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IDST 300 Course Description

General work experience course designed for students considering careers in social justice, public service and the nonprofit sector. Through supervised internships and at social justice and community-based organization, students can increase their skills working with the public section and their knowledge of career options and pathways, including the skills necessary for work in this sector. One unit of credit is earned for each 54 hours of unpaid or paid work.

Course is P/NP and can be taken for 1-3 units.

For more detail, see the IDST 300 course outline

IDST 300 Contacts

• Interdisciplinary Studies Chair:  Dr. David “Vika” Ga’oupu Palaita (dpalaita@ccsf.edu) 

• Instructor: Malaika Finkelstein (mfinkels@ccsf.edu, 415-452-5402)

Other Resources

• For information about our department programs, degrees, certificates, and courses, see the Interdisciplinary Studies Department (IDST) page. 

• General information about work experience is available on CCSF’s Work Experience page 

Why take IDST 300 Social Justice Work Experience?

• Learn what social justice looks like in action. Maybe you have been studying the history and present of social movements and feel ready to build a relationship with an organization, community group, or campaign. 

• Build your leadership skills. Students can learn practical skills for organizing and community work like outreach, communications, canvassing, event planning, facilitation, and more.

• Build your network or deepen existing relationships. Students can connect with our featured opportunities and employer network or deepen your relationship with an organization you already work with by making a solid volunteer commitment or taking on a bigger project for academic credit. Students can build relationships with potential recommenders and employers.

• Earn academic credit for your volunteer or paid work. Those already doing paid or volunteer work with a social justice campaign or community organization can earn CSU-transferrable academic credit and see their work experience reflected on their college transcript.

Requirements

• Each student works with an organization promoting social justice. Examples include environmental justice organizations, feminist organizations, LGBTQ-advocacy organizations, tenants’ rights groups, health care advocates, human rights organizations, Centro Legal, and labor unions. it must be a verifiable organization with a supervisor or manager available to verify work hours and progress. 

• Students are ultimately responsible for finding their own placements. But IDST and Labor Studies faculty have a lot of movement connections and we can help.  CCSF Career Services is also a great resource. See "Finding a Social Justice Internship", below.

• Work for at least 54 hours per unit. There are three sections of this class, depending on how many hours you plan to work in your placement. All hours must be completed during the semester.

Hours Units
54-107 1
108-161 2
162- 3

• Document your work hours. Your supervisor or manager must sign your timesheets.

• Participate in three in-person class meetings

• Writing assignments include setting goals, self-evaluation, and a final reflective essay.

• Concurrent enrollment in an Ethnic Studies and Social Justice course at City College of San Francisco. IDST 300 students can be pursuing course work in:

  • African American Studies (AFAM)

  • Asian American Studies (ASAM)

  • Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST)

  • Labor and Community Studies (LBCS)

  • Latin American & Latino/a Studies (LALS)

  • LGBTQII* Studies (LGBT)

  • Philippine Studies (PHST)

  • Women's and Gender Studies (WGST)

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Examples of Employer and Internship Sites 

For IDST 300, work can be paid or volunteer. Your work must have some sort of social justice mission. That can mean a lot of different kinds of things, from activism to labor unions to service organizations to community organizing . If you're not sure if a particular organization qualifies, talk to your instructor. There must be a supervisor or manager who can sign off on your timesheets and progress. Being self-employed does not qualify. 

Here are a few examples of placements that have worked well in the past:

CCSF

• Women’s Resource Center

• Queer Resource Center

• Umoja

• Students Supporting Students (S-cubed)

• Project Survive

San Francisco

• Coalition on Homelessness

• Seed the Vote

• SF Hip Hop

• 826 Valencia

• SF Living Wage Coalition 

• SF Women Against Rape

• San Francisco Rising

Need Help Finding a Placement?

Students are ultimately responsible for their own placements. But we can help. Between us, IDST and Labor Studies faculty have a lot of contacts, and we can recommend something that suits your interests and goals. If you are looking for a placement, please contact:

• IDST 300 Instructor Malaika Finkelstein (mfinkels@ccsf.edu, 415-452-5402)

• Career Counselor Tina Zhong (tizhong@ccsf.edu).

• Sign up to view employer and internship postings on College Central

• The CCSF Career Services Office has workshops and individual services, including job search, resume help, and more