Playspace Program Intern
About The Position
Horizons for Homeless Children is a local non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of young homeless children in Massachusetts and helping their families succeed by providing high-quality early education, opportunities for play, and comprehensive family support services. To support their mission, they also advocate on behalf of young children, train educators and human services providers, and provide research on the impact of early education on homeless children. The Playspace Program is based on the belief that play is essential for child development, ensuring that children living in over 60 homeless shelters in Massachusetts have the opportunity for developmentally appropriate play. They build age-appropriate, child-friendly, and educational Playspaces in shelters, stocking them with books, developmental toys, and art supplies. These Playspaces are staffed by more than 500 trained volunteers (PALs) who commit to two-hour weekly shifts. While children are in Playspace, parents can participate in activities or enjoy self-care time. The Playspace Program Intern supports both direct service delivery in Playspaces and administrative/programmatic work in an office setting. This role ensures children and families have access to safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate play experiences while contributing to the operational success of the program. The intern will work closely with volunteers, facilitate open play sessions, maintain safe environments, and complete administrative tasks such as data entry, scheduling support, inventory tracking, and communication.
Requirements
- Data entry experience
- Knowledge of children ages 0-6
- Excellent communication and high-level organizational skills
- Excellent telephone skills
- Able to lift 50 lbs.
- Ability to work flexible hours which will include 2 weekday evenings
- Knowledge of current Windows operating system (Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel)
- Valid driver's license and dependable car
Nice To Haves
- Bilingual in Spanish/Haitian Creole or Portuguese
- Experience working with at-risk populations
- Experience working with children experiencing homelessness
Responsibilities
- Facilitate parent/child open playgroups and support developmentally appropriate play
- Support and supervise volunteer-led Playspace shifts
- Maintain a safe, trauma-informed, and engaging environment for children
- Communicate with parents and caregivers to encourage participation and engagement
- Enter and maintain accurate attendance and program data in Quickbase
- Assist with volunteer scheduling coordination and shift coverage tracking
- Support inventory management, ordering, and restocking of Playspace materials
- Prepare materials, reports, and communications for program operations
- Assist with general office tasks, including email communication and documentation
- Collaborate with program staff to ensure smooth daily operations
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
Number of Employees
1-10 employees
