Community Engagement Intern Jobs in Ridgewood, NJ

Reading Partners is changing the education landscape. We are a leader in working to solve the literacy crisis in our country by leveraging community volunteers in under-resourced schools. Our diverse and expansive volunteer base provides one-on-one tutoring to students twice weekly, and our program is proven to help children master the reading fundamentals they need to unlock their potential as successful, happy, and confident readers in school and in life. Our people are our heartbeat and our greatest resource; we are all passionately rallied around our mission to help children become lifelong learners by empowering communities to provide individualized instruction that truly works. Join our stellar, committed team leading the charge to deepen our impact and expand our service. Watch this video to learn more about the mission and core tutoring work of Reading Partners.

The high level:

The Family and Community Engagement Intern supports Reading Partners Newark’s efforts to engage families and communities around literacy. The intern will support outreach to schools and community partners. This is a great role for someone interested in education, community work, and program facilitation.

Important Information: 

• Internship Duration: The dates of this internship vary depending on semester.
• Internship Hours: This is a part-time, non-exempt, and hourly position. Hours for this internship are 15 hours per week and schedules will be determined based on availability. The number of hours per week are flexible based on availability. 
• Internship Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $19.00 - $21.19 per hour. This position is not eligible for benefits. We offer an exciting and dynamic culture, and we commit to investing in and supporting our amazing people to grow their careers with us.
• Application Instructions: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please submit a resume to naima.ricks@readingpartners.org to apply.

Key Responsibilities:

90% - Lead Tutoring Family Engagement Initiatives 

• Facilitate/ lead family literacy workshops for parents and caregivers
• Assist with outreach to schools, community partners, and families to increase participation
• Help with event logistics such as sign-in, set up, photos, and follow-up
• Collect and organize feedback from families and partners to strengthen workshop impact
• Support simple data tracking related to attendance and engagement

10% - Other Duties as Needed

How you’ll do it:

Relationship Management & Communication

• Forge and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders in building a community of literacy. Cultivate strong internal relationships with peers and support managers as needed. Demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as an ambassador of Reading Partners externally. 
• Possess a strong aptitude for effective communication with program team members and other Reading Partners staff. Be able to set up strong systems for communication. 

Project Management:

• Demonstrate an ability to effectively manage time, balance multiple competing priorities at once, and, above all, and remain adaptable, flexible, and positive while navigating challenges. Anticipate challenges and/or questions, and proactively act to address them. Understand larger strategic priorities and make measurable progress against these larger goals.
• Demonstrate a strong detail orientation, a strong drive for accuracy, and the ability to manage projects independently and as part of a team. Execute all work in a data-driven manner. Demonstrate the ability to prioritize and problem-solve.

Innovative Thinking:

• Demonstrate an ability to create processes and systems to streamline internal operations. Demonstrate a high level of comfort with ambiguity and an ability to create order. Demonstrate an aptitude for framing problems as opportunities, and always pushing to further streamline.

Contact:

Naima K. Ricks, Ph.D., Managing Director of Partnerships & Growth

naima.ricks@readingpartners.org

About you!

You’ll be successful in this role if you:

• Have access to reliable transportation 
• Can problem-solve through challenges and failures 
• Enjoy project management and organization
• Are flexible and adaptable in both your work style and work environment
• Possess a natural ability to connect with people
• Demonstrate an eagerness to support volunteers
• Take initiative in meeting goals and seeking professional growth
• Familiar with databases like Salesforce and have a high level of comfort with Google Apps and Zoom Conferencing
• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Possess a high school diploma or GED
• Demonstrate a commitment to fostering a dynamic and collaborative work environment
• Display a deep belief in our mission and root your work in our core values
• Ability to prove eligibility to work legally in the U.S. and that you are at least 18 years of age
• Current NJ undergraduate student
• Current NJ graduate student
• Recent NJ college graduate: must have graduated less than one year prior to start of the internship experience (May 2025-May 2026 graduates)
• A current undergraduate student who is a permanent NJ resident

The other things you need to know:

• This role is a hybrid role in Newark, NJ, and interns must have access to reliable transportation
• Physical Demands: Must be able to lift up to 30 lbs. Listen and verbally communicate to provide coaching to tutors and students working together on literacy goals. Work effectively in a noisy setting with frequent interruptions. Maintain focus and productivity despite environmental distractions.