"I want to thank you for letting me intern at your truly amazing organization. Based on my other experiences with NGO's and my friends' experiences, Free Minds is very unique. You guys are unbelievably dynamic and strike a perfect balance between being conscientious and getting stuff done. I love the community you all have created and I wish every single NGO used your approach. On top of all that, I have never met a group of more likable people!! Because of all of these things this was truly my best internship by far. You guys will be a hard act to follow, so thanks."
—Intern Caroline Savino, Summer 2015
Internship Opportunities
Free Minds offers internships during the summer as well as during the school year. Check our Idealist page for current listings. Interns may receive academic credit. If the internship is not funded by a college, university, or other entity, Free Minds may offer a stipend commensurate with the time worked. Our staff does not have the capacity to respond to every applicant; we will reach out to you if we need further information or wish to schedule an interview.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
Writing letters:
Have a knack for making your word count? Come write letters to Free Minds members about reading and self-expression! Because DC has no federal prison, most of our members serve the majority of their sentences in federal prisons far from home. Through letter writing, you help us foster a sense of family and community for all our members—and you help provide our members with the tools and encouragement to be productive lifelong learners and effective storytellers of their own lived experiences. The letter writing circle takes place every Monday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, at the Free Minds office (COVID-19 Update: Letter Writing Circle conducted over Zoom). If you are interested, please click here to schedule an orientation. Your every word makes a difference. (Minimum 10-hour commitment requested; must be at least 18 years old)
Typing poems:
Serve as a liaison between incarcerated poets across the country, and your community! Every 4th Wednesday of every month, Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop hosts Write Night events in which volunteers write positive and encouraging feedback on poems by our incarcerated book club members. However, since poems are not sent in already typed, we ask volunteers to help us type poems professionally for distribution. This is especially important when we assemble poems and the feedback to be sent back to its original author. If you are interested in typing poems, please click here. We appreciate your assistance in building the bridge between people of the District!