Join the Resource Center staff!

STAFF

CAFE SERVER

Serve fair-trade coffee drinks, home baked goods, beans and rice, soups and sandwiches. Prepare food. Run cash register. Training provided. Full time. $8 per hour plus tips. Full health benefits. Contact Jeannie Inglehart, chef, 612-276-0803, jeanniei@americas.org.

Work remotely via the Internet!

VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERS

NEWS EDITORS

Working with our editorial staff, use Latin American and alternative news sources to compile brief reports on human rights, the global economy and the environment in one or more countries that interest you. The reports reach tens of thousands of people per month through AMERICAS.ORG and our monthly magazine, Connection to the Americas. The editors follow a style guide and work 4–8 hours in the middle of each month from the comfort of their home or office, anywhere in the world. The ideal volunteer has basic news-writing skills, a strong connection to the country(ies) they are covering for us, a commitment to volunteering for at least a year, and an ability to translate news reports from either Spanish, Portuguese or French. E-mail Chip Mitchell.

Meet like-minded people!

VOLUNTEERS AT THE RESOURCE CENTER

If you are interested in any of the following volunteer opportunities or would like more information, please contact Sarah Horstmann at 612-276-0788 (ext. 14) or shorstmann@americas.org. 

BOOK ANNOTATORS

Want a great way to become more familiar with books about Latin America, the global economy, human rights, literature from Latin America? Help with annotations in Bookstore of the Americas. The task involves briefly looking over a book and writing a short description. The number of hours and the schedule are flexible. The work appears in our catalogues and the AMERICAS.ORG bookstore. 

BOOK SCANNERS

We need people to scan the covers of books so we can show them in catalogues and the AMERICAS.ORG bookstore. 

BOOKSTORE ASSISTANTS

Help with taking inventory; organizing books and other merchandise; identifying additional titles to carry; dusting and straightening bookshelves; cashiering and assisting customers; or unpacking, pricing and displaying crafts and other merchandise.

LIBRARY STAFF

Get your hands on the best new nonfiction books and preview documentary videos on Latin America while you help annotate them, file new material into our vertical files, order review copies of new books, and enter information into our library computer system.

CONNECTION MAIL LABELERS

Sit down with us for a monthly chat as we attach labels to mail Connection to the Americas, our monthly membership magazine. The sessions usually last two hours late in the afternoon toward the end of the month. 

WEB SITE ASSISTANTS

Have some experience in Web design and interested in putting your skills to work at americas.org? We need volunteers to help with updating and maintaining the Web site.

CAFE ASSISTANTS

Assist with catering orders, help with repairs (handyman/woman), or take care of plants within the cafe.

CHILDREN'S PROGRAM ASSISTANTS

Assist instructors with Saturday morning bilingual children's programs, including painting, cooking, and language activities.

COFFEEHOUR ASSISTANTS

Drink coffee. Learn about a variety of interesting topics related to the Americas. Meet amazing people. These are the perks for volunteering before and after our Saturday morning “coffeehours.” We need volunteers every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to noon. 

PERFORMING ARTISTS

We're looking for creative people to participate in art projects, including musical performances, puppet shows, poetry readings and more.

EXHIBIT ARTISTS

If you're an artist interested in displaying your work at the Resource Center, or know someone who might be, contact Kay Yanisch at 612-276-0788 (ext. 13) or kyanisch@americas.org.  

EVENT ASSISTANTS

Help plan Resource Center fundraising events, work at an event, or assist with setup or cleanup.

BOOTH/TABLE STAFF

We need friendly, outgoing volunteers to help staff Resource Center booths and tables at local events.

TRANSLATORS/INTERPRETERS

We need bilingual (Spanish/English or Portuguese/English) volunteers to help with translating and interpreting.

MAILING ASSISTANTS

Help fold, staple, label and stuff envelopes for mailings.

PHONE BANK VOLUNTEERS

Spend an evening with us making phone calls to members for our spring or fall appeal.

RECEPTIONISTS

We're looking for volunteers to answer phones and greet visitors during evening and weekend hours. A great way to meet people and get involved!

Develop skills and gain experience!

INTERNS

Resource Center internships can take a number of forms, from an independent-study course to a work-study job to a post-undergraduate position, covering one or more quarters, semesters, intersessions or summer sessions. We can usually refine a position to suit your needs, and the scheduling is flexible. Unless noted otherwise, the positions are unpaid.

WEB EDITOR

Work with our technical and editorial staff to investigate, evaluate and summarize new electronic resources, including human rights reports, news reports and action alerts. The work appears throughout AMERICAS.ORG, the most dynamic and comprehensive medium on human rights in Latin America. The intern receives both editorial and technical training. On the editorial side, we maintain high standards of conciseness and clarity, and we adhere to an Associated Press–based house style guide. On the technical side, we use state-of-the-art equipment and software, and we develop our own Web applications. The position requires at least four hours a week for six months. The ideal candidate is interested in Web journalism as a career, has Latin America experience, has demonstrable writing skills, and reads Spanish. E-mail a résumé to Chip Mitchell.

EDUCATION PROGRAMMING INTERNSHIP POSITIONS

The education team of the Resource Center of the Americas is looking for motivated, talented and responsible individuals for internships in the education department. The educational programs at the Resource Center of the Americas cover a variety of political, economic and human rights topics related to the Americas. Education interns will develop the Thursday evening bilingual video and discussion group, launch letter writing campaigns to public officials, assist with creating and editing publicity, and contact potential speakers for upcoming programs.

