Research and Evaluation Intern, Boston Community Health Collaborative

Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHNA-CHIP) at Boston Public Health Commission paid internship opportunity.

Office/Department:

This position is within the Executive Office of the Boston Public Health Commission specifically with the Central Coordination Team tasked with supporting the Boston Community Health Collaborative, which brings together institutions and organizations contributing to the health and well-being of residents in Boston to build a shared understanding of the most important health needs, strengths, and priorities through a coordinated city-wide CHNA and by developing and implementing a CHIP.

Project Description:

CHNA-CHIP Research and Evaluation Internship Summary:

The Boston Community Health Collaborative (BCHC) aims to develop and implement an impactful and sustainable 3-year Community Health Improvement Plan that achieves positive health changes for all residents in the city of Boston. Boston Public Health Commission is the central coordinating entity for the Boston Community Health Collaborative. Given the mission of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is to work in partnership with communities to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, especially those impacted by racism and systemic inequities, BPHC sets an expectation that all staff commit, individually and as part of the BPHC team, to hold ourselves accountable to establishing a culture of antiracism and advance racial equity and justice through each of our bureaus, programs, and offices.

Our department seeks a dedicated research and evaluation intern. This internship is an opportunity to build skills in community engagement and community health improvement planning. The tasks involved include the following:

• Conducting a landscape analysis of City of Boston departmental plans and their strategies related to the social determinants of health (2022 -- onward) and identify alignments with the Community Health Improvement Plan.

• Providing a summary report of content analysis findings at the end of the internship.

• Researching local health departments' approaches to community health improvement planning, including reading Community Health Improvement Plans and academic literature.

• Supporting the BPHC central coordinating team for the Boston Community Health Collaborative on related research and evaluation tasks, including supporting the creation of a community partner survey, helping to create program communications materials, and attending virtual work group meetings.

Commitment and Compensation:

10-15 hours per week (flexible with class schedule). This internship is a hybrid format where interns are expected to be in-person at least once per week for an in-person weekly team meeting.

Location: 1010 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02118

This is a paid internship position: $18.00-$20.00/hour; rate is determined by education level.

Timeframe:

February 2024 to May 2024

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the internship, the intern will

• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts related to community health improvement needs assessment, implementation, community engagement, etc.).

• Understand various health promotion strategies and approaches to community health improvement plans adopted by local health departments.

• Develop an understanding of the social determinants of health and how they relate to public health planning efforts.

Qualifications:

• Experience in or interest in conducting landscape analyses or related research methods

• A self-starter with the ability to work independently

• Willingness to learn new skills & work as part of a team

• Interest in health equity and community health

• Sense of humor