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INTERN: 8 unpaid internships at Witness

 

Following are eight internship descriptions for 12 internship slots at WITNESS.  We are looking for qualified candidates who can commit to at least 15 hours/week for a minimum of 2 months.  Specific qualifications are listed in each description.  Please feel free to share these descriptions with your students and alumnae/i. All applications can be submitted to internship@witness.org, listing the preferred Internship program in the Subject line.

Please no phone inquiries.

Kind regards,

WITNESS
www.witness.org/jobs

80 Hanson Pl, 5th Fl
Brooklyn, NY 11217

witness.org

‘Cameras Everywhere’ Leadership Initiative and Program Management Internship

1 Position

 

Organization

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. Founded nearly 20 years ago by musician and activist, Peter Gabriel, WITNESS partners with NGO’s, community groups, and grassroots organizations around the globe.

www.witness.org

 

Description

WITNESS is looking for an intern to support its Program Director as well as other staff and consultants on our ‘Cameras Everywhere’ Leadership Initiative. This initiative focuses on addressing the challenges and opportunities for human rights work presented by ubiquitous video. This initiative includes research and engagement with relevant stakeholders in technology, human rights and media; the development of autonomous technology tools to address key challenges, as well as work focused on spreading key ideas around relevant digital media literacies for human rights. More information on the program at: http://www.witness.org/cameras-everywhere.

 

Program Management: The position also provides opportunities to gain experience in NGO management via work with the Program Director around areas of general program management, budget and workplan development and monitoring and evaluation.

 

An intern should anticipate that their time will be split roughly 70/30 between work on the ‘Cameras Everywhere’ initiative and general support to the Program Director in areas of program management. However, an intern with a strong preference to work in only one of these two areas will be also be considered.

 

Tasks include:

  • Assisting with research into relevant issues in human rights, privacy, ethics, media practice, technology and social media
  • Assisting with the development of relevant internal and public documents and preparation for stakeholder meetings and conference presentations
  • Under supervision, drafting blog entries on the ‘Cameras Everywhere’ initiative as well as other relevant video-for-change topics for inclusion on the WITNESS blog
  • Providing support to the Program management functions of the Program Director including developing budgets, management plans and monitoring program performance
  • Providing administrative support
  • Attending and contributing to staff and department meetings

 

All interns are expected to spend between 20-30% of their time engaged in administrative support to program and office-wide staff.

 

Qualifications

Potential interns should be graduate students. We look for a focus in studies on social-purpose technology, media, human rights, international relations, and political science.

Candidates should have:

  • A background in human rights, technology, online or mobile social justice activism and/or video
  • Research experience
  • Previous experience within NGO or technology development environments.

 

General Information

We require a minimum of two months commitment, for at least 15 hours per week. Internships are unpaid.  Our offices are located in Brooklyn, NY, convenient to the Atlantic Terminal (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, Q, N and R trains) and C (Lafayette) and G (Fulton) trains.

 

Application instructions:

No phone inquiries please. Please send applications by email to internship@witness.org including a resume and cover letter and “Cameras Everywhere” in the Subject.

 

*****

 

 

Communications/Outreach Department Internship

1 Position

 

Organization

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. Founded nearly 20 years ago by musician and activist, Peter Gabriel, WITNESS partners with NGO’s, community groups, and grassroots organizations around the globe.

www.witness.org

 

Description

Communications and Outreach interns support department staff connecting WITNESS to other organizations, specific audiences, the media and the general public. These activities include supporting social network profiles, blogging, press relations, and developing relationships with other non-profit, media or social justice organizations. There is a great deal of collaborative work with other departments within WITNESS.

 

Tasks include:

  • Supporting outreach for the WITNESS blog
  • Updating the WITNESS website
  • Assisting outreach efforts via social media- e.g. Facebook and Twitter
  • Preparing submissions to film festivals
  • Preparing promotional materials
  • Preparing visual media for distribution
  • Upkeep of records and tracking WITNESS’ press coverage
  • Participating in departmental meetings and staff meetings as relevant

 

All interns are expected to spend between 20-30% of their time engaged in administrative support to outreach staff and office-wide.

 

Qualifications

Potential interns are preferably graduate students or others with relevant experience. Undergraduates with relevant study experience will be considered. We look for a focus in studies on communications, human rights, international relations, political science, and interdisciplinary studies.

