SUMMER 2021 Mercy Corps Internships

Mercy Corps is a humanitarian effort that works in over 40 countries. They strive to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. They use a comprehensive approach of many angles to help solve the problems for good. Mercy Corps is currently seeking interns for the summer semester to aid them in their mission. Some of the ways Mercy Corps enacts change are:

  • Congressional Advocacy: direct meetings with key congressional offices, participation in briefings and hearings, review and commenting on draft legislation, active participation in discussions related to the foreign aid budget, and linking Members of Congress who are traveling with our teams in the field.
  • Administration Advocacy: meetings with Administration officials, ongoing communication with key partner agencies in the USG, participation in joint consultations and briefings together with partner NGOs in DC.
  • Joint work with NGO partners: active participation in Interaction working groups and other coalition efforts organized in DC on priority issues or countries for Mercy Corps, drafting of joint documents, organizing joint lobby days on Capitol Hill.
  • Organizing DC visits for visiting Mercy Corps field staff: scheduling meetings for visiting staff and accompanying them to ensure adequate preparation and follow-up to these visits.
  • Publications: preparing and disseminating policy briefs on key issues, circulating information on Mercy Corps programs to key policymakers, participating in joint documents and sign-on with other NGOs, working with field staff to draft joint articles on policy-related issues for the publication.

Applications close when they hit 200 applicants, so apply early.

Listings will continue to be posted to the Mercy Corps website through April 15, 2021.

Current Listings

Africa and Peacebuilding Policy and Advocacy Internship & Middle East Policy & Advocacy Internship| Both Opportunities are Remote

Program Details

  • The internship will run from May 2021 – August 2021
  • Interns will work 30 hours per week and receive a $2600 per month stipend
  • The policy and advocacy teams focus on the following:
    • Response to humanitarian crises in South Sudan, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Syria, Iraq, Palestine (West Bank/Gaza), and Yemen.
    • Support the team’s strategic analysis and advance agency priorities on the Global Fragility Act and Africa or the Middle East with Congress and the Administration
    • Improving a robust and principled humanitarian response to the various crises throughout Africa or the Middle East
    • Defending foreign aid budgets
    • Research on peacebuilding and African or Middle Eastern priorities or other policy team or agency issues
  • Interns will support and participate in the work of the policy and advocacy teams through the following:
    • Conduct policy and practice research in support of Mercy Corps advocacy initiatives
    • Assist in drafting advocacy documents such as reports, briefing notes, talking points, petitions, or factsheets on relevant policy issues
    • Attend meetings and hearings of interest to Mercy Corps and report back on key issues
    • Assist in organizing meetings with Congressional offices, Administration officials, and other contacts, and in maintaining a database of key interactions
    • Review external and internal reports and publications and summarize relevant findings
    • Assist in communicating policy and advocacy updates to the broader Mercy Corps community through Mercy Corps’ intranet system, the weekly newsletter, and website

Qualifications

  • University degree in progress or recently completed (within 1 year) in relevant discipline in International Relations, Public Policy or related field
  • Interest in humanitarian and development issues and policy and advocacy
  • Background in peacebuilding and African or Middle Eastern policy
  • Demonstrated solid writing, editing, and researching skills
  • Ability to multi-task and prioritize in a fast-paced work environment
  • Solid computer skills:  must be able to work effectively and accurately with MS Word, Excel, Google applications, and email.
  • Flexible work attitude: able to work productively in a team environment and independently
  • THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE REMOTE. INTERNS MUST HAVE ACCESS TO THE PROPER TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION OF THE INTERNSHIP.

To apply for the Africa Peace Building opportunity, click here.

To apply for the Middle East Peace Building opportunity, click here.

To view more listings, click here.

 

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