Summer 2026 Legislative Advocacy Internship (IINE Boston)

The International Institute of New England is a 501(c)(3) non-profit serving refugees and immigrants in Boston, MA, Lowell, MA, and Manchester, NH. The Institute offers internships to students, graduate students, and recent graduates with demonstrated interest or experience in supporting refugee, asylee, and immigrant populations. Each internship includes an educational component, through which interns contextualize their experience and reflect on their service.

All internships hosted at IINE correspond roughly with the US semester system:

• Summer Internship: June through mid-August 2026. Applications must be submitted by May 2, 2026.

First consideration is given to applicants that can commit at least 16 hours per week over the course of the semester outlined above. Applicants are encouraged to apply regardless of whether their schedule fits the semester system; IINE makes exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Slots fill quickly and candidates are encouraged to apply earlier than the requested date above.

Please note that this internship will be a hybrid format, meaning that some in-person hours at our Boston, MA office are required.

Legislative Advocacy Internship Overview

The Legislative Advocacy Intern can expect to work directly with the Director of Public Policy & Advocacy and should be willing to participate in the hands-on work required to increase advocacy work at the International Institute of New England. The Legislative Advocacy Intern can expect to receive mentoring and experience in organizing groups to attend local demonstrations, time and material creation/management relating to political advocacy or voter education, and the administrative organization of people, supplies, and event coordination.

Reports To: Director of Public Policy & Advocacy
Location: Boston, MA (hybrid format)

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct community outreach with local and state-wide organizations for partnership opportunities
• Track local and state bills or legislation impacting the organization’s work and their status of being passed
• Establish internal materials on best practices for legal advocacy and conduct research on how to contact legislators
• Research committees state legislators participate in to better understand how to appeal to government officials supporting our work
• Create original materials for advocacy groups to utilize, including but not limited to, signs, banners, or social media posts
• Prepare materials and content for future use on voter education and the right to vote
• Organize event attendance, materials, and participants to increase involvement in local demonstrations
• Collaborate with weekly volunteer advocacy group
• Support shaping the narrative of positive impact immigrants and refugees make on both community and national levels
• Distribute communication to staff and volunteers on upcoming events, demonstrations, and meetings to encourage engagement in advocacy

Qualifications:

• High level of interest in refugee, asylee, and/or immigrant issues
• Dedication to political advocacy and demonstration
• Experience advocating on behalf of others, including contacting local legislators, attending demonstrations, or other advocacy work highly desirable
• Experience with community outreach and/or interacting with social welfare agencies
• Patience speaking with non-native English speakers or non-English speakers
• Professionalism, discretion, and maturity in dealing with confidential information
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Willingness to lead others during and following event attendance
• Willingness to attend events in the Greater Boston community
• Driver’s license and/or car highly desirable

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize common challenges faced by immigrant and refugee populations
2. Develop strong advocacy skills alongside a deep understanding of local and state legislation impacting the organization’s work and mission
3. Identify best practices associated with event coordination, scheduling, and volunteer support
4. Develop leadership skills and ability to organize the logistical and operational needs of groups to perform complex tasks
5. Enhance problem solving skills and ability to plan for rapidly changing requirements
6. Capture important information from meetings and check-ins in concise notes and via other forms of documentation
7. Understand the US Refugee Resettlement program, as well as what part the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and resettlement agencies like the International Institute of New England play in receiving and integrating refugees
8. Respectfully express and engage with ideas and values in a multicultural, multilingual environment