 

Candidates should have:

  • Outstanding oral and written communication skills
  • Experience writing and editing articles or blogs
  • Experience editing websites (experience with open source CMS such as Drupal a plus)
  • Familiarity with MS Office applications a must (especially Word and Excel);
  • Ability to work independently as well as to multitask effectively
  • Sense of humor and flexibility
  • Previous NGO experience preferred
  • Experience with Photoshop a plus
  • Additional language a plus

 

General Information

We require a minimum of two months commitment, for at least 15 hours per week. Internships are unpaid.  Our offices are located in Brooklyn, NY, convenient to the Atlantic Terminal (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, Q, N and R trains) and C (Lafayette) and G (Fulton) trains.

Application Instructions

No phone inquiries please. We strongly prefer applications by email to internship@witness.org including a resume, cover letter, and short writing sample (not to exceed 2 pages). Please put “Communications/Outreach Internship” in the subject heading of your email.

 

*****

 

 

“Human Rights Video Curation Project” Internship

1 Position

 

Organization

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. Founded nearly 20 years ago by musician and activist, Peter Gabriel, WITNESS partners with NGO’s, community groups, and grassroots organizations around the globe.

www.witness.org

 

Description:

WITNESS is looking for an intern to work on the start-up and testing phase of a curation project that will look at the best way to curate and aggregate human rights video within a mainstream video-sharing site.

 

Tasks include:

  • Assisting with day-to-day editorial decision-making around human rights video
  • Reviewing and providing human rights-based contextualization to videos
  • Providing input on the conceptualization and implementation of community-driven approaches to identifying video content
  • Day-to-day maintenance of a channel/page on a social media site
  • Support review of analytics from web traffic/site
  • Providing administrative support to other team members

 

Qualifications:

All interns are expected to spend between 20-30% of their time engaged in administrative support to program and office-wide staff.

 

Potential interns should have as many of the following skills as possible:

  • Journalistic background including capacity to conduct rapid yet thorough research, and to make swift editorial decisions
  • Experience working with visual media
  • Strong writing
  • Broad-based human rights understanding at a professional level
  • Strong understanding of how social media networks and video-sharing sites operates
  • Additional language fluency beyond English

 

This internship requires individuals who are:

  • Well-organized and accustomed to tight deadlines
  • Fast-moving and able to adapt rapidly to changing circumstances during a start-up and testing phase

 

General Information

We require a minimum of two months commitment, for at least 15 hours per week. Internships are unpaid.  Our offices are located in Brooklyn, NY, convenient to the Atlantic Terminal (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, Q, N and R trains) and C (Lafayette) and G (Fulton) trains.

Application instructions:

No phone inquiries please. Please send applications by email to internship@witness.org including a resume and cover letter and “Curation” in the Subject.

 

*****

 

 

External Relations Development Internship

2 Positions

 

Organization

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. Founded nearly 20 years ago by musician and activist, Peter Gabriel, WITNESS partners with NGO’s, community groups, and grassroots organizations around the globe.

www.witness.org

 

Description:

The External Relations Department secures support for WITNESS from foundations and corporate donors, an annual fund campaign that targets individuals, a major gifts program, and a program of events including breakfasts, dinners and an annual fundraising gala. This is a unique opportunity for an External Relations Intern to receive hands-on fundraising experience, participate in events coordination, learn about WITNESS’ human rights activities, and experience a fast-paced non-profit organization.

 

Primary duties will include:

  • Researching foundations, corporations, individual contributors and new funding opportunities.
  • Assisting with planning and coordination of this fall’s annual Focus for Change benefit dinner and concert, and other events.
  • Assisting with coordination of WITNESS’ 2011 ING NYC Marathon team.
  • Helping with donor mailings and online fundraising efforts
  • Assisting with drafting and compiling fundraising materials.

 

All interns are expected to spend between 20-30% of their time engaged in administrative support to development staff and office-wide. Special projects may be designed for an intern if appropriate.

 

Qualifications:

Potential interns should be undergraduate or graduate students. We look for an academic focus in Nonprofit Development and Management, English, Communications, Human Rights, International Relations, Political Science and interdisciplinary studies.

Candidates should have:

  • Excellent written communication skills
  • Strong research skills
  • Ability to work independently as well as to multitask effectively
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Previous development/fundraising experience preferred
  • Familiarity with MS Office applications a must; experience with web-based database systems and web design a plus

 

General Information

We require a minimum of two months commitment, for at least 20 hours a week. Internships are unpaid.  Our offices are located in Brooklyn, NY, convenient to the Atlantic Terminal (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, Q, N and R trains) and C (Lafayette) and G (Fulton) trains.

 

Application Instructions:

No phone inquiries please. We strongly prefer applications by email to internship@witness.org including a resume and cover letter with “Development” in the Subject.

