SHARP Seattle Project Intern

Student Intern Qualifications:

• This opportunity is available to undergraduate and graduate students from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented.

• Relevant fields include health sciences such as nursing, public health, social work, sociology, anthropology, ethnic studies, history, or museology.

• Women and individuals with experience working with Black communities are encouraged to apply.

Background:

Sharing History through Active Reminiscence and Photo- Imagery (SHARP) Seattle aims to maintain or improve African American brain health through engaging older adults in culturally celebratory neighborhood walks and conversations in Seattle’s Central District. One-mile routes are accessible via a smartphone application, which uses GPS-triggered historical images of Black life in the neighborhood to prompt small-group reminiscence as participants walk. Together, conversations from a digital oral history archive Read more about the origins of the SHARP program in Portland, here: https://www.sharpwalkingstudy.org/.

Position Description:

The SHARP Seattle Project Intern acts as the key person for coordinating and tracking walking participants, walking routes, and recording participants walking experiences. The Project Intern will work closely with the Project Assistant and receive supervision from the Project Assistant. The scope of duties will be commensurate with student learning objective. See task outlined below. Internship is anticipated to include both in-person and remote activities and will follow King County Public Health COVID guidelines.

• Analyzing data from focus groups to determine key themes, landmarks, people, events

• Conducting photo archive image searches to identify representative photos

• Identifying conversational prompts of reminiscence

• Developing walking routes

• Programming routes into SHARP walking app (if applicable)

• Pre-testing routes to identify any barriers or safety concerns

• Designing project materials

• Recruiting walking group participants

• Facilitating orientation to walks

• Checking in with walking group participants

• Conducting focus groups

Intern Learning Objectives:

• Community-Based Participatory Research

• Qualitative Interviews- recruitment and implementation

• Qualitative data analysis- thematic coding

• Archival research- working with archivist and special collections

• Route creation- organizing archival images thematically and geospatially

• Route logistics- organizing routes around crosswalks and public amenities, route testing

• Route programming for use on the SHARP walking application

Additionally, students seeking credit as a practicum will conduct a literature review related to culturally engaging healthy aging initiatives, will assist in creating program evaluations, and will participate in didactic sessions about:

• Collaborative community programming and planning through monthly participation on the SHARP Seattle Planning Committee

• Creating unbiased interview guides

• Moderating focus groups

To Apply:  Submit CV or resume, 3 references and a short (1page max) cover letter to Twanda Hill @ twandah@casrcenter.org. In the subject line of the email, please note SHARP Internship Application: YOUR NAME.

In the cover letter, briefly include the following:

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1. Name, email address, school, program, year you are in, anticipated month/year of graduation

2. The internship is available to students from racial and ethnic groups. Please share your connection to one or more underrepresented communities.

3. What interests you about the internship position?

4. What background, experience or skills do you bring to the position, including any experience working with older adults, Black communities and/or people from other diverse backgrounds?

5. How does the position fit in with your career goals?