Intern, Latin America

Overview

Since 1972, Covenant House has served and advocated for youth and young families experiencing homelessness, human trafficking, and exploitation. Our overarching goal is to end homelessness among youth and young families by helping them achieve housing stability, heal from trauma, tap into their innate resilience, and hone their interests and skills to forge new pathways to independence. This work is carried out across Covenant House sites in 34 cities in the US, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

About the Role

Under the guidance and supervision of CHI’s Senior Vice President for Latin America, the intern will be encouraged to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings and gain practical experience in project management skills and program implementation. Through meetings with U.S. based Latam team members, conversations with leaders at Covenant House sites in Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, trainings, workshops and written and oral assignments, the intern will learn how programmatic, operational, and development goals are developed, monitored, evaluated, and achieved and understand the importance of clear procedures and effective operational systems in running an international nonprofit organization.

• Location: US, Mexico, Honduras or Guatemala-based, 100% remote.

• Remuneration: Unpaid but will provide any documentation needed for academic credits

• Duration: 3 months, starting June 2026 or earlier, and with the potential for extending through another academic semester (completion of an internship does not guarantee a job placement).

• Hours: Negotiable, depending on what is needed by intern to receive credit

• Reports to: Carolyn Barker-Villena, SVP for Latin America

• Deadline: April 30th (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis)

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Contribute to the project coordination for the process of adaptation and implementation of CHI’s Program Model in Latin America by participating in the discussions, organizing meetings, drafting position papers, conducting research, and contributing to the content and presentations to be developed for this purpose

• Support the Latin American representation of the International Youth Congress by providing document translation, following up on participation, and trouble-shooting any technical/administrative situations that may arise for the youth in the Latam countries

• Participate in team meetings and contribute to effective and efficient planning and organization of sessions, workshops, and internal activities

• Support the review of current digital archives and coordinates to update files as needed

• Collect policies, manuals and any other relevant document, to support the analysis, comparison, and standardization of operations across the region

• Draft communications materials in English and Spanish

• Conduct research new funding opportunities for Latin America

• Research and helps draft proposals for specific opportunities

• Support administrative and operational tasks as needed

Learning objectives:

• Gain practical experience in project management and coordinating program logistics

• Learn the value of collaborative work in achieving goals

• Apply academic and theoretical knowledge in real-world settings

• Enhance Spanish and/or English language skills in a professional setting

• Expand on cultural knowledge

• Develop professional skills such as interpersonal skills, communication skills

• Acquire hands-on experience of how an international nonprofit operates and supports its programs in Latin America

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Strong planning and organizing skills are required

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Canva

• Ability to manage time effectively and meet deadlines

• Fluency in English and Spanish is required (advanced level of spoken, written, and reading)

• Enthusiastic, reliable and a quick learner who is eager to make a difference

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from Social Work, Social Science, Psychology, Political Science, International Relations, Business Administration, Project Management or any other relevant technical field

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Qualifications

• Experience living, working, and/ or studying in Latin America is considered a strong asset
  

Our Community

Our critical mission demands that we have all voices at the table. A team of diverse people, perspectives, and experiences is smarter, stronger, and more effective for our young people. At Covenant House, every team member is valued, respected, heard, and supported, and we welcome honest and courageous self-reflection on any aspects of our work that are based on biased or outdated viewpoints. We deliberately create opportunities for our staff to grow and thrive.

Covenant House International is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind: CHI is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at CHI are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, family or parental status, disability status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. CHI will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics and encourages all qualified applicants to apply.

If you have a disability or medical condition and need a reasonable accommodation, such as an ASL interpreter or a different interview format, or if you have physical accessibility needs, let us know. Contact us at 1-929-502-2521, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Time or email us at chipeopleandculture@covenanthouse.org.