Research and Internship Policy

Over the last few years the Colonias Development Council has received numerous inquiries from students at all levels about colonia communities and possibilities for research and service learning.  The Colonias Development Council is a small non-profit organization with limited resources to respond to all these inquiries.  Our staff focuses on community organizing, advocacy, and development in several member communities.  A long-term concern of the Colonias Development Council is that researchers often complete their project without sharing the results or giving something back to the community.  However, the Colonias Development Council values research and student involvement in the issues that affect colonia communities.

To assist students with their inquiries we are recommending the following steps:

1. Students who are interested in our work or colonias in general should review our website and have completed some basic research on the issues prior to contacting our organization.  Our website is www.colonias.org.  Other sites that could help students begin their research are www.hud.gov, www.census.gov, and www.co.dona-ana.nm.us.

2. If students would like to speak to our staff we ask that they prepare specific questions, after having reviewed the materials about our organization.  Students should know that our organization does not provide maps or demographic data. The Colonias Development Council does not work in every colonia community, nor are we informed on all issues relating to colonias.  We can only discuss the communities in which we work, current issues or projects of those communities, and how these local issues relate to bigger social, political, and economic factors. 

3. Our organization will not provide “tours” or site visits to colonias.  Students should remember that colonias are communities, just like any other neighborhood in which people live and work.  People should be entitled to the same consideration as residents of any other community, and not pitied or judged on the external conditions of their homes. 

4. Because of the type of work that we do (leadership development, strategic planning, training, organizational support, community organizing), it is difficult for our organization to accommodate short-term volunteers. There are several other local organizations that might be able to accommodate volunteers and we suggest speaking to the United Way or other local organizations for possibilities.

5. We can accommodate a limited number of unpaid internships each year.  Internships can be at the undergraduate or graduate level, and should be carried out for at least four months.  An internship allows the student to interact with community residents while providing some kind of useful assistance to staff and community members. Internships focused on a variety of disciplines can be arranged- please contact us.  We will provide a list of readings and preliminary background for potential interns prior to the start of the internship.

6. Students who are interested in carrying out lengthy research (fieldwork, interviews, observation, archival work for papers, theses or dissertations) on our work or directly with participants in our organization should prepare a written proposal to our organization as a whole.  Researchers should be prepared to present their proposal to our entire staff.  After review of the proposal and presentation, staff will decide whether or not to support the research.  Staff will not facilitate meetings with community members, provide lists of contacts, or allow student participation in our organization’s activities without this approval. 

Thank you for your interest in the issues facing colonia communities along the U.S.-Mexico border.  We hope these steps are useful in your pursuit of information.