Prevent Blindness Illinois Internship Program
Prevent Blindness Illinois and the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness (ISPB) partner to provide sight-saving programs for children and adults of all ages. The Prevent Blindness Illinois Internship Program offers college students an opportunity to gain community health experience and experience working in the non-profit sector. Internship projects are focused on preventing blindness and preserving sight through vision and eye health community education, outreach, early detection, and linkage to care. Through community outreach students have an opportunity to:
- Examine the psychosocial, historical, and environmental causes of health disparities in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion and intervention programs that focus on vision and eye health.
- Use various theories to determine the best ways to promote vision and eye health, and develop materials and implement programs for diverse populations.
- Implement community-driven outreach strategies to effect change at multiple levels, including individual, community, and policy levels
- Collaborate with community partners to improve health in a community (e.g., participate in committees, share data and information, connect people to resources)
- Build and maximize partner relationships that affect health in a community (e.g., relationships among health departments, hospitals, community health centers, primary care providers, schools, community-based organizations, and other types of organizations)