Summer Program 2023

Details at a Glance

Schedule: Weekdays

Time Commitment: Part-time (approximately 30 hrs/wk)

Location: On-site in San Salvador, El Salvador

Cristosal is looking for qualified people

1. Seeking to improve their understanding and commitment to the defense and promotion of human rights in El Salvador, their home countries, and around the world.

2. Who has the humility, grit, and good humor to immerse themselves quickly into a potentially unpredictable dynamic of work and life in El Salvador.

3. Strong communication skills—verbal and written—and interest in documenting and sharing analysis, reflection, information, and experiences with wider audiences in support of human rights.

Requirements

1. Advanced Spanish and experience living, volunteering, or working in a Spanish-speaking environment. We will require an evaluation of language ability before accepting interns.

2. Completed application form, resume, personal statement, valid passport, and proof of health insurance. Due March 6, 2023.

3. Letters (2) of support from the church, university, or employer who can attest to the intern’s ability to adapt to life/work in El Salvador. Due March 20, 2023.

4. Financial means are sufficient to cover living expenses while in El Salvador ($700-$900/month) plus travel expenses. Living expenses would be shared housing, mostly bus with occasional taxi/uber transportation and basic food costs as well as a $12 entrance fee to El Salvador. Interns should consider a higher budget if they plan to travel or eat out frequently.

5. Commit to fulfilling a fundraising/awareness-raising plan during and after your time in El Salvador. $500 of raised funds would be helpful in support of Cristosal’s mission. 

6. At least 8 weeks’ availability. The 2023 program starts on June 1 – July 31st. The week of August 1 is a holiday in San Salvador.

7. Skills and interests which coincide with available intern positions. All interns will be required to write and document their work while in El Salvador.

What Cristosal offers

1. Logistical support to locate housing, placement, and support for intern work. Cristosal verifies the safety and quality of housing prior to sending suggestions to Interns.

2. Support for interns’ cultural immersion process that includes; pre-internship: cultural and historical reading, in-country: full orientation to El Salvador and security measures, once-a-week meetings to debrief and discuss experiences, and support in a contingent event or emerging situation.

3. Weekly workshops on Human Rights and the current reality of El Salvador are run by Cristosal’s Global School teaching staff.

4. Methodological support for research, as well as documenting and publishing about the intern experience in support of Cristosal’s human rights work. (Personal reflections, research, video, photographic documentation, etc.) We will publish the intern’s work on our website and in other relevant places.

5. Exposure to the real life and daily operations of a human rights organization working in El Salvador!