“Character is often determined not by when we do what we must, but by when we do what is voluntary.”
Looking for an opportunity to practice hands-on skills in anthropological methods and get involved with real-world experience? Sweet Grass Consulting, LLC (SGC) partners with organizations and communities to provide services and opportunities for economically impoverished communities throughout the United States. Currently, SGC is involved with multi-year program assessments and impact measurement for various workforce development programs, lending institutions, and community development initiatives among Native American led economic development organizations including: The Pine Ridge Area Chamber of Commerce, Cheyenne River Youth Project, and Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation, and a number of Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs). SGC assists with data collection and research, data management, and analysis for several organizations throughout Indian country.
The field school will take place on the Pine Ridge Reservation and Cheyenne River Reservations in South Dakota for at least 7 weeks over the course of this summer (3-4 weeks on-site and 3 weeks of data analysis and report writing from abroad). The 3-4 weeks on-site may not be consecutive. If you have scheduling concerns or other concerns, please contact us, we can work out an individual plan to meet your needs. Interns will be responsible for 40-60 hours of work a week, depending on whether you’re participating on-site or if you are working from home. The cost of the field school is $800. *Apply for the scholarship here*
Those interested in participating in the field school would be offered an internship position with SGC while on the Reservation. Interning with SGC is a good way to learn new skills and prepare for the job force. If you are a student or anyone looking for professional development in a real-world, applicable setting, internships can be a valuable addition to your resume. Many schools will offer credits for internships or independent research.
You will not regret the experiences and growth you will encounter while visiting the rich environment and working with vibrant people throughout the area.
Interns will be responsible for the following:
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Various projects including conducting interviews, distributing surveys, data cleaning and analysis, and report writing
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Engagement and participation with individuals, families, and organizations
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Optimal unpreparedness – we do have a plan, but part of that plan is to GO WITH THE FLOW!
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Being open to unfamiliar/new cultural norms, behaviors, and environments
2018 Field School Logistics
and What to Expect
Cost: Approximately $800 per participant. The cost will cover the following:
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Transportation (from field school supervisors’ site in CO to reservations, on the reservations, travel to various programs/initiatives).
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Food: SGC will provide food for group breakfast, lunch, and dinners (going out to eat or purchasing other foods will be the responsibility of the participant).
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Lodging (Field school participants will stay with local community members).
*Applying for the field school automatically applies you for a $500 scholarship as well
The Ethnographic Field School will provide students with skills and experience in the methodology, protocols, and social relations of conducting field research in American Indian communities. During the field school, students/Interns will work on a variety of work/research-related projects including:
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Research and data analysis: Survey creation and collection, in-person and phone interviews, secondary data collection, database management, analysis, and reporting. Past research has included housing market studies, business development studies, and tourism development surveys.
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Impact measurement: Creation of forms, goal setting, database creation, and impact reporting. Impact measurement enables organizations to better understand the impact of their programs and ways to modify their efforts to best serve their clients.
Please note, if you are unfamiliar with some of the above skills, but have a desire to learn, we offer our interns free trainings in order to cultivate and develop your skills.
In addition to research and analysis, students/interns will have the opportunity to live and work with Lakota community members, as well as attend powwows and other cultural events. This not only gives interns the opportunity to interact and learn from Lakota community members but also allows interns to give back by participating in helpful activities and services. Past field school activities have included:
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Cutting wood for sweats and other ceremonies,
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Cultivating gardens and various construction projects,
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Building water retention dams for a community water reclamation initiative, and
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Painting, staining, door and window replacement, electrical repair, and roof repair of local homes.
Requirements:
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As much of SGC’s work is electronic, it is vital that interns have a working laptop with up to date software and internet capabilities While tablets and other devices can be brought, most assignments and projects will require a full laptop. Students using alternative software (numbers, pages, etc.) must purchase or rent a copy of Microsoft Office.
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Work ethic: Interns will put in long hours doing work that is sometimes monotonous or difficult. This work benefits the community and interns will be expected to do their best to serve these communities
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Open to unfamiliar/new cultural norms, behaviors, and environments
If you are interested, please contact info@sweetgrassconsulting.net or contact our Director of Impact Measurement and Creative Analysis, Alyssa Camp, at alyssa@sweetgrassconsulting.net
DUE MAY 15, 2018
