Community Matters in Maine Summer Fellowship

Community Action Placements for Summer 2008

The following organizations will be interviewing applicants for placements during the summer of 2008.  Below are general descriptions of the organizations and the focus of the placement.  Once fellows are selected, students and community partners will work together to set up a research project and additional tasks that match the organization's needs with the talents, skills and interests of the students. 

  • Five River Arts Alliance (The Arts) Brunswick
    Five Rivers Arts Alliance is a non-profit organization that connects communities to the arts, culture and heritage of Mid-Coast Maine through advocacy, education, promotion, and celebration.  This placement provides opportunity for fellos to gain experience in a small, cultural nonprofit, working particularly in publicity and marketing for the organization with a focus on outreach, writing, and website work.  Building membership; strengthening collaborative relationships among artists in community and coordinating, with the organization's Director, community-wide programming (such as the Art Walks in Bath and Brunswick-Topsham, the Family Arts Festival, and news publication Artscape: your guide to MidCoast arts, culture and heritage discoveries.)  This placement provides the opportunity to work with a broad representation of local artist.
  • Independence Association (Disabilities) Brunswick
    Independence Association provides support to adults and children with mental retardation, autism, mental illness and other disabilities.  Independent Association programs are primarily funded by State and Federal monies acquired through the Department of Health and Human Services and are developed to meet individual needs with varying levels of support in areas including but not limited to employment, life skill-building, self-care, health and safety, therapeutic services, community inclusion, learning and problem solving, and self-advocacy.  This placement provides fellows the opportunity to address the organization’s needs through a variety of both research and task-based projects while also participating in direct service to the organization’s clients.
  • Maine Center for Economic Policy (Policy) Augusta
    The Maine Center for Economic Policy advances public policies that help Maine people prosper in a strong, fair and sustainable economy.  MECEP advances this mission through high-quality research, analysis, citizen education, and coalition building focusing on issues of livable wages; family support; affordable healthcare; fair budget and taxes and sustainable development.  This placement offers students the opportunity to learn about the role public policy plays in affecting issues related to Maine’s economic development.
  • The Mitchell Institute (Education) Portland
    The core mission of the Mitchell Institute is to increase the likelihood that young people from every community in Maine will aspire to, pursue and achieve a college education.  Each year, a Mitchell Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from every public high school in Maine who will be attending a two-or four-year postsecondary degree program.  Mitchell Institute programs create ongoing Scholar involvement in leadership and professional development, as well as community service and mentoring activities.  The Mitchell Institute Research Program seeks to learn about the obstacles that stand between Maine students and higher education and then work with schools, communities, and state policymakers to remove barriers to college. This placement provides opportunities for a fellow to engage in policy-oriented research and data analysis. This summer’s projects will include compiling and disseminating the latest data on college-going among Maine high school graduates and designing a project to improve financial aid literacy in Maine high schools.
  • Town of Brunswick (Municipal) Brunswick
    The Department of Planning and Development is responsible for a wide variety of municipal activities including comprehensive planning, economic development, development review, and historical district review through which students will be exposed to a multitude of issues potentially including transportation, affordable housing, Brunswick's comprehensive plan, and the potential impact of the Base closure. Mentored by strong community leaders, through this placement a student will also be involved in meetings with the planning board, town council, and prospective developers to understand how the planning process is carried out from start to finish and to learn the workings of local government.
  • Volunteers of America (Criminal Justice) Brunswick
    Volunteers of America Northern New England provides an array of social services for youth, adults, families and seniors.  In addition, VOA is a leader in the area of criminal justice and corrections with programs around the state to help offenders successfully transition from prison back into the community, and to help at-risk people avoid incarceration. This placement will allow a student to join a dynamic staff team on multiple projects.  Projects may include serving as Community Programming Coordinator at Huse School, a new community center in Bath run by Volunteers of America and the Sagadahoc Community Justice Project, setting up outcomes measurement analysis for our youth programs, and assisting the External Relations staff with marketing, communications and public relations projects.  All interns will serve one week as a counselor at Camp POSTCARD (Police Officers Striving to Create and Reinforce Dreams), an overnight summer camp for at-risk 5th and 6th graders, scheduled for June 9-16th in Winthrop, Maine.  VoA is seeking a student who exhibits a passion and curiosity for the issues and communities they work with, and who is confident enough to take the lead on several important initiatives.