The Foundation funds early-career internships for people looking to enter the parks field. Each year, we fund a full-time, one-year Bilingual Community Engagement Intern based out of Friendship Park and two part-time summer Naturalist Interns based out of Memorial Park. This is another meaningful way we connect people to the parks and manifest our mission. Your support makes this happen. Thank you!
Bilingual Community Engagement Intern
The Bilingual Community Engagement Internship is making a positive impact in North Fair Oaks and in the lives of the local Spanish-speaking community. This internship promotes community and connection tailored to the Hispanic population and is primarily based at Friendship and Flood Parks. The position oversees a community garden with 32 plots, located at Friendship Park, where residents can grow vegetables and fruits for their personal use. In addition to local community gardeners, various nonprofit organizations utilize the park to foster a love for gardening and nature while teaching nutrition to encourage the consumption of fresh produce. This creates a safe and supportive environment where individuals can express their specific needs, enjoy spending time in their gardens and learn about the rest of our amazing county parks.
Being a part of San Mateo County Parks’ Interpretive team, the bilingual Community Engagement Intern plays a crucial role in developing programs, events, activities, and communications tailored to the local community. For example, interns have hosted engaging events such as a Salsa Fest, Día de los Muertos and resource fairs. These experiences not only bring people together but they also connect them with other organizations and resources. Established for several years, this position demonstrates the importance of having staff who represent the community, are multilingual and share common cultural experiences. In addition to benefiting the Hispanic community, this internship offers professionals an opportunity to grow in the field of Park Interpretation and Outdoor Recreation. Interns gain valuable experience and knowledge while working with a diverse range of stakeholders.
Thanks to Northern California Public Media for producing and sharing this fantastic video
Memorial Park Naturalist Interns
San Mateo County Parks Foundation also funds two summer Naturalist Interns stationed at Memorial Park, supporting the San Mateo County Parks’ Interpretive Division. This position runs from May to September when camping and picnicking at this redwood park are at their peak. During this time, activities are offered to entertain and educate campers and day visitors. These may include day and night hikes, arts and crafts, and campfire programs and movies. Interns also tour campgrounds, welcoming and orienting campers to the park.
Additionally, Memorial Park is home to many unique habitats as well as the endangered Marbled murrelet. This diving seabird forages in marine waters but nests in Coast Redwoods. The Marbled murrelet is suffering from disappearing habitat and increasing populations of scavenger birds. A Naturalist Intern serves as an ambassador for this bird and promotes the Crumb Clean Campaign, an effort to keep parks free of food and garbage.
This is a great internship for current or recently graduated students, who have at least one year of college-level education in Environmental Science, Forestry, Biological Sciences, or a related field, and serves as a launching point to a career working in a parks-related field.
