Summer Intern, Chicago CRED: Clinical

Overview

Emerson Collective (EC) is a company of investors, changemakers, creative thinkers, and problem solvers working to make a lasting mark on the world.

Emerson Collective’s summer internship program places rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors - and, for select opportunities, undergraduate students graduating in 2026 - in paid internship opportunities across Emerson Collective and our longstanding nonprofit partners XQ Institute , E Pluribus Unum , and Chicago CRED .

We’re looking for college students who think big, embrace challenges, and thrive in collaboration.

The internship is onsite, 40 hours per week, from June 15 through August 7, 2026. A mandatory paid virtual onboarding and orientation will take place June 10–12. See below for more details.

Application Deadline: Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.

The Opportunity

At Chicago CRED, we take a multifaceted approach to reducing gun violence and creating lasting change. The Clinical team contributes to this mission by providing one-on-one counseling, trauma and stress-management groups, and enrichment workshops to help participants recover and grow.

As the Clinical intern, you'll support the team by providing ongoing participant support, ensuring high-quality data and documentation, and contributing to program performance and improvement. This role offers hands-on experience in trauma-informed care, behavioral health support, and program evaluation within a community-based setting.

Role And Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive intake assessments with Chicago CRED candidates to evaluate their service needs.
• Collaborate with outreach specialists to upload relevant participant data to Salesforce.
• Provide light-touch support and referrals to program managers, site managers, life coaches, clinicians, and outreach specialists.
• Conduct monthly one-on-one mentoring sessions with participants based on individual needs and requests.
• Monitor and document participants’ progress on their support plan and communicate progress with the team.
• Attend base team meetings.
• Ensure timely and high-quality documentation as required for participant support and program director requests.
• Review program data regularly to meet performance goals and improve program quality for participants.
  
  

Qualifications, Skills, And Requirements

• Rising undergraduate senior, preferably studying counseling, psychology, social work, or a related field.
• Prior internship, volunteer, or coursework experience in behavioral health, case management, or community-based work preferred.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed and strengths-based practices.
• Strong interpersonal and active listening skills, demonstrating care and follow-through in team or community settings.
• Ability to build trust and rapport with participants from diverse backgrounds.
• High emotional intelligence, empathy, and discretion when handling sensitive information.
• Detail-oriented and organized, with a commitment to accurate data entry and thorough documentation.
• Comfortable managing multiple responsibilities, meeting deadlines, and adapting to a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Experience with or willingness to learn Salesforce or other data management systems.
  
  

Internship Details

Compensation

• All interns are paid $25 per hour and can expect to work 40 hours per week from June 15 to August 7 (eight weeks).
• Interns will also be paid $25 per hour for onboarding and orientation sessions taking place June 10–12 .
• All interns receive a lunch allowance and a commuter allowance , and may also receive travel and housing allowances as needed.
  
  

Key Dates

• November 18 – January 6: Internship applications accepted; interviews begin on a rolling basis
  
  

Applications must be submitted by 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET on Tuesday, January 6.

(Please note that not all applicants will be selected for interviews.)

• January 12 – March 7: Interviews continue and offers extended
• June 10–12: Mandatory virtual onboarding and orientation
• June 15: Internship program begins
• August 7: Internship program concludes
  
  

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.