Health Program Intern

Position Title: Health Program Intern

Location: Washington D.C. or remote

Reports To: Health and Wellness team

Timing: Fall 2023 (Now-December 2023)

Commitment: 15-20 hours/week

About the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS):

The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) is the leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome. NDSS envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations and become valued members of welcoming communities. Founded in 1979, NDSS supports and advocates for the Down syndrome community by focusing on three key areas of programming: Resources & Support, Policy & Advocacy and Community Engagement. Within these focus areas NDSS engages in various activities, events, and programs such as the National Advocacy & Policy Center, which seeks to create systemic change through engaged advocacy; the National Buddy Walk® Program, which honors and celebrates individuals with Down syndrome in local communities across the world and other initiatives that provide support, informational resources, and community engagement opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome and those who support them. Visit www.ndss.orgfor more information about NDSS.

Position Summary 

NDSS seeks a driven and enthusiastic intern to join our Health and Wellness team during the winter months of 2023. This individual will contribute to a variety of areas within the Health and Wellness space including resource creation & dissemination, communication & social media, and event support for beginning to plan the next Adult Summit conference. This is an outstanding opportunity for an individual interested in learning more about the nonprofit environment, disability services, event planning, human and social services, and social media communication. The internship offers exciting hands-on experience and the opportunity to gain new skills.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

To perform in this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  Other duties may be assigned to meet business needs.

Specific responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following: 

• Assist in the planning for the annual NDSS Adult Summit including:
  • Assist in the program content development 
  • Create and coordinate the drafting of promotional materials 
  • Work with internal teams to plan the various session tracks according to topic
• Other areas of support
  • Support health team in updating online resources including:
    • Work with authors to edit existing resources to identify new topics
    • Work with health team to identify new topics and create new resources
    • Locate, read, and summarize applicable research journal articles to support the creation of evidence-based resources
    • Use Canva to create social media posts and copy to educate the community about health-related information
    • Assist with webinar creation and dissemination
  • Support Policy team when working on health-related advocacy at the state and federal levels
  • All other duties as assigned

Experience and Qualifications

• Education or experience in public health or event management preferred
• Strong written and interpersonal communications skills
• Must be organized, detail oriented, and able to take direction
• Must be self-motivated and possess the ability to work well both independently and within a team
• Ability to work effectively in a virtual environment including attending video calls           
• Ability to juggle multiple projects while appropriately prioritizing tasks               
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products or similar platforms and Canva preferred
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission and goals of NDSS