) and Crossroads Youth Council (CYC), where young people lead initiatives such as student organizing campaigns, a $100,000 participatory budgeting process, health access projects, and peer-to-peer mental health workshops.

Interns receive professional and personal development opportunities that build leadership, facilitation, project management, and community organizing skills while working directly on initiatives that impact their communities.

Purpose of the Role

The Health Equity Intern position was created to:

• Engage post–high school and college-age young adults in meaningful community health and organizing initiatives
• Increase the capacity of the Crossroads administrative and backbone teams to support collaborative projects and partnerships
•  Expand the leadership structure of the Crossroads Youth Board by creating more defi ned roles and responsibilities
•  Create opportunities for mentorship, specialization, and career development within youth leadership spaces
•  Support youth-led projects that center health equity, community wellness, and systems change

Opportunities

What opportunities does this role provide?

• Opportunity to lead and contribute to projects that can be showcased professionally and academically
• Hands-on experience supporting community campaigns, initiatives, and neighborhood-based programming
• Direct exposure to nonprofi t leadership, community organizing, public health, and collaborative work
• Networking opportunities with community leaders, organizers, health professionals, and partner organizations
• Mentorship and coaching aligned with interns’ professional interests and career goals
• Training opportunities in
• Community health and health equity
• Community organizing and civic engagement
• Facilitation and workshop design
• Youth leadership development
• Participatory decision-making processes

Interns may focus their work within one of Crossroads’ three core focus areas:

• Youth Development – supporting the Crossroads Youth Council and youth leadership initiatives
• Peace Zones – community wellness, safe spaces, and neighborhood activation
• Housing Justice – advocacy and organizing related to housing stability and displacement

Duties & Responsibilities

Youth Development & Leadership

• Support and mentor Crossroads Youth Board members
• Assist Youth Coordinators in developing youth leadership initiatives and programming
• Help facilitate Crossroads Youth Board and Youth Council meetings, workshops, and activities
• Support youth engagement, outreach, and leadership development efforts

Community Engagement & Events

• Attend community meetings, events, and outreach activities
• Represent and uplift Crossroads initiatives within the community
• Assist with event planning, coordination, and facilitation

Crossroads Initiatives

• Support the design and implementation of the Crossroads Participatory Budget process
• Assist with student organizing initiatives focused on issues impacting young people in schools and communities
• Co-design and support peer-to-peer mental health workshops and wellness initiatives
• Support communications, outreach, and administrative tasks connected to collaborative projects

Qualifications

•  Graduated high school or currently in senior year of high school
• Enrollment in a trade/technical program, college, or university preferred
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Passion for health equity, youth leadership, and community organizing
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team environment
• Interest in public health, advocacy, civic engagement, or nonprofi t/community-based work preferred
• Hours: 20-25 hrs /wk