Mid-Semester Reflection

I work in the Public Policy Office of the YMCA of the USA, which includes the Government Relations department, Health Partnerships and Policy, Youth Development Partnerships and Policy, and Youth and Government Programs. The Y is non-governmental, nonprofit organization, but much of the work I see connects to the government in regards to lobbying and funding. My specific position focuses on nonpartisan voter registration efforts across the United States leading into 2020.

The Y as an organization operates at every level, with local branches (gym and swims) that we most commonly associate with the Y, to state affiliations, finally to the overarching YMCA of the USA. So far I have thoroughly enjoyed observing nonprofit operations at a national level, as my previous experience has been almost exclusively state and locally focused. 

As an organization, the Y works with policy in all branches of government, but I personally see the most interaction from my office with legislators and executive agencies. I specifically am doing work with the Iowa Secretary of State’s office.

I would describe the Y operations as largely outcome oriented. I am working on voter registrations and am measuring the success of those efforts based on the number of newly registered voters we have at the end of each cycle. Outside of my position many others in the office are advocacy focused and spend much of their time lobbying and interacting with other organizations to push their messages. 

One of my favorite things about the Y movement is that everyone involved is centralized behind the same missions statement: To promote healthy body, mind, and spirit for all. I see this translated into organizational goals because the overarching movement goals are to promote youth development, healthy living and inclusivity. 

I work as the Youth Voter Registration Coordinator, which is a position that exists under our Shared Services Resource Coordinator, who connects multiple states and programs through the Y.  As far as power structure for the rest of the office, the entire office includes the Government Relations department, which includes Youth Development and Healthy Living Partnerships. There is  ‘hierarchy’ but those in positions of power stress the importance of an interconnected community.

I am still in the process of finding my place in the office, but I am confident that by the end of my internship I will feel like more of a member of the team. My job requires a lof of hands on work and calls, so I sometimes find myself siloed in a conference room for log periods of time, but it’s been really exciting to get to know the rest of the office. 

My daily duties include checking emails and corresponding with teachers who are planning voter registration events in their schools. Often I will have conference calls or correspondence with other members of our Voter Registration Partner team. One big consistent project I have is school outreach, which means researching schools in target counties and inviting them to hold voter registration events. 

So far I am still excited and grateful to have this internship. It’s a huge time commitment but I’ve really enjoyed the office environment and working for a cause that I am so passionate about.