About This Role
This internship provides hands-on experience in parks planning, community engagement, facility assessment, and program development for the Spring/Summer Term. The intern will work closely with department staff, partner agencies, and the Parks Foundation to support a variety of strategic initiatives, advancing accessibility, infrastructure planning, community well-being, and long-term strategic goals.
Responsibilities
- Conduct on-site evaluations of all department playgrounds
- Document equipment condition, safety compliance, age of structures, and ADA accessibility
- Use standardized assessment tools or develop new templates (with staff guidance)
- Create a replacement and maintenance schedule with cost estimates and prioritization criteria
- Present findings and recommendations to staff
- Assess the condition of paved and unpaved paths, internal park roads, and parking lots
- Create mapped or spreadsheet-based documentation of condition ratings
- Recommend a multi-year replacement and repair plan based on usage, safety needs, and risk factors
- Review parks, facilities, playgrounds, programs, and signage for ADA compliance
- Compile results into an ADA Accessibility Report with improvement priorities
- Identify quick fixes versus long-term capital needs
- Research and identify service providers in Rock Island and surrounding communities across the 7 Dimensions of Well-Being: Physical, Social, Emotional, Environmental, Intellectual, Spiritual, Occupational
- Create a comprehensive directory of health services, social support agencies, recreation providers, events, and community resources
- Identify service gaps, partnership opportunities, and underserved populations
- Collaborate with Parks staff and the Parks Foundation to plan one fundraising activity
- Assist with event logistics, volunteer coordination, marketing, and sponsorship outreach
- Develop a plan for day camp field trips or special activities including program outline, budget, staffing, and other logistics
- Conduct weekly inventory of camp supplies and provide reports
- Assist with supervision of day camp activities
- Assist with planning and supervision of Adaptive programs and events such as Special Olympics, ADAPT Social group, etc.
- Develop a program targeted for the senior population including program outline, budget, staffing and other logistics
- Assist with supervision of youth and adult sports programs
- Assist with supervision of community special events including concert series, park and facility rentals, and others
- Assist with planning, coordination, and supervision of golf outings, leagues and other events
