Economic Development Intern Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

About Young Invincibles
Young Invincibles ("YI") is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization working to expand economic opportunity for young people ages 18 to 34 and to amplify their voices in the national political conversation and policy arena. Founded by and for young adults in the summer of 2009 during the debate over health care reform, YI has quickly grown into a leading voice for young people on the issues of healthcare, higher education, pathways to jobs/workforce and civic engagement. The organization has achieved major successes in areas ranging from the regulation of college health plans to Pell grants, and has successfully engaged hundreds of thousands of young adults online through a network of over 100 partner organizations. Our regional offices (California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Texas) have increased grant aid for low-income college students, expanded funding for community colleges, and ensured undocumented students can access in-state tuition.
Overview of Internship Role
Our Fall 2026 intern will join YI at an exciting time as we continue our "State of Young Illinois" campaign, convene at our national and state summits, and continue advocacy for college students' basic needs, mental health, and equitable funding at our public higher education institutions. The intern will provide logistical support and thought-partnership on implementing the office's programs and activities.
Interns are also assigned a Capstone Project, coordinating one of our offices mid- to large- scale activities (50-100 ppl). This Capstone will be assigned by the Director and will require coordination with the entire MW Office staff. The intern will meet with the Director weekly to go over deliverables and updates on the Capstone project. This fall, our internship projects include helping to organize an overnight leadership retreat, support virtual and in-person young adult programming, and help implement our campus engagement for our Right To Learn campaign and Student Basic Needs Task Force and research project.
The intern will also have the ability to work directly with our staff, witnessing firsthand how a nonprofit policy advocacy organization operates day-to-day. The intern works collaboratively with the staff and reports to the Midwest Regional Director.
Intern Roles and Responsibilities
• Complete a long-term, Capstone project assigned by the Director
• Conduct outreach to individuals and organizations to maximize our engagement and program recruitment efforts
• Attend and volunteer at YI's programs and events (in-person and virtually)
• Assist the Advocacy Manager with advocacy campaigns and actions
• Attend regular meetings with the MW Office team (Wednesdays at 10am)
• Other duties as assigned
A successful intern will demonstrate these qualities
• Creative, energetic, and joyous attitude
• Work a dependable and consistent schedule
• Results-oriented and focused communication style
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills with our team and external partners / stakeholders • Ability and willingness to work in a fast-paced work environment and an entrepreneurial atmosphere
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Cultural competency working and collaborating with diverse populations
• A passion for Young Invincibles' mission
• Preference: Students with previous coursework in politics, government, policy, nonprofit management or a related field
Work Location
YI Midwest is a hybrid team. We have one in-office day per week, on Wednesdays. Interns are highly encouraged to be present on Wednesday mornings (10am - 12pm). YI uses the Google Suite for all remote communications. YI's Illinois office is located at 1530 S. State Street (Dearborn Towers) in Chicago.
Compensation
This internship is unpaid. Young Invincibles works with colleges and universities to meet requirements for obtaining credit for the internship.
YI is an equal employment opportunity employer and strongly encourages diverse candidates to apply. YI does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex (including pregnancy), gender, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, medical condition including genetic characteristics, mental or physical disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, (including transgender status), weight, height, linguistic characteristics (such as accent and limited English proficiency, where not substantially job-related), citizenship status, or any other basis prohibited by law.
For more information, please contact Erick at [email protected].