UW’s Q Center
The Q Center has been serving LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty for over 20 years at the University of Washington. We are located on the Seattle campus inside the Husky Union Building. We offer programming, resources, and support to meet the evolving social, emotional, and wellness needs of our community members. We envision a community guided by principles of justice, compassion, respect, and liberation and we work to model those principles in our work every day.
The Q is a student-centered, community serving, center that values justice-oriented perspectives, strong work ethic, and meaningful engagement with the community around us. Through programs and resources, the Q Center offers students, staff, and faculty connections, resources, and possibility. As an employee, you would contribute and be a part of a brave, affirming, liberatory, and celebratory environment for students, faculty, staff, and alumni of all sexual and gender orientations, identities, and expressions.
POSITION PURPOSE
The Q Center is seeking a Policy and Advocacy Intern. This role is responsible for the regular dissemination of political updates to LGBTQ+ students across the university. The Policy and Advocacy Intern will keep track of local, state, and federal policy proposals and changes and will translate these updates for students across campus in official training capacities as well as publicly facing ones (i.e. instagram posts, etc.). The Policy & Advocacy Intern is expected to uphold the mission and values of the Q Center and be an intentional, accountable partner in this unit’s transforming culture.
Promising candidates will possess a passion for policy research and for accessibility as this position is taking what is often inaccessible and making it understandable for a broad student base. The ideal candidate will thrive in a student-centered environment, stay focused in a fast-paced environment, and lead by example with students and staff. This role reports to the Q Center Director.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
External Policy Analysis – 35%
- Applying specialist knowledge in evaluating existing policies, locally, state-wide, and nationally.
- Distill policy and proposal trends into discernable readings for student audiences.
- Support efforts by directors to make policy changes for the university.Education – 35%
- Provide quarterly trainings to students, staff, and faculty to improve policy literacy.
- Work with Events Specialist and Assistant Director of Operations to schedule and host such trainingsand workshops.
- Provide technical assistance and support for students, staff, and faculty on policy interpretation.
- Develop social media and website content for the purposes of educating on local, state, and national policy trends.Advocacy – 20%
Support Director-level staff in preparing for presentations, fundraising, and other engagements related to various policies impacting LGBTQ+ students and our communities on campus and beyond.
Training – 10%
- Receive coaching and support for how to deliver effective trainings on campus.
- Deliver trainings as assigned by Program Manager and Q Center Director. Trainings will include best practices for supporting LGBTQ+ students
QUALIFICATIONS
- Strong writing/editing skills.
- Familiarity with the legislative process.
- Strong time and project management skills.
- Demonstrated ability of working in teams under deadlines.
- Ability to react with appropriate levels of urgency to situations and events that require quick response or turnaround.
- Proficiency using diverse technology platforms, programs, and services, including Microsoft Office and online meeting tools, such as ZOOM.SUPERVISION
This position reports to and works under the general supervision of the Q Center Director.WORKING CONDITIONS
This is a student position and is stipended and will ultimately serve to provide a student with course credit. A student may work no more than 10 hours per week and will primarily work in the center space. Evening and weekend hours may be necessary, but are unlikely.
