DIY Internship Contest

A project sponsored by the YWCA Silicon Valley’s Stuck In Traffic? Initiative

The YWCA Silicon Valley announces the DIY Internship Contest to encourage Silicon Valley college students to think critically about the issue of human trafficking, including how your skills, interests, talents, and/or areas of study can positively contribute to the Bay Area anti-trafficking movement. Each entrant must develop a proposal that serves to further the work of the Bay Area anti-trafficking movement.

The YWCA Silicon Valley will award two paid, part-time, summer internships. Each winner will have the unique opportunity to implement their project with the support and guidance of YWCA staff and a stipend of $350 for project expenses. As part of your internship, the YWCA Silicon Valley Human Trafficking Prevention staff will also assist you with making the appropriate connections to reach your project’s intended audience.

This competition is designed to include all disciplines and types of projects. Students may use any genre or discipline they choose as the means or method of their project. The primary guiding principal for each project must be that it serves to further the Bay Area anti-trafficking movement whether through research, through the arts, through science and technology or through any other field.

Participants must be currently enrolled in classes at a college, university, or community college.

Winners must be available from June-August, 2013 for approximately 20 hours per week to complete the internship at the rate of $12/hr. Total hours not to exceed 240.

Proposed project must contribute positively to the cause of the Bay Area anti-human trafficking movement.

Proposed project budget must not exceed $350 and proposed timeline must not exceed 3 months or 240 work hours.

Project proposal must be submitted along with official entry form by April 18, 2013, 11:59 pm deadline to jboyles@ywca-sv.org or in person at the YWCA Silicon Valley, 375 S. Third Street, San Jose, CA 95112. Down load the Entry Form here >> .docx pdf

Selection Process and Awards

A panel of judges from varying fields will score each proposal according to the required outline (see below). Judges may also request an interview with top scorers to determine finalists. Additional small cash awards will also be awarded to finalists and runner(s)-up.

Scoring

Projects will be given a score in each of the following outline:

Introduce Yourself! Please include your area of study, interests, background and anything else you’d like us to know about you and your life. (Max 2 paragraphs, 10 pts.)
Describe the problem: What is human trafficking and why are you interested in addressing it? (Max 1 page, 15 pts.)
Describe the project you are proposing. (Max 3 pages, 15 pts.)
Describe the intended outcomes of the project you are proposing. (Max 2 paragraphs, 15 pts.)
Describe your skills, knowledge, experience or expertise that qualifies you and provides you the capacity to carry out your proposal. (Max 1 page, 5 pts.)
Provide an anticipated budget for your project, not to exceed $350. (10 pts.) (No specified formatting requirements for budget.)
Provide an anticipated timeline for your project, not to exceed 240 hrs. (10 pts.) (No specified formatting requirements for timeline.)
Provide any additional information (not included in numbers 1-7) that you feel would help our judges adequately understand and score your proposal. (Max 2 paragraphs, Optional)

Additional points will also be awarded according to the following scoring categories.

Overall strength and impact of proposed project. (10 points)
Proposed project demonstrates innovation and creativity. (10 pts.)

Awards Ceremony

The Awards Ceremony, on the afternoon of May 18th, 2013, will be a time to celebrate the work of each participant and to announce the winning entries. Friends and family of all participants are invited to be a part of this event. Representatives from Bay Area anti-trafficking organizations will be invited as well. Additional information will be sent to each participant upon submission of their proposal.