Internship for the youth participation programme

Background

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national parliaments. We promote democratic governance, institutions and values, working with parliaments and parliamentarians to articulate and respond to the needs and aspirations of the people. We work for peace, democracy, human rights, gender equality, youth empowerment, climate action and sustainable development through political dialogue, cooperation and parliamentary action.

In the field of youth empowerment, the IPU works to enhance youth participation in parliament and empower young parliamentarians.

Objectives

The intern will assist the IPU youth participation programme in the implementation of the I Say Yes to Youth in Parliament! campaign (ISY) and other campaigns in which IPU is a partner, the organization of youth-related meetings and conferences (in person and online), liaison with parliaments and partners, and research, monitoring and evaluation.

Deliverables

Under the supervision of the Manager of the youth participation programme, the intern will contribute to:

Campaign promotion and implementation

• The promotion of campaigns of which the IPU is part, including the ISY campaign and others (e.g. the Not Too Young to Run campaign) and IPU support to parliaments in that regard. This includes: promotion of the campaigns at events; preparation of visual assets (in line with existing campaign and IPU branding); preparation of messaging (social media, etc.) in various languages; development of regular exchanges and correspondence with parliaments and other key stakeholders and signatories; and liaison with partners. Promotion and facilitation of the ISY campaign among Spanish and/or Arabic speakers will be emphasized.
• Assisting the youth participation programme to support parliaments in launching campaigns and implementing campaign pledges.
• Support for the organization of activities related to campaigns, including dedicated events and those held within or alongside other IPU activities. This includes support in the drafting of concept notes, papers and speeches.

Campaign monitoring and evaluation and communications

• Monitoring and evaluation of the campaigns – the majority of which will relate to the ISY campaign – in line with a results-based management approach. This includes managing a continuously updated repertoire of signatories and targets, tracking of progress of signatories in implementing their pledges, and tracking and analysis of other campaign indicators.
• Campaign reports for ISY and other campaigns, including following key events and milestones, and in contributing to wider IPU reports (impact and donor reports, etc.).
• Day-to-day management of contacts who have signed up to the ISY campaign. This includes ensuring administrative management of those who have pledged through the IPU website, follow-up and verification if needed.
• Drafting of new campaign-related materials for ISY and other campaigns, such as one-pagers and toolkits for campaign pledges, and follow-up with those who have signed up.
• Support in the design of campaign communications material in coordination with the IPU Communications Division and in line with the IPU visual identity, including an email newsletter for the ISY campaign, refreshed content for the ISY website, and visual assets to be used during IPU events.

Organization of IPU youth meetings

• Support in the organization of online and offline youth-related IPU meetings, including the Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, the meetings of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians and its Board, the Empowerment Series, and other events. This includes the drafting of background documents, concept and speaking notes, agendas and reports, as well as administrative support for registration and liaison with parliaments and partners.
• Supporting IPU activities in celebration of International Youth Day.
• Participation in meetings, consultations, group discussions and other events with stakeholders and partners, and drafting of minutes.

Research on youth participation

• Support for ad hoc research and analysis on youth participation matters at country level and globally. This can be used for background notes, briefings, meeting documentation and speaking notes.
• Support for gathering youth-related data for the IPU Parline database.

Occasional ad hoc assignments related to the work of the Programme may also be required.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following: IPU personnel, members and staff of parliament, representatives of regional and international partners (including the United Nations, regional parliamentary associations, etc.), experts, representatives of youth associations, and the general public who sign up to the various campaigns.

Requirements

• University degree in political science, international relations, communications, law, or a related field. A graduate-level degree would be an advantage;
• Excellent writing skills in English or French, as well as good knowledge of the other language;
• Written and oral fluency in Spanish or Arabic. Fluency in both would be an advantage;
• Experience in youth participation work;
• Experience in promoting a campaign, including through graphic design and/or social media engagement, would be a strong advantage;
• Experience in basic website management would be an advantage;
• Good research and analytical skills;
• General computer skills (MS Office applications, Internet).

Period of internship and location

From 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2025. The internship will be full-time, based in Geneva. Travel will be required (up to three events per year outside of Geneva during the internship period). Costs related to travel will be covered by the IPU.

Working hours

The internship will be full-time, corresponding to 37.5 hours a week.

Remuneration

The IPU will pay the intern a monthly allowance of CHF 1,500.

Geneva
Switzerland