 

*****

 

Finance Department Internship

1 Position

 

Organization

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. Founded nearly 20 years ago by musician and activist, Peter Gabriel, WITNESS partners with NGO’s, community groups, and grassroots organizations around the globe.

www.witness.org

 

Description

The Finance Department provides accounting, financial management, tax preparation, and grants management support for WITNESS. There is a great deal of collaborative work with other staff and departments within WITNESS.

 

Tasks include:

  • Supporting daily accounting work (Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, General Ledger) using Blackbaud’s Financial Edge system and Excel
  • Assisting with the creation of monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting schedules (i.e. Fixed Assets, Grant Releases, etc.)
  • Preparing budgets and reports for grant applications
  • Coordinating materials for preparation of annual tax returns
  • Assisting with reconciliation of employee and partner advances
  • Maintaining departmental records

 

Qualifications

Potential interns should be undergraduate or graduate students. We look for an academic focus in Nonprofit Financial Management, Accounting, Business, or a related field.

 

Candidates should have:

  • At least two (2) years of accounting / business / financial management or related coursework
  • Related internship experience
  • Strong communication skills, attention to detail, and accuracy
  • Ability to work independently as well as to multitask effectively
  • Familiarity with Microsoft Excel and Word required
  • Experience with Powerpoint and/or Blackbaud’s Financial Edge system is a strong plus

 

All interns are expected to spend 20% – 30% of their time engaged in administrative support to Finance staff. In certain instances, special projects may be designed for an intern.

 

General Information

We require a minimum of two months commitment, for at least 15 hours per week. Internships are unpaid.  Our offices are located in Brooklyn, NY, convenient to the Atlantic Terminal (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, Q, N and R trains) and C (Lafayette) and G (Fulton) trains.

Application Instructions:

No phone inquiries please. We strongly prefer applications by email to internship@witness.org including a resume and cover letter with “Finance” in the Subject.

 

*****

 

Forced Evictions Campaign Internship – Latin America

1 Position

 

Organization

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. Founded nearly 20 years ago by musician and activist, Peter Gabriel, WITNESS partners with NGO’s, community groups, and grassroots organizations around the globe.

www.witness.org

 

Description

We’re looking for smart, savvy and dedicated interns to support our global campaign on forced evictions with a special focus on the work we’re doing on dams in Mexico and megaevents in Brazil. Depending on the needs of the campaign, interns may be involved in a range of research, production support and outreach/advocacy activities.

 

Tasks may include, but not be limited to:

  • Researching issues, contacts and background information on issues and campaigns
  • Supporting preparations for trainings conducted by WITNESS staff
  • Logging and transcribing videos
  • Editing video clips for online advocacy (preferably on Final Cut Pro)
  • Writing blogs on issues related to forced evictions
  • Supporting distribution and outreach around a particular video advocacy campaign
  • Handling administrative responsibilities including maintenance of contact databases and files
  • Participating in weekly staff meetings

 

All interns are expected to spend between 20-30% of their time engaged in administrative support.

 

Qualifications:

Potential interns should be undergraduate or graduate students or bring relevant experience in human rights advocacy, campaigning or videomaking.

 

We’re looking for candidates that have:

  • Knowledge or interest in forced evictions as a human rights issue
  • A background in human rights advocacy and/or video
  • Savvy social media skills, experience with online advocacy a plus
  • Experience with Final Cut Pro or comparable video editing software
  • Relevant regional experience, either academic or practical
  • Portuguese or Spanish language skills
  • Excellent writing skills a must, blogging experience a plus

 

General Information

We require a minimum of two months commitment, for at least 15 hours a week. Internships are unpaid.  Our offices are located in Brooklyn, NY, convenient to the Atlantic Terminal (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, Q, N and R trains) and C (Lafayette) and G (Fulton) trains.

 

Application Instructions:

No phone inquiries please. We strongly prefer applications by email to internship@witness.org including a resume and cover letter with “Forced Evictions” in the Subject.

 

*****

 

Gender-based Violence Campaign Internship

1 Position

 

Organization

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. Founded nearly 20 years ago by musician and activist, Peter Gabriel, WITNESS partners with NGO’s, community groups, and grassroots organizations around the globe.

www.witness.org

 

Description

We are currently looking for a dedicated, knowledgeable intern to support a new WITNESS campaign on gender-based violence (GBV) in the context of armed conflict and political repression. Depending on where we are in the campaign, the GBV Campaign intern may be involved in a range of research, production support and outreach/advocacy activities.

