Milk renews international internship program E-mail
Milk renews international internship program, accelerates plans for health promotion activities for Latino men
 
[English only - Solo se publica en inglés.] Mexico City, Mexico (milk.org.mx) May 19, 2009 -- With the announcement of a new program coordinator, Mexico’s only non-profit men’s health organization is re-launching an internship program for international students. 
 
Milk Mexico, a Mexico City-based non-profit organization focusing on sex, sexuality and sexual health issues for men, relies on volunteers and interns to advance its efforts.
 
Milk’s internships permit service learning for those who just want to live abroad while helping a non-profit, or academic credit for students who need to fulfill university requirements. John Rozzo, Milk Mexico’s Director, says it’s a win-win-win program. “Students are able to visit Mexico to conduct research or study, or can collaborate virtually via the web doing graphic design, journalism, programming or promotion. Schools are able to offer their students a unique internship with academic credit, and our organization improves and expands its activities.”
 
Former Dallas radio host and reporter Jesus Chairez will be Milk’s new Internship Coordinator. Now living in Mexico City, Chairez has begun reaching out to universities and websites, and will manage the intern selection process as well as project management.
 
Milk is confident that the program provides an attractive & worthwhile experience for international students. Immediately after posting the internship opportunity at several leading job portals, inquiries came in from around the globe. Surprisingly, Rozzo adds, over 80% were women and from outside the USA. In the summer of 2006, intern Taylor Butler lived in Mexico City for 2-1/2 busy months.
 
Butler states, “The time went by so quickly. I learned a lot about online publishing and how Milk is trying to use the web to educate gay and bisexual Latinos, something I wouldn’t have thought would be so important.”
 
But evidence demonstrates that is vital. The WHO/UNAIDS’s report “Access for All” notes that the distribution pattern of HIV infections neatly echoes the distribution pattern of people with “poor information”; a critical component of access must include access for communities affected by HIV/AIDS. Although web usage continues to rise there remains a dearth of Spanish-language health sites, particularly for those seeking advice on sex practices, sexuality issues and disease prevention.
 
Previous interns contacted doctors, collected statistics, sought funding and published health news and articles to the community website. Internship Coordinator Chairez is looking forward to renewed use of the web and mobile technologies to reach men.
 
Recent trends are encouraging. According to comScore.com, Mexico's online population is approximately 13 million and U.S.-based Hispanic population is roughly 24 million. “Those are significant numbers, so we can estimate our audience; there is a large Spanish-speaking audience out there waiting for us to provide health info …searching for support and a sense of community.,” says Chairez.
 
The organization will continue to invest time and energy in its web initiatives, where it can reach men nationally and internationally most efficiently and effectively. Adds Rozzo, “Our challenge now is to get more people - starting with interns - to help our cause and to promote men’s health, online and off.”
 
 
 
About Milk México, AC
Milk México is one of the country’s leading health advocates for men, providing news, articles, resources and services. Since 2001, the non-governmental organization has collaborated with other non-profit organizations as well as businesses and government agencies to deliver innovative educational courses, workshops and campaigns about sex, sexuality and sexual health.
 
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