Specific Duties: 

• Research topics for letter writing campaigns and create letters
• Plan and facilitate Thursday evening movie night and discussion
• Assist with programming Saturday morning coffee hours
• Edit various publications and advertisement materials
• Develop articles for the monthly newsletter about education programs
• Assist with planning community events
• Contact potential speakers for upcoming programs
• Research up-to-date issues in the Americas
• Update phone and internet for classes, programs, etc.
• File and record keep as needed
• Assist with registration of students for classes

Qualifications: 

• Strong communication skills (both written and verbal)
• Editing skills and attention to detail
• Basic knowledge of computer skills
• Ability to work both independently and with others
• Interest in education, social justice, Latin America and it's people
• Ability to speak Spanish (desirable, but not required)

Flexible part-time and full-time positions available.

Contact Stacy Janisch, Coordinator of Adult and Community Education, Resource Center of the Americas/Centro de las Américas, 3019 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55406-1931, 612-276-0788 (ext. 23) or sjanisch@americas.org.

ADULT AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION INTERNSHIP POSITIONS

The education team of the Resource Center of the Americas is looking for motivated, talented and responsible individuals for internships in the education department. The educational programs at the Resource Center of the Americas cover a variety of political, economic and human rights topics related to the Americas. Adult and Community Education interns will help to develop, coordinate, and create educational programs at RCTA.

Specific Duties: 

• Assist with the design, development and evaluation of Adult Spanish classes
• Create a supplemental materials resource center for teachers and students
• Contact students and teachers regarding class information and updates
• Correct Spanish entrance examinations and assist with class registration
• Revise current curriculum and create new activities and lessons
• Assist with Intercambios Culturales and classes when needed
• Conduct basic clerical duties associated with classes

Qualifications: 

• Prior experience working with adult and Spanish Education
• Ability to read, write and speak Spanish proficiently
• Experience in curriculum design, evaluation, and lesson planning
• Interest in education, social justice, Latin America and human rights
• Basic knowledge of computer skills
• Ability to work both independently and with others
• Editing skills and attention to detail
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal)

Flexible part-time and full-time positions available.

Contact Stacy Janisch, Coordinator of Adult and Community Education, Resource Center of the Americas/Centro de las Américas, 3019 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55406-1931, 612-276-0788 (ext. 23) or sjanisch@americas.org.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Work with our Labor, Globalization and Human Rights project, which focuses on the ongoing development of the global economy and particularly its effects on non-elite population sectors throughout the hemisphere. This internship will allow the intern to read and review a wide range of materials about transnational corporations, free trade, and structural adjustment programs. It will also provide an opportunity to gain experience in use of the Internet. It requires 10 hours per week.

Responsibilities: 

• Searching internet and print sources for articles on global economy themes.

• Identifying global economy materials for acquisition.

• Acquiring selected materials.

• Reviewing and annotating acquired materials.

• Writing reviews for possible publication.

• Cataloguing acquired materials for the Resource Center’s library.

Qualifications:

• Familiarity with and interest in the themes and issues associated with the global economy

• Ability to work in a self-sufficient manner, while still enjoying a collaborative approach

• Good personal and written communications skills

• Familiarity with word-processing and internet basics.

Contact Larry Weiss, 612-276-0788 (ext. 19) or lweiss@americas.org
THIS POSITION IS FILLED UNTIL DECEMBER 2001.

BOOKSTORE ASSISTANT

The intern works 8–12 hours a week in the Bookstore of the Americas, which carries more than 3,000 fiction and nonfiction titles for children and adults, including many in Spanish or bilingual editions. Qualifications include an interest in issues and literature of the Americas, good writing skills and strong attention to detail. Responsibilities:

• Annotate books for the electronic electronic bookstore. This involves briefly looking a book over and writing a short description that will give Web buyers some of the information that would be available to them if they were looking at the actual book. 

• Scan book covers so Web buyers can see a picture of the front cover of a book. 

• Assist with taking inventory. 

• Assist customers in finding books and processing sales through the cash register. 

• Go through publisher catalogs to locate new books to order.

Contact Darla Baker, 612-276-0801 or bookstore@americas.org.

CURRICULUM AND VIDEO LIBRARY ASSISTANT

Work 8–12 hours per week researching and reviewing new grade school and high school curriculum materials and videos on Latin America. The person also helps to maintain our curriculum lending library. The position is appropriate for students majoring in education, Latin America studies or Library Sciences. The schedule is flexible. Qualifications include writing skills and an interest in education, Latin America and the Caribbean and U.S. Latinos. Responsibilities: 

• Search through curricula and video catalogs.

• Order preview copies of curricula and videos, review them for possible inclusion in our library, and enter them into our computer system.

• Help maintain the curriculum and video libraries.

• Respond to educators’ requests for information on curriculum resources. 

Contact Mary Swenson, 612- 276-0788 (ext. 12) or mswenson@americas.org.

EDUCATION ASSISTANT

Work 10–15 hours a week in our Educating About the Americas project, which focuses on teaching in grade schools, colleges and universities. This is an excellent opportunity and experience for an education student or a student thinking of becoming a teacher. The project incorporates multicultural and global themes into activity-based learning. The schedule is flexible. We can design the position to cover quarter(s), semester(s), an intersession or a summer session. Qualifications include an interest in education, Latin America, the Caribbean and U.S. Latinos. Responsibilities:

• Become familiar with curricula and resources in our lending library in order to aid teachers as they develop teaching units for their classrooms.

• Respond to telephone calls and mail requests for resources.

• Survey educational catalogs for resources and videos, order and review these materials, and enter descriptions of them into a computer database.

• Prepare new curricula for our lending library.

Contact Mary Swenson, 612- 276-0788 (ext. 12) or mswenson@americas.org.