Looking for an internship?

While we’d all like to assume that help is readily available for Missouri youth struggling with behavioral health or substance use disorders, this is sadly not always the case. Many young people fall through the cracks and the results can be devastating. Aspire Advocates was created to help address some of the shortcomings of accessibility to behavioral health care in Missouri and we’d love to have some bright young minds to help us in our mission!

“Since my interest was in policy advocacy, I was taken on a trip to Jefferson City to talk with legislators, and was encouraged to testify for a bill before Missouri’s senate education committee. I had the opportunity to write about this experience in the Aspire Advocates newsletter to tell other members about our activities. I highly recommend that you volunteer or intern with Aspire Advocates!”

— Hope Stratman | Social Work & Psychology | College of Public Health and Social Justice | Saint Louis University

Policy and Advocacy Unpaid Internship
Leadership, governance, and oversight

  • Work with the Executive Director to create yearly legislative advocacy plan for the organization.
  • Promote mental health/substance use disorder legislation on Facebook, Mailchimp, Twitter, and maintain a post about current bills on Aspire Advocates website.
  • Respond to questions about legislation that arise on Facebook or through Aspire Advocate’s email system.
  • Utilize Advocacy Software OneClickPolitics to send legislative alerts to our members.
  • Plan and execute an Advocacy Day at the MO Capitol.
  • Work with other Policy and Advocacy volunteers (Legislative Liaison) to accomplish policy agenda.
  • Work with MO legislators to get bills written and passed.
  • Represent Aspire Advocates to governmental and professional stakeholders and act as an ambassador for the organization.
  • Note: We expect to have a DBT bill (mental health parity issue) written by the next legislative session.

Fundraising and Event Planning Unpaid Internship
Plan and Execute 1-3 events per year

  • Work with Executive Director to create an annual fundraising plan for the organization.
  • Promote fundraising events on Facebook, Mailchimp, Twitter, and maintain a post/tab about events on the Aspire Advocates ‘website.
  • Help choose venue, decor, food, etc. for events.
  • Utilize Donor Management and Fundraising Software Kindful and Clickbid.
    Examples of events include Tee Up for Recovery and Celebrate the Art of Recovery.
  • Work with a graphic artist to update or create marketing materials. Oversee creation of sponsor boards.
  • Act as an ambassador for the organization.

Social Media/Marketing Unpaid Internship

  • Work with Executive Director to create an annual marketing plan for the organization.
  • Manage the Aspire Advocates ‘ Facebook page (post about behavioral health issues relevant to young people, create or oversee creation of banners, ads, etc.).
  • Manage Aspire Advocates Twitter Account and consider creating an Instagram account for the organization.
  • Assist with creation of marketing materials for events such as Tee Up for Recovery.
  • Work with a graphic artist to update or create marketing materials. Oversee creation of sponsor boards.
  • Create marketing campaigns to help raise funds for the organization (annual fund, Giving Tuesday, etc).
  • Use Kindful, a customer relationship management program, and Mailchimp, to maintain communication with member and donors.
  • Grow Aspire Advocates’ membership (there are no dues or fees to be a member) and the number of advocates signed up to receive legislative alerts.
  • Act as an ambassador for the organization.