Listening Labs

Opportunities

Opportunity: Community Engagement, Programs & Communications Intern

Position Description: Listening Labs, a Charlotte-based organization dedicated to cultivating deeper listening, creativity, and meaningful connection, is seeking a student intern to help develop and expand its programs and outreach.

Through creative, participatory workshops, Listening Labs invites people to listen more deeply to themselves, one another, nature, and the greater whole. Drawing on storytelling, the arts, contemplative practices, and collaborative experiences, our programs foster curiosity, empathy, belonging, and connection across differences.

Learn more at listening-labs.com.

In fall 2026, Listening Labs is presenting public workshops in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg libraries through an Arts & Science Council Culture Blocks grant. We are also actively developing two new initiatives:

• Listening Labs in healthcare: With support from an Arts & Science Council Community Connector grant, we are developing workshops for healthcare workers in collaboration with Charlotte-area healthcare organizations. Combining storytelling, creative reflection, deep listening, music, and contemplative practices, these programs aim to foster well-being, renewal, and meaningful connection among those working in demanding care environments.

• Becoming Labs: In collaboration with Davidson junior Reon Ogawa, we are developing a life-design program that helps college students explore questions of identity, purpose, belonging, and personal growth. Through storytelling, creative exercises, and self-reflection, students investigate the patterns shaping their lives and imagine new possibilities for who they are becoming. Our first pilot, On Repeat, is being developed for Davidson students, with plans to expand to other colleges.

This internship offers hands-on experience in community-based arts programming, nonprofit development, communications, and event planning, with opportunities to help shape a growing organization's programs and direction.

Depending on the programming schedule and the intern's interests and skills, responsibilities may include:

• Helping develop, organize, and facilitate creative listening workshops and community programs

• Researching and developing workshop activities involving storytelling, music, art, reflection, and collaborative creativity

• Supporting the development of healthcare workshops and Becoming Labs programming for college students

• Assisting with event planning, registration, participant communications, and logistics

• Researching potential partnerships with healthcare organizations, colleges, libraries, arts organizations, nonprofits, and other community groups

• Supporting outreach to prospective participants, partners, and collaborators

• Helping develop newsletters, website content, social media, and other promotional materials

• Creating or editing photographs, videos, graphics, and other materials to document and publicize programs

• Gathering participant feedback and helping evaluate workshop experiences and outcomes

• Researching grants, funding opportunities, and potential sponsors; assisting with proposals and reports

• Organizing program materials, contacts, communications, and other organizational resources

• Participating in brainstorming and strategic conversations about new programs, audiences, partnerships, and organizational growth

We are especially interested in a student who is thoughtful, creative, organized, curious, and comfortable taking initiative while working independently and collaboratively. Strong writing, research, communication, and interpersonal skills are important. Experience with community engagement, education, arts programming, facilitation, nonprofit work, social media, or digital communications is welcome but not required.

This internship may be especially appealing to students interested in psychology, sociology, education, public health, disability studies, environmental studies, creative writing, community engagement, nonprofit leadership, or the role of the arts in fostering connection and social change.

One particularly exciting aspect of the internship is the opportunity to help shape new programs in healthcare, higher education, and community arts, working closely with the founders and collaborators of a growing organization. We welcome students who bring their own perspectives, interests, and creative ideas to the work.

The intern will work directly with Brooke Shaffner (Davidson ’00), author of Country of Under and co-founder of Listening Labs and Freedom Tunnel Press, and Niteesh Elias, co-founder of Listening Labs and Freedom Tunnel Press.

Hours: Approximately 20 hours per week, with scheduling flexibility and most work completed remotely. Some in-person participation in Charlotte-area programs may be involved. Specific dates and expectations will be determined in coordination with the student and Davidson College.

Interested? Students can apply directly to co-founder and editor Brooke Shaffner at bnshaffner@gmail.com for either the Freedom Tunnel Press or Listening Labs internship, with a brief cover letter or introductory email describing their interests and relevant experience, along with a résumé/CV.