PortSide Intern Projects

Email Chiclet@portsidenewyork.org to apply

Project areas are listed below. Interns often work on multiple projects. Our office is on the ship MARY A. WHALEN, and dress code is summer casual. Flip flops and shorts are fine. When it’s hot, we run under the sprinkler. We have outdoor wifi, and there are many opportunities to be outside. If you know how to row or kayak, there are occasional projects that involve using those kinds of boats. The ship moves slightly when ferries come in; so if you are very sensitive to motion-sickness, this might not be for you. The shipboard offices are not ADA-accessible, we regret to say. Benefits are a harbor field trip on ferry and bike and a ride on fireboat Harvey, and experiences on our small boats (kayaks and rowboat).

RedHookWaterStories.org  (RHWS)
RHWS is built with Omeka, an open-source, web-publishing platform used by professional archives and museums. We provide training.

  • Update Red Hook businesses. Walk or bike around Red Hook, get permission from business owners/staff to photograph, explain RHWS. 

  • Add new entries.  Transcribe, summarize, integrate collected stories from old newspapers.

  • Build calendar of RHWS entries for social media posts.

  • Interns may create their own entries, e.g. new research, oral histories, photo essays.

  • Embed photos in text areas. Connect related entries.

Social Media
Looking for interns who can bring creative flair and a sense of humor to illustrating waterfront and maritime issues, topics, work and our activities, and attract younger audiences to our content. Our IG needs a new voice. Interns will brainstorm with staff to discuss topics. Platforms currently used are Facebook, Twitter/X, Threads, IG, LinkedIn, YouTube.

  • Create memes, graphics, and videos to convey the message. We’re open to gamifying content and being playful!

  • Launch TikTok account (if TikTok survives)

  • Select and use a post-scheduling app

  • Createa “day-of” calendar (e.g. August 30 is National Beach day) and related posts.

  • Do you know a way to bulk download photos and videos from Facebook? We want to get all those we posted during the pandemic, since we lost all photos and videos made from April 2020 to December 2023 due to a hard drive crash.

Capacity building and development (fundraising)

  • Research grant opportunities.

  • Help grow a fundraising committee and coordinate between people.

  • Research potential board members.

Help run public programs
Work as docent on ship tours, greeter for public programs, set up and put away chairs, etc.

Shipwork
Prep and paint ship exterior. Sand and varnish wood. Maintain floating dock. Restore 2 sailing dinghies.  Odd jobs.