Research and Writing Voluntary Remote Internships

This internship is to participate in strategic global humanitarian projects, directly with leading agencies. In the past year, Shelter Centre interns have undertaken projects with Better Shelter, MSF, NRC and InterAction.

Project activities over the internship period will be developed, involving interns, but focussing upon: follow-up to our successful global Shelter Meeting this year, concluding the annual IASC Global Shelter Cluster ‘shelter week’; the development of pioneering and sector-leading training; technical development of shelter involving social components; and the innovative knowledge-sharing platform the Humanitarian Library, developed by Shelter Centre with support from USAID and, earlier, FCDO.

For InterAction’s Shelter and Settlements Team, for example, we are working on a pilot phase of a project aimed at understanding and strengthening local leadership capacity in humanitarian response, focused on Shelter and Settlements and other related sectors. The pilot phase of the project tests both the survey questions and methodology of this study.

As such, Shelter Centre is seeking to expand its team to facilitate these projects and others that will be taken on.

Young professionals wishing to contribute remotely to humanitarian activities are sought to join a dynamic and diverse global team. We are seeking passionate, motivated, well-organised, results-oriented professionals with a strong interest in the humanitarian sector for full-time internships.

Interns will be mainly involved in research, data analysis, and report writing. In addition to technical capability, teamwork, empathy, and the ability to overcome challenges are essential to join and support a talented and diverse multiskilled global humanitarian team.

Context

Shelter Centre, www.sheltercentre.org, is a small international humanitarian NGO registered in Switzerland which does not implement operations alone, but instead collaborates with agencies in direct support of their operations, as well as building capacity in the sector. Shelter Centre is dedicated to supporting collaboration, consensus and capacity throughout the global technical humanitarian community of practice. We serve the global technical community of practice through regular global practitioners’ events and resources.

These voluntary positions are for those committed to a future career in humanitarian action, seeking experience and opportunities to inform their decisions in identifying directions. Our people are the foundation to our work and we offer the opportunity of concrete professional growth. Former volunteers have gone on to work with donors, UN agencies, the Red Cross Movement, INGOs and CSOs.

Main responsibilities and tasks

Informed by preliminary feedback, the intern will participate in the development of various projects. This may involve activities including, but not limited to:

• Understand the contexts and audiences of the guidance, as Shelter Centre always recognises affected populations as the primary responders
• Participate in key informant interviews
• Data and document management
• Statistical data analysis using MS Excel
• Collaborate on report writing and desktop publishing
• Review of existing drafts and implementing revisions
• Attend various meetings and workshops with government, international organisations, and NGOs
• Secondary internship activities, including HR work

Applicants should also be flexible and motivated to work on other projects and activities, which may range from supporting operational technical work to collaborations with agencies.

Required education, skills, and experience

• A university (or accredited professional institution) degree
• Commitment to humanitarian action
• Self-starters with strong self-motivation and self-discipline, with practical experience in working independently
• Excellent research and writing skills, including methodologies and analysis
• Strong organisational skills and demonstrated experience in project management, multi-tasking, prioritising and working accurately to set deadlines
• Proven ability to work effectively and harmoniously in a team of colleagues of varied cultural and professional backgrounds
• Fluent spoken and written English (minimum Level C1 proficiency)
• General computer literacy, including in Microsoft Office and Google Drive

Desired education, skills, and experience

• Experience at a national level, around the world, in the private sector, humanitarian sector, or civil society
• Experience working within varied cultures around the world and in remote areas
• Experience in project management
• Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research and analysis methods and ease with handling quantitative data and in statistical analysis
• Fluency in French, Spanish, Arabic or other languages is an added value
• Understanding of humanitarian crises
• Experience working remotely

What do interns get?

This internship is voluntary. Interns are supported by their manager through a personal weekly mentoring session including the review of curricula vitae, cover letters, job opportunities, references and writing personal reports. Interns also benefit from regular personal development events involving external speakers, conferences, celebrations and other activities organised by and at the request of the interns.

Conditions

We are seeking full-time volunteers, but part-time applicants are also welcome to apply. The positions are virtual, meaning interns will work from home.

Full-time interns work remotely a total of 35 hours per week. Part-time interns work remotely a total of 25 hours per week.

The availability sought is a minimum of four months, with interns being available online on a daily basis.

Please ensure that you specify your core time availability and any flexibility in your application. Consideration is given to different time zones, however, flexibility is a key consideration, bearing in mind that the collegial team is based and operates across multiple time zones to support our stakeholders and constituents from the disaster/conflict front lines to the headquarters of donors and agencies.

Shelter Centre will only consider applications from individuals who hold or are likely to obtain a valid permit that allows them to reside and undertake internships in their country of work. Shelter Centre has been working online across the globe by developing a collaborative way of working for over a decade.

Successful candidates will bear their own insurance, accommodation, and living costs. Travel is not required.