Practicum Opportunity: Communications Student at Phoenix Drug & Alcohol Recovery and Education Society

Application Process

Interested students should submit:

• A brief cover letter describing their interest and relevant experience.
• A résumé.
• (Optional) One or two writing samples (e.g., blog post, article, social media content).
  
  

Details of the Practicum Opportunity

Location: Phoenix Society, Surrey, BC (Hybrid – on-site and remote)

Reports to: CEO

Hours: Flexible (based on program requirements)

Term: Ongoing placements available (Winter)

Type: Unpaid practicum / academic placement

About Phoenix Society

• Phoenix Society offers support to address, recover from, or reduce harms from substance use, as well as housing, health care, education, employment, and community inclusion. We prioritize the social determinants of health, applying the principles of health equity and social justice for underserved and marginalized populations.
• We are deeply committed to reconciliation, equity, and stigma reduction — and to telling the stories that reflect the strength and diversity of the people and communities we serve.
  
  

Position Overview

• Phoenix Society is seeking a Communications Practicum Student to help capture, craft, and share the human stories behind our mission.
• Working closely with the Communications Lead and program staff, the student will collect impact stories from clients, alumni, and staff to build a storytelling database and create a social media post bank that highlights Phoenix’s programs, values, and community impact.
  
  

This is an ideal opportunity for a student interested in communications, journalism, social work, marketing, or public relations who wants hands-on experience using storytelling as a tool for advocacy, engagement, and stigma reduction.

Key Learning Objectives

By the end of the placement, the student will:

• Develop practical interviewing, writing, and content creation skills in a non-profit setting.
• Learn trauma-informed and ethical storytelling approaches.
• Build experience translating impact data and interviews into engaging public communications.
• Contribute to internal and external campaigns that promote awareness and reduce stigma around mental health and substance use.
• Gain exposure to organizational communications planning and media relations.
  
  

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct and transcribe interviews with clients, alumni, and staff (with supervision and consent).
• Write short-form and long-form stories for newsletters, the website, and internal publications.
• Create social media posts and story templates for Phoenix’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.).
• Organize collected stories into a storytelling and impact database categorized by theme (e.g., recovery, innovation, reconciliation, community).
• Support photography or short video projects (as appropriate).
• Assist in preparing content for the annual report and donor updates.
• Collaborate with staff to ensure accuracy, confidentiality, and respectful representation.
  
  

Qualifications

• Current student in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Digital Media, Marketing, or Social Work (or related field).
• Satisfactory completion of a Criminal Records Check through Phoenix Society
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Interest in social impact, recovery, and community development.
• Respectful, empathetic communication style with diverse populations.
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively.
• Basic knowledge of social media platforms and content planning tools.
• Photography, video editing, or graphic design skills considered an asset.
  
  

Supervision and Support

The practicum student will be placed under Director, Human Resources, and will be directly supervised by the CEO. Regular check-ins will provide feedback, guidance, and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

• Practical, portfolio-ready experience in community storytelling and social impact communications.
• Opportunity to contribute to meaningful advocacy and awareness campaigns.
• Mentorship from experienced non-profit and communications professionals.
• Flexible schedule to meet academic requirements.