Three New Action University Internship Opportunities for Feb 2025✨

Exciting. Empowering. Insightful. Meaningful. These are just some of the words used to describe the 2024 Action University Instructional Design Internship. And now we are opening the experience up for three new internship areas, beginning in February 2025 and lasting for 3 to 6 months. Apply today!

World Merit is a global community with a mission to inspire, connect, and accelerate the impact of young-adult changemakers around the world. Learn more at https://worldmerit.org/. Action University, a part of World Merit, provides local changemakers with just-in-time virtual learning to help build resilient communities. It offers free, action-oriented online learning opportunities to all World Members. Our internship programs aim to provide career development experiences alongside the opportunity to make an impact in the World Merit community.

Internships Available starting in February 2025:

1. Instructional Design Internship
2. Cohort System Development Internship
3. Interview & Storytelling Internship

See more information about the internship opportunities and how to apply below.

Deadline to Apply for all Internships: January 19, 2025

Instructional Design Internship

Seeking 3-5 interns

World Merit is offering a 3- to 6-month internship opportunity to instructional design students or recent graduates to work with the Action University team. During your internship, you will help leverage innovative technologies and effective teaching methods to develop high-quality online programs and courses for the World Merit community.

As an Instructional Design intern, you will experience the full lifecycle of course creation and, by the end of the internship, develop 1-3 self-paced courses that will become accessible to thousands of students. Successful completion of the internship will also allow you to join our database of consultants, with the possibility of being hired by World Merit partners to develop courses in the future.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to take part in all the steps of an eLearning project’s lifecycle:

• Need and audience analysis
• Curricula development
• Instructional design
• Content development
• Storyboarding and scriptwriting
• Video creation
• Platform integration
• Compliance of project documentation
• Plus additional research tasks as needed

Qualifications

• English proficiency (spoken and written) is a must
• Strong attention to detail and communication (spoken and written) skills
• Interpersonal skills with a willingness to collaborate and provide and receive feedback
• A high level of individual responsibility, commitment and autonomy
• Access to a computer and internet service
• Proficiency in Google Suite, spreadsheets, slide decks, and video editing
• Preferred: completed coursework in instructional design, educational technology, or similar

Work Hours & Compensation

The internships can last between 3 to 6 months. Each position comes with a monthly stipend of $100 for approximately 20 hours/week. Interns will work remotely.

Benefits

• Opportunity to work in a dynamic, international organization
• Build marketable skills in instructional design
• Impact global community of learners creating change
• Possibility of a job offer or further collaboration with World Merit or other social impact organizations upon successful completion

How to Apply

Please send your CV, a cover letter, explaining why you are a good fit for this internship, and a link to your World Merit profile to janecullina@worldmerit.org with the subject line indicating the name of the internship you are applying for.

Deadline to Apply: January 19, 2025

Cohort System Development Internship

Seeking 1 Intern

Action University is an innovative online learning platform dedicated to empowering learners worldwide through self-paced, community-based education. Our mission is to create a cohesive and supportive learning environment that fosters growth, engagement, and practical skill-building. We are looking for a motivated Cohort System Development Specialist to lead the development and implementation of a cohort system, enhancing the experience and success of our learners.

The Cohort System Development Specialist will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing a cohort-based learning structure for our Action University's online courses. This role requires an individual who can blend an education-oriented perspective with community engagement skills, fostering a collaborative and supportive community of learners.

World Merit members are passionate changemakers. At Action University, we want to provide them with a space to learn together that is effective and flexible. We're looking for a proactive, out-of-the-box thinker to take on the challenge creating a virtual learning space that can be easily scaled.

The Cohort System Development intern will create a scalable system for World Members to participate and co-lead learning cohorts around the different courses available, with a focus on participants sharing knowledge and challenges from their direct experiences.

Over the four months of the internship, you will be involved in collaborative idea generation sessions, independent research and testing, as well as facilitation of member learning cohorts.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and Design Cohort System: Create a framework for a cohort-based learning experience tailored to various course offerings, levels, and learner demographics. Collaborate with curriculum developers to integrate the cohort system seamlessly into existing and future courses.

Implement and Launch Cohorts: Oversee the launch of new cohorts, including setting timelines, coordinating resources, and facilitating group onboarding processes. Work closely with the technical team to ensure cohort management tools (e.g., communication channels, progress tracking, engagement metrics) are implemented and optimized.

Facilitate Engagement and Retention: Design and execute strategies to boost learner engagement and collaboration within cohorts. Develop methods to track progress and completion rates, using data insights to improve learner retention and satisfaction.

Monitor and Improve Cohort Experience: Gather feedback from cohort participants and instructors to identify areas for improvement. Regularly assess the effectiveness of the cohort model and iterate on systems to enhance learning outcomes.

Support Learner Success: Serve as a point of contact for learners within each cohort, providing guidance, resources, and motivation to enhance their experience. Identify and address potential issues with learner progress, engagement, or technical challenges.

