Are you a creative, passionate, and results-driven student interested in gaining professional advocacy and communications experience? The AARP Virginia Team is looking for you! Our team advocates on the state and federal levels to improve people's lives as they age and help build a better tomorrow for future generations. In this role, you will have the opportunity to learn, grow your network, and develop a diverse skillset while engaging in state advocacy, federal advocacy, and communications efforts. You will support our lobbying efforts in the General Assembly, contribute to our public communications and social media, and get an inside look at how the policymaking process works. We'll challenge you to think and work innovatively on real-world projects. The intern will be directed by the Associate State Directors for Advocacy and Communications and will support state and federal advocacy campaigns, voter education, outreach programs, and other local initiatives. AARP is committed to your growth and cultivating your continued learning and development. This paid internship has an anticipated start date of January 2025 and will go through the end of the year. Work hours are flexible during the school year and can be increased to full-time during summer. 

The Advocacy and Communications Intern supports the Associate State Director for Communications, two Associate State Directors for Advocacy, and the Senior Program Assistant for Advocacy and Communications.

Communications

The Intern regularly provides communications support to the AARP Virginia Virtual Volunteer Newsroom and to Associate State Directors for Outreach. In 2025 the Communications Intern will focus on digital media, video and creating motion graphics for social media.

The intern provides crucial support to the AARP Virginia Virtual Volunteer Newsroom – a group of volunteers across the state who help tell the AARP story by promoting and reporting on AARP events and activities in their communities. The intern performs essential tasks as part of the Volunteer Newsroom by posting volunteer-created content to the AARP Virginia website and social media.

AARP Virginia’s outreach staff and volunteers host and support hundreds of events, programs, and workshops every year. The intern is a vital part of telling the story.

Advocacy

The Virginia General Assembly session begins Jan. 8, 2025. AARP Virginia will be advocating for legislation on prescription drug costs, nursing home quality, home and community-based services and other issues affecting people age 50 and older. The inter supports our state advocacy team. The intern’s role includes legislative bill tracking, creation of one-pagers and printed materials, committee monitoring, and other tasks. The intern supports Virginia’s two ASDs for Advocacy, assisting with both state and federal issues.

Voter engagement for the statewide election in 2025 will also be part of the intern’s role. Organizing and training volunteers on the issues and promoting AARP’s get-out-the-vote work, creation of voter guides and monitoring candidate social channels for AARP issues are among the intern’s tasks.

Responsibilities

• Apply strategic, analytical, and creative thinking to help promote policy issues on prescription drug affordability, family caregiving, long-term care, fraud prevention, health and welfare, and retirement security.
• Support the advocacy and communications efforts to advance these issues, as well as relevant event
• Assist with tracking legislation and committee meetings, research policy issues, draft documents to support our outreach and advocacy efforts, participate in team meetings and strategy discussions, collaborate on communications tactics, and engage in a support role for various remote and in-person events
• Communicate with AARP members, media, and the public on video and digital media channels
• Develop content for the state office webpage, Facebook, Twitter, member emails, and e-newsletters; edit volunteer-written stories; create and edit videos; prepare and distribute news releases; and make media calls
• Analyze and prepare reports on social media engagement and performance

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled at an accredited college/university as a rising undergraduate junior or senior, graduate student, or post-doctoral student and remain academically enrolled throughout the internship; or, must have previously graduated from college and enrolled in a continuing education program
• In-office/open office environment with the ability to work effectively surrounded by moderate noise and the ability to work remotely 2-3 days per week
• Must be a self-starter and adaptable with the ability to work under tight deadlines
• Ability to manage multiple projects, anticipate project needs, and discern work priorities
• Ability to work well with diverse populations, including age, gender, race, and sexual orientation
• Technical proficiency in Microsoft Office programs  
• Exceptional verbal/written communication skills, with knowledge of AP Style
• Familiarity with creating and editing videos and knowledge of multiple social media platforms

Compensation and Benefits
The hourly range is $18 for undergraduates, $21 for graduate students, $28 for Ph.D. candidates.
Internships are non-exempt positions and are not eligible for employee benefits.