Since we’ve started, one of our most popular categories for internships and companies has been Software Development. Despite this fact, surprisingly few of those software related internships have been at non-profit organizations. Still, we’ve come across our fair share – mostly open-source projects – of jobs at organizations that combine the web startup feel with the do-gooder mindset. One of those organizations is Participatory Culture Foundation, a Boston, MA based organization, that “makes bottom-up economies and cultures possible by ensuring that our political, social and cultural systems are open and democratic everywhere.” They took the non-profit route because they had seen too many startups sell out of their ideals due to financial pressure – that’s not going to happen to them.
The idea of spreading democracy and openness through software might sound foreign to you, but it actually makes a lot of sense. PCF’s first major project is a product called Miro, which is an online video player. They chose this project with the goal of building “a new, open mass medium of online television.” That’s definitely a mission that I can support. Miro is an cross-platform, open-source application that allows you to watch HDTV on your desktop, but it’s more than that. It’s also an embeddable video player that you’ve probably used on some of your favorite sites. If you’ve ever watched a video from the TED Conference, then you’re familiar with Miro. It’s an awesome platform for watching video online, and although it’s only a small step towards Participatory Culture Foundation’s goals, I think it’s a brilliant start. So, what about internships at PCF? They’re looking for college students who are interested in Software Development, Non-Profit Business Development, and Marketing. The internships are unpaid, but offer a ton of flexibility – especially on location. You can find out all the details about the internships here, and you can apply by sending a cover letter and resume to dean@pculture.org
Links to Help You Begin Your Research
Have you downloaded Miro?
Do I Know Anyone at Participatory Culture Foundation? - Check LinkedIn | Check Facebook
Tags: business development, Internships, marketing, Massachusetts, non-profit, software development, unpaid, virtual, web development
I’d also like to point out that we have ongoing internship opportunities in QA. Here’s a link for anyone interested.
http://pculture.org/devblogs/mirotesting/qa-internships/