 Three of our 2008 student organizers with Democracy NC supervising organizer, Tia Stanley, at right.
Key Dates
Note: The application deadline for Democracy Summer typically falls in mid-March. Applications are closed for Democracy Summer 2009 and all internship spots have been filled.
January: We begin accepting applications early in the month.
Mid-March: We stop accepting applications.
Last Half of March: First round interviews are conducted via telephone.
Late March or Early April: Selected applicants are invited to a second round of in-person interviews, held in Durham, NC.
Mid-April: Democracy NC begins extending offers to finalists chosen for the program.
Late May: The Program typically begins with a mandatory 3-day retreat-style training session held near Durham.
First of June: First day of Democracy Summer.
July 4th: Holiday break.
End of July: Last day of Democracy Summer.
Democracy NC student organizers spend much of their time out in the community, registering new voters, informing people about their rights as voters and educating the public about issues important to pro-democracy reform. |
Program Overview
Democracy
Summer is an innovative summer internship program sponsored by Democracy North
Carolina. It exposes young leaders to new ideas and new movements, teaching them how to organize people around a shared vision for a better democracy in North Carolina. The program also equips young people with the lifelong organizing skills they need to continue working for positive social change in their communities.
Democracy Summer is ideal for students intending to pursue a career in public service, politics, a non-profit field or community-based work because it gives them a chance to gain hands-on experience organizing and motivating diverse groups of people. It is also a great experience for students exploring their career possibilities who want to know what it's like to work on the frontline of community organizing. This is the 10th year of the Democracy Summer program and, as part of the 2009 program, ten North Carolina college
and university students will be selected to work as paid student organizers for 9 weeks, working
for social change under the guidance of experienced Democracy NC organizers. During the summer of 2009, students will work in teams of two in one of five locations: Charlotte, Fayetteville, Durham, Greenville and Greensboro, NC. Student organizers are expected to work full time (40 + hours per week) for 9 weeks during the summer. They earn a stipend of $2,300 for the summer. Stipends are paid twice per month.
What To Expect
The
program begins with an engaging 3-day training retreat, allowing
summer organizers to meet their teammates as well as the Democracy
NC staff. Student organizers learn about the issue of money in politics
and why campaign finance and election reforms are
needed, practice the basics of community organizing
and political activism, are given instruction in applicable laws and regulations, learn interpersonal and professional skills critical to community organizing and role play to practice what the have learned.
After that, summer organizers work in 2-person teams to promote policies
that give voters ownership over elections and engage citizens in civic activities. Student organizers are trained as
advocates for many campaign reforms and voting rights
in North Carolina, such as publicly financed elections
and same-day voter registration.
In addition, they encourage civic participation in their local communities by registering new voters, educating citizens about the political process and teaching citizens techniques for building permanent change through grassroots organizing. Organizers may: |
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Engage in public speaking presentations in front of a range of audiences;
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Conduct media outreach, including TV and radio interviews;
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Meet with leaders, such as local and state elected officials;
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Organize meetings with local civic and community leaders.
Since 2009 is a long session year for the North Carolna General Assembly, this year's student organizers will be visiting the NC House and Senate to meet with elected representatives from their area to discuss pro-democracy reforms, such as expanding NC's public campaign financing programs, extending early voting weekend hours, opening more early voting sites on large campuses and other potential legislation. (That's our 2007 Democracy Summer class above, during one of their visits to the North Carolina General Assembly.)
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During the summer of 2008, Democracy Summer student organizers were frequently on the move. They worked in teams located in Greenville, Charlotte and Fayetteville, NC. Much of their activity was driven by the 2008 election season, which included an unprecedented highly contested primary plus a General Election that saw candidates vying for office on the local, state and national levels. Student organizers made a big difference early on in the election cycle by participating in meetings with Board of Elections officials in their communities and advocating for more early voting sites as well as extended early voting hours. They also gave public presentations on key issues, conducted door-to-door canvasses, met with elected officials, planned community rallies and forums, signed up Democracy NC volunteers and advocated for campaign finance reform and voting rights in NC. In addition, student organizers mobilized students and other voters, registered new voters, educated ex-felons on their voting rights and participated in a variety of other GOTV activities.