The Nikkei Community Internship Program is a statewide program that offers college students an opportunity to obtain experience supporting the work of various community organizations while increasing their understanding of contemporary issues affecting Japanese Americans.
Coordinated by the Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC) in San Francisco and the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) in Los Angeles, the goal of the program is to support the development of the next generation of community leaders.
The program supports the leadership development of participants by:
– Giving young Nikkei greater exposure to opportunities and needs in the Japanese American community;
– Promoting interaction and networking between existing Nikkei organizations and institutions;
– Connecting young Nikkei with mentors in the Japanese American community who inspire their interest in the work of community organizations;
– Providing a fun learning experience that creates energy and a desire to participate in the Japanese American community and other communities to which they belong.
The program consists of an eight-week summer internship with such organizations as the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Los Angeles and the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California in San Francisco. Each intern earns a $2,000 scholarship in addition to receiving training and experience in community service.
One day of each week is reserved for the interns to visit various Japanese American organizations and groups to expand their knowledge of available services and resources. The interns also meet and dialogue with various community leaders.
The deadline for applications is March 2. For more information, visit http://nikkeiyouth.org or contact Erika Tamura of JCYC at etamura@jcyc.org (Northern California) or Alexandra Margolin of Kizuna at alex@kizuna-la.org (Southern California).