Internship Application-please click to apply
Divine Revelations Ministries, Geeks & Gramps Program Assistant Senior Coordinator
Divine Revelations Ministries, Inc. (DRMI) is a 501c3 charitable organization with a mission to help all people to live more enriching lives. We accomplish our mission by administering six core secular (non-religious) programs under our nonprofit umbrella, including the DRMI Geeks & Gramps (grandparents) Program (G&GP) evidence-driven Control the Fire! ©2015 Anger Management Program for adults and teens (CTF) and Reclaiming Freedom from Addictions & Substances Program ©2022 (RFAS) for adults at correctional facilities, Leon County Detention Center, and Leon County Probation. We also distribute food/clothing to the homeless and those in need; and sponsor free community awareness events. DRMI’s life-enrichment programs and wraparound services assist the most vulnerable in the Big Bend 8-County region of Florida. Programming is targeted to youth ages 8-18 and seniors, court-ordered clients, incarcerated and returning citizens and at-risk youth and adults.
Details about the DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program
Under the corporate umbrella of DRMI, the G&GP was created in 2019 to bridge the digital and generational divide between youth and seniors. Populations of seniors continue to increase as baby boomer reach retirement age. The Census Bureau 2020 population estimates, 54.1 million Americans are age 65+ with Florida ranking nationally as #2 in population of seniors. Like nationally, there remains a notable generational and digital divide between youth and seniors in our local areas.
The program is a multi-generational and serves two main demographics – youth and seniors. The goals of the program are to (1) empower seniors to stay connected with loved ones and remain engaged with their community in an effort to combat feelings of isolation and loneliness; (2) bridge the digital divide by helping seniors learn digital literacy and stewardship through group and one-on-one personalized coaching from youth; and (3) bridge the generational divide by connecting generations through technology while providing meaningful volunteer experiences for youth ages 8-18 and older adults. The program shows potential for keeping older adults engaged in life-long learning, social inclusion, cultivation of intergenerational relationships and development of leadership and work-readiness skills for youth.
The DRMI G&GP is the only program in the Big Bend area of Florida that partners youth 8-19 as SMEs to train/help seniors learn the stewardship of digital technology and cultivate intergenerational relationships with a goal of reducing feelings of isolation/loneliness. Since its inception in 2019, the program has served 61 youth who have completed 72 workshop sessions and 571 volunteer hours. We have served 288 seniors at demo events and two (2) seniors have volunteered for the Senior Moments recorded series.
We are seeking interns with an interest in assisting in the coordination of the senior components of the DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program including the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program. This internship opportunity would be ideal for a student studying disciplines related to aging, including adult/human development, psychology, social work, counseling, gerontology, or similar; public health or non-profit management.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities include:
- Planning, developing, and directing activities for youth in collaboration with the DRMI Geeks & Gramps Program Director.
- Working directly with the Youth Coordinator to align senior activities with youth activities to increase seniors’ knowledge and social health.
- Co-facilitating workshops and/or identifying subject matter experts to cultivate intergenerational relationships, support age-friendly communities, senior centric teaching resources and life-long learning; dispel ageism and negative stereotypes.
- Identifying interests of the seniors, and collaborating with local senior agencies, aging resources, and organizations that are interested in hosting demonstration events for seniors.
- Coordinating with local senior centers and/or various community-based locations to host workshops facilitated by the youth.
- Traveling to community-based locations to set up/tear down equipment and materials for classes for seniors in collaboration with the Youth Coordinator.
- Completing program participation and survey response reports and logging attendance records in demographic database.
- Make copies of program materials, assist in social media posting and marketing of the program.
- Assist in identifying interested seniors and coordinating recordings of Senior Moment.
Qualifications
Note: Interns must be able to legally work with children/youth/teens.
• Completion of Mental Health First Aid (especially for youth) is desired but not mandatory.
• Experience in senior citizen program philosophies, trends and practices is a plus.
• Experience in volunteering or working with a nonprofit is a plus.
General qualifications include:
- Computer skills, verbal and written communication skills, negotiation and mediation skills, report development, time management, and organizational skills.
Soft skills needed:
- Interpersonal skills, compassion, character-building, patience, and persistence.
Time, Place & Commitment
Monday – Friday, 12 noon to 8 p.m. (flexible based on class days/times). Duties will be conducted at the DRMI office at 300 W. Pensacola St., 3rd floor. Workshops are 2-hours sessions, two days of the week (TBD) and held the DRMI office and community locations. Community events for seniors are dependent upon the location’s hours and may include some Saturdays.
Four (4) months would be ideal.
Benefits to the Volunteer/ Intern
- Hands on experience in facilitation of youth programs in interpersonal and social skills, digital technology, and professional development skills.
- Curriculum/program evaluation skill-building
- Enhanced facilitation/presentation skills, report writing, and data analysis.
