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Isles, Inc.
10 Wood Street
Trenton, NJ 08618
Contact: Celia Bavier, Director of Development
phone: (609) 393-5656 ext. 23
fax: (609) 393-9513
website: http://www.isles.org
Isles, Inc. is seeking paid interns to participate in a variety of programs. Year-round internships are available for individuals who possess excellent research and writing skills, an interest in urban community development issues, and the ability to work independently.
Community development interns will be responsible for conducting community development research. Interns will also practice project management in the following areas: Affordable Housing, Sustainable Development-Community Processes, Environmental Education, Urban Agriculture, Community Outreach, and Program Evaluation. Duties may include researching and developing specific project ideas in the above areas, assisting with day-to-day program implementation of one or more programs, writing grant proposals or other documents, as well as public relations. The intern will be responsible for selecting the program area of concentration.
Isles, Inc. was founded in 1981. Isles, Inc. stands for "islands of redevelopment. It is a nationally recognized non-profit community development and environmental improvement organization. It revitalizes distressed communities, primarily in the Trenton area. Isles' mission is to increase the self-sufficiency of families in sustainable communities. That is, Isles, gives people the tools - knowledge, skills, framework - to help themselves and to improve their neighborhoods over the long-term.
Isles, Inc. seeks to address immediate challenges (such as hunger, homelessness, underemployment and environmental decay) using long-term strategies that promote self-reliance and community empowerment. They respond to the needs identified by communities rather than those identified by outsiders. Isles, Inc. builds upon existing assets and creates wealth in distressed communities. They broaden their impact by developing easily replicated programs, assisting other community groups and institutions, and improving community related public policy.
Isles, Inc. directly reaches more than 10,000 Trenton area residents through the following six programs:
Urban Agriculture
Isles helps residents transform abandoned lots into community gardens. Benefiting more than 3,000 Trenton residents annually, these gardens serve as outdoor activity centers that bring neighbors together, provide a vital source of nutritious food, and beautify neglected open space. Isles' Community Farm trains and employs city residents in farming produce which goes to low-income neighborhoods and Trenton based hunger relief organizations.
Environmental Education
Through hands-on greening projects offered in elementary and middle schools, city parks and neighborhoods, this program teaches children to understand, sustain, and improve their urban environment. Thousands of urban youth, as well as hundreds of adults, participate each year.
Environmental Health/Brownfields
Isles works with residents to facilitate the clean-up and re-use of contaminated sites within their communities. Through forums, seminars and community meetings, Isles provides residents with the technical information and leadership skills needed to work with government officials and technical experts. This process in turn allows communities to apply lessons learned to other neighborhood challenges, helping to ensure long-term community improvement. More than a thousand families benefit from these activities each year.
Affordable Housing
To increase the supply of quality affordable housing, Isles builds new homes and rehabilitates deteriorated housing, primarily in Trenton. Isles provides first time home owners with long-term life skills that foster independence, including mortgage acquisition, financial management, and home maintenance and repair. Isles requires a contribution of sweat equity from all home purchasers. To-date, 140 units of housing have been completed, with 150 more under development. As part of this program, Isles advocates positive affordable housing policy locally and annually.
YouthBuild Job-Training
Isles trains at-risk young men and women (high school drop-outs) in the construction trades while rehabilitating vacant, inner-city houses. The program offers peer-based vocational and academic training, team-building, leadership development, and job placement services. More than 80 at-risk youth have graduated from or received training through this program.
Community Outreach
Isles works with communities to help them address immediate issues and long-term needs. Isles trains community representative in leadership development and organizational management. They teach communities about neighborhood planning and group decision making while collaborating with other groups on projects that build strong communities.
If you are interested and would like to know more, please contact Celia Bavier, Grants and Special Project Manager, (609) 393-5656 ext. 23 or email cbavier@isles.org.