***Native fluency in French or Arabic is essential to this internship. ***

 

Tasks Include:

  • Researching issues/contacts and background information on issues and campaigns
  • Supporting preparations for trainings conducted by Program staff
  • Logging videos received
  • Editing clips for online advocacy with Final Cut Pro
  • Writing blogs on GBV related issues
  • Researching distribution channels, particular human rights issues and campaigns
  • Supporting distribution and outreach around a particular video advocacy campaign
  • Handling administrative responsibilities including maintenance of contact databases and files
  • Participating in weekly staff meetings

 

All interns are expected to spend between 20-30% of their time engaged in administrative support.

 

Qualifications:

Potential interns should be undergraduates or graduate students. We look for a focus in studies on human rights, international relations, history, political science, and area studies (e.g., with particular regional concentration).

 

Candidates should have:

  • Solid understanding of gender-based violence as a human rights issue, specifically in the context of armed conflict and political repression
  • A background in human rights and/or video
  • Relevant regional experience, either academic or practical
  • Previous NGO experience (experience abroad is a plus)
  • Native fluency in French or Arabic

 

General Information

We require a minimum of two months commitment, for at least 15 hours a week. Internships are unpaid.  Our offices are located in Brooklyn, NY, convenient to the Atlantic Terminal (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, Q, N and R trains) and C (Lafayette) and G (Fulton) trains.

 

Application Instructions:

No phone inquiries please. We strongly prefer applications by email to internship@witness.org including a resume and cover letter with “GBV Campaign” in the Subject.

 

*****

 

 

Program Video Advocacy Training Support Internship

2 Positions

 

Organization

WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. WITNESS empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. Founded nearly 20 years ago by musician and activist, Peter Gabriel, WITNESS partners with NGO’s, community groups, and grassroots organizations around the globe.

www.witness.org

 

Description

WITNESS is currently seeking highly motivated interns and volunteers to support its new video advocacy training initiatives. Volunteers may generously donate their time and energy remotely; however, interns need to collaborate with WITNESS staff in its Brooklyn, NY office.

 

Initiative 1: Online Video Action Planning Toolkit

This Fall, WITNESS will launch its new online, multi-lingual interactive toolkit designed to help advocates develop a successful video advocacy strategy. Based on WITNESS’ Video for Change methodology and 25-page Video Action Plan Workbook (VAP: see www.witness.org/VAP), the toolkit will walk users through a step-by-step process that will help them determine how they can optimally integrate video into their advocacy efforts. The focus of the toolkit is to support users, primarily human rights defenders, interested in creating short-form advocacy videos. Users will answer questions throughout the guide and upon completion, users will have an in-depth VAP and accompanying worksheets that they can share with colleagues, allies and or funders via a downloadable document.

 

Potential interns and volunteers would support this project in a range of ways, but particularly in:

  • Researching and compiling applicable resources and content to help users best use the guide, particularly case studies featuring successful examples of video advocacy;
  • Writing and researching training-related content for the WITNESS blogs;
  • Supporting distribution and outreach of the online Video Action Planning Toolkit; and
  • Conducting interviews and surveys of users and compiling feedback to enhance the toolkit.

 

Initiative 2: Creating WITNESS’ Online Training Curriculum Portal

WITNESS will also be providing its entire training curriculum online to support its peers working and training at the intersection of human rights and video. Ultimately, to best support those wanting to better use and train others to use video, the goal is to have a centralized location for WITNESS and its partners’ to share, remix and enhance video-related training curricula.

 

Potential interns and volunteers would support this project in a range of ways, but particularly in:

  • Compiling and transferring WITNESS’ existing training curriculum to the online portal;
  • Conducting outreach to potential partners and allies; and
  • Supporting the online development of the site through user testing and feedback for enhancements

 

Qualifications:

Potential interns should be undergraduates or graduate students. We look for a focus in studies on human rights, international relations, history, political science, and area studies (e.g., with particular regional concentration).

 

Candidates should have:

  • A background in human rights and/or video
  • Familiarity with adding content to online platforms (blogs and wikis)
  • Relevant regional experience, either academic or practical
  • Previous NGO experience (experience abroad is a plus)
  • For this internship, strong writing skills are required and additional language skills (particularly French, Spanish or Russian) are a significant plus.

 

All interns are expected to spend between 20-30% of their time engaged in administrative support to program and office-wide staff.

 

General Information

We require a minimum of two months commitment, for at least 15 hours per week. Internships are unpaid.  Our offices are located in Brooklyn, NY, convenient to the Atlantic Terminal (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, Q, N and R trains) and C (Lafayette) and G (Fulton) trains.

Application instructions:

In your application, please note with specificity which initiative you are most interested in. Please send applications via email with “Training Support” in the Subject to internship@witness.org. No phone inquiries, please.