Qualifications

• English proficiency (spoken and written) is a must
• Strong attention to detail and communication (spoken and written) skills
• Interpersonal skills with a willingness to collaborate and provide and receive feedback
• A high level of individual responsibility, commitment and autonomy
• Access to a computer and internet service
• Proficiency in Google Suite
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple timelines and coordinate with cross-functional teams
• Preferred: Experience in participating in or leading cohort-based learning

Work Hours & Compensation

The internship can last between 3 to 6 months. The position comes with a monthly stipend of $100 for approximately 20 hours/week. Interns will work remotely.

Benefits

• Be part of a pioneering team redefining online education and cohort-based learning
• Opportunity to impact learners globally, fostering their growth in a supportive environment
• Flexible, remote work environment with a collaborative and supportive culture
• Possibility of a job offer or further collaboration with World Merit or other social impact organizations upon successful completion

How to Apply

Please send your CV, a cover letter, explaining why you are a good fit for this internship, and a link to your World Merit profile to janecullina@worldmerit.org with the subject line indicating the name of the internship you are applying for.

Deadline to Apply: January 19, 2025

Interview & Storytelling Internship

Seeking 1 Intern

Action University is an innovative online learning platform dedicated to empowering learners worldwide through self-paced, community-based education. Our mission is to create a cohesive and supportive learning environment that fosters growth, engagement, and practical skill-building. We are looking for a motivated Interview & Storytelling Specialist to lead the development and implementation of an interview program that will help global changemakers share their experience as a way to help other people learn from it.

The Interview & Storytelling Specialist will lead the development of a comprehensive interview and panel model that showcases real-world applications of theoretical concepts. This includes creating a scalable and engaging model, recruiting diverse participants, and managing the project lifecycle from conception to execution. The ideal candidate will have a background in research, education, or program design with a passion for bringing out people's experiences through interview questions .

World Merit members are passionate changemakers. At Action University, we want to help them learn from each other, as well as other experts in the areas of community development, leadership, entrepreneurship, volunteer management, and other related topics. We're looking for a proactive communicator who wants to connect with others and help bring out their experiences to scale up our course delivery.

The Interview Specialist intern will create a scalable system for recruiting and running high-quality interviews and panels with experienced changemakers. They will conduct at least 10 interviews and/or panel discussions and integrate these into existing or future Action University courses. They will train the next interview specialist intern, passing on the knowledge they used and gained over the course of the internship.

Over the four months of the internship, you will be involved in collaborative idea generation sessions, independent research and testing, as well as facilitation and moderation of interviews and panel discussions.

Key Responsibilities:

Develop Interview & Panel Model: Design an innovative model that facilitates interviews and panel discussions centered on the real-world applications of theoretical concepts in the field of taking action to improve communities. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure the model aligns with our educational goals and resonates with target audiences.

Participant Recruitment and Management: Identify and recruit a diverse pool of subjects and participants who can share authentic experiences and insights related to taking action in their community. Manage outreach, onboarding, and scheduling for participants, ensuring they are well-prepared for their roles in the interviews or panels.

Facilitate Panel Discussions and Interviews: Oversee the planning and coordination of interviews and panel sessions, ensuring a smooth and engaging experience for both participants and audiences. Develop guides, question sets, and conversation prompts to encourage insightful, relevant discussions.

Content Development and Integration: Work closely with content developers to integrate interview and panel insights into educational materials, ensuring the content is accessible, relatable, and practical. Analyze feedback from sessions to refine and improve future interviews and panels.

Program Evaluation and Improvement: Collect and analyze data to measure the success of the interview/panel model in helping audiences connect theory to practice. Use participant and audience feedback to continuously improve the model, adapting it to meet evolving needs and educational goals.

Qualifications

• English proficiency (spoken and written) is a must
• Strong attention to detail and communication (spoken and written) skills
• Interpersonal skills with a willingness to collaborate and provide and receive feedback
• A high level of individual responsibility, commitment and autonomy
• Access to a computer and internet service
• Strong interviewing skills with experience in managing panels or group discussions
• Proven experience in participant recruitment, with the ability to engage a wide range of individuals from various backgrounds
• Excellent project management skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a remote environment
• Analytical skills to evaluate program effectiveness and improve model design

Work Hours & Compensation

The internship can last between 3 to 6 months. The position comes with a monthly stipend of $100 for approximately 20 hours/week. Interns will work remotely.

Benefits

• Opportunity to design impactful programs that help learners and practitioners connect theoretical knowledge to real-life practice.
• Flexible, remote work environment with a collaborative and supportive culture.
• Join a mission-driven organization with a commitment to social change.
• Possibility of a job offer or further collaboration with World Merit or other social impact organizations upon successful completion

How to Apply

Please send your CV, a cover letter, explaining why you are a good fit for this internship, and a link to your World Merit profile to janecullina@worldmerit.org with the subject line indicating the name of the internship you are applying for.

Deadline to Apply: January 19, 2025