The BorderLinks Bi-national Intern Program provides the opportunity for individuals from the United States, Canada and México to live and work together at the Casa de la Misericordia for one year. In the past the work has primarily been to develop activities and programs for neighborhood children and adults at the Casa de la Misericordia, the site of much of BorderLinks' work in Nogales, Sonora. Programs have included the development of a computer lab, Spanish literacy programs for adults, grade-school equivalency courses for adults, after school homework and reading programs for children, a bicycle-making workshop, ecological latrine instruction, community garden, and other skill building workshops, etc.

Bi-national Intern Program Goals

• To help move the Casa forward into a full-blown community center offering programs and activities for a wide variety of Nogales, Sonora residents that will encourage the use of the Casa from early morning till late evening every day.
• To offer hands-on experience to a group of volunteer interns in developing quality community programs that respond to clearly identifiable needs.
• To create a "bridge position" at BorderLinks that offers young people a way to gain more experience (perhaps after coming on a BorderLinks trip or participating in our Semester on the Border program) and to prepare them for other positions with BorderLinks or with sister organizations.
• To further model binational team building as an effective approach to responding to the unique challenges of the borderlands and the global economy.
• To identify and lift up local leadership, to capacitate local leaders and participants to maintain existing programs, and develop new programs, under the guidance of community members.

Intern Qualifications

• Interns must be between eighteen and twenty-five years of age (although we have been flexible with those beyond twenty-five) and have at least a high school degree.
• Strong Spanish language skills are required.
• Interns must be prepared to do the hard work of living together in bi-national "intentional community" in addition to their work with children and adults of the Casa de la Misericordia.
• A strong commitment to community development work, and an uncommon degree of maturity will be important qualities in any potential intern.
• Successful applicants from the first world economies are expected to participate in raising funds to offset some of the costs of the program prior to arrival. This will be done with the help of our fund raiser.

Remuneration

• Room and board at the Casa de la Misericordia in Nogales, Sonora. Housing accomodations are modest, with shared kitchens, bathrooms, and dormitory-style rooms.
• Health insurance.
• A One hundred dollar per month stipend.
• A Five hundred dollar travel stipend to get to and from Tucson at the beginning and end of the project. The travel stipend may also be used at the intern's discretion for travel during the year, to and from their home.
• Occasional opportunities for continuing education (workshops, conferences, etc.) at BorderLinks' expense.

Timeline

• Applications will be received starting March 1, 2003.
• Rresidence and work will begin at the Casa by September.
• The project concludes at the end of July.

Support and Participation

Interns are supported and encouraged by BorderLinks staff. They participate in BorderLinks staff retreats, ongoing training and skill building workshops, and opportunities planned and coordinated in conjunction with their supervising staff person, Cecilia Guzmán. Interns are also expected to participate in evaluating all aspects of their internship and their own work.

Applicants should be comfortable working in a politically progressive, ecumenical and interfaith organization. BorderLinks is committed to soliciting and maintaining a diverse staff, including cultural and racial background, gender, age, physical disability, family situation, and sexual orientation.

NOTE: This program has been put on hold pending a full review. The selection process will include a telephone or personal interview, Spanish skills assessment, and a narrative questionaire. Please direct inquiries, and/or resumes, with a cover letter and at least two letters of recommendation to:

Jeannette Pazos, Coordinadora de Programa, 1040 North First Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719. Phone: 520-628-8263 (leave a message with the US staff) or e-mail: jeannette2@borderlinks.org. She might also be reached at the BorderLinks office in Mexico at 011-52-631-31-31-7-40.