Internship - The Forum

Who: The Forum

What: Built in 1897 at 43rd Street and the CTA Green Line, The Forum contains Forum Hall, Bronzeville’s oldest assembly hall on its second floor, as well as several grade-level retail spaces. Urban Juncture, Inc. saved The Forum from city-mandated demolition in 2011 and has spent the past several years removing debris from the building, stabilizing the structure, replacing damaged building elements, and researching and documenting the building’s rich history. As a result, The Forum has been entered on the National Register of Historic Places and has secured initial financial support from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Bringing Back The Forum is a part of Urban Juncture’s Build Bronzeville effort, whose goal is to utilize key community assets to revitalize Bronzeville for the primary benefit of long-time Bronzeville residents. The Build Bronzeville team intends to rehabilitate The Forum for use as a major, neighborhood-based center for cultural performance, events, retail, and hospitality.

The intern will help advance The Forum towards rehabilitation by

• Identifying a set of comparable revitalization cases;
• Cataloging best practices in the revitalization of neighborhood theaters;
• Establishing an inventory of Chicago-based arts organizations who could be strong partners in revitalization;
• Developing first-cut financial pro formas for redevelopment and operations;
• Quantifying the public benefits of investments in reestablishing a community hub of cultural performance and retail; and,
• Developing a pitch deck to be used with a broad range of potential neighborhood, public, philanthropic, and for-profit stakeholders;

The intern will also be invited to support other elements of the Build Bronzeville summer 2020 effort, including Boxville and the Bronzeville Incubator, depending on the evolution of our response to COVID-19.

The internship will commence in June 2020 and run for 10-14 weeks at approximately 30 hours per week. The intern will work with the team of neighborhood residents and stakeholders that have led work on The Forum and report to Bernard Loyd, the project leader of Build Bronzeville. They will share space at the Bronzeville Incubator at 51st Street and the Green Line and receive a modest stipend.

Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to bloyd@urbanjuncture.com by April 15. Applicants with strong Excel, visualization, economic and real estate analysis skills, and a commitment to neighborhood revitalization will be given priority.

Internship - EcoLogic Development Fund

Who: EcoLogic Development Fund

What: Our Mission: To empower rural and indigenous peoples to restore and protect tropical ecosystems. We work in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, in some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world.

How we work: EcoLogic builds partnerships with rural and indigenous-led organizations, and helps them identify, evaluate, and prioritize their conservation and natural resource needs. In each of our community-powered conservation projects, we support our partners in gaining access to what they need most to restore and conserve the tropical ecosystems where they live and on which they rely for basic necessities and wellbeing. This can include skills, financing, materials, access to decision-makers and experts, hands-on experience, and other forms of support.

Community Development Intern - Village of Lombard

Who: Village of Lombard

What: The Village of Lombard is seeking one Planning Services/Community Development Intern. This position will assist in the review of zoning cases, preparation of documents for internal and general public use, and special studies. The position will also assist the Building Divisions front counter. Other support activities related to Community Development operations may be a part of this internship. The position will provide a broad exposure to development regulations and daily municipal operations. The position requires:

1. The ability to effectively write and speak clearly to staff and the general public.
2. Appropriate interpersonal skills for business and public contact.
3. Competencies in personal computers in a Windows environment and ability to utilize Village software applications.
4. The ability to work independently and in the absence of supervision.

The successful candidate will have good communication skills and possess a valid driver’s license. Completion of two years towards a Bachelor’s degree, or completion towards a Master’s degree in urban planning or a closely related field is required, or recent graduation (within the past twelve months) of such a program.

The internship would be up to 40 hours a week and would extend through the Summer. The salary would be $14.00/hour, based upon qualifications. The anticipated start date and work hours can be flexible based upon school schedules.

All candidates should forward their resume to:

Village of Lombard, Human Resources Division, 255 East Wilson Avenue, Lombard, IL, 60148 or email to hr@villageoflombard.org.

Position will remain open until filled and hiring will be expedited for the right candidate. EOE

Community Development Internship - Village of Northfield

Who: Village of Northfield

What: The Village of Northfield, Illinois, is offering a full-time Planning Intern position in our Community Development Department this summer. The intern will report directly to the Community Development Director.

Northfield is a bedroom community with a population of 5,420 and is located in the North Shore area of Chicago just 20 minutes from the Loop.

The Community Development Department encompasses the following functions:

• Planning and Zoning
• Economic Development
• Engineering
• Building/Code Enforcement (Inspectional Services)
• Public Health Services

The intern will be exposed to a variety of projects including implementation of new initiatives recommended in newly updated Comprehensive Plan, zoning entitlement application review, building code updates, implementation of document management system, contributing to our ground water quality program, GIS mapping, general research and citizen engagement. This position will require occasional field work, assisting at the front counter and other duties as assigned. On the job training will be provided.

Requirements: The candidate should be a current undergraduate or graduate student in urban planning; must have effective oral /written communication skills; must have excellent organizational and time management skills; must interact well with others; must have competency in ArcMap/GIS, Excel, Word and Outlook; must have a valid driver’s license.

What Our 2019 Intern Had Say: “This internship offered me beneficial experience in planning and community development, site plan review, code compliance, working with municipal commissions and procedures, and more. I felt so much more prepared for my future and gained relevant experience that helped me land my current job.”

Address: 361 Happ Road, Northfield, IL 60093

Website: www.northfieldil.org

Pay: $12 - $15 per hour depending on qualifications.

Start Date: Monday, May 11, 2020 (flexible depending on needs of the candidate and Department)

Work Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (flexible depending on the needs of the candidate and Department).

Apply By April 6, 2020: Email application, resume, cover letter and work/school related references to Steve Gutierrez, Community Development Director, sgutierrez@northfieldil.org, no later than April 6, 2020.

If you would like an interview over spring break – apply now!

Urban Planning Intern - Chicago Loop Alliance

Who: Chicago Loop Alliance

What: CLA Mission: The mission of Chicago Loop Alliance is to create, manage and promote high-performing urban experiences attracting people and investment to the Loop.

Description: The Urban Planning Internship is a minimum 5-month commitment with opportunity for extension. This internship is ideal for a graduate student or recent graduate looking to grow their experience with community and business engagement.

The Chicago Loop Alliance is currently developing the “Elevate State” corridor plan and requires a highly motivated intern to assist with data gathering and plan development. CLA is looking for candidates who are interested in working in a fast-paced environment and can handle multiple assignments and deadlines. Ideal candidates will prefer being out in the community over sitting at a desk. The Urban Planning Intern must possess strong writing skills and be able to communicate in a positive manner with a diverse set of stakeholders.