Internship Information
 

Northern Ireland: Democracy and Social Change

Spring Semester

Example Internship Placements
Students will select internship settings from a range of organizations in Northern Ireland (examples provided below). Keep in mind that the below internships are not available every year, but provide an example. Many of these organizations have local context, while others will integrate the local with the global focus. The following provides information on internships that have been available in the past two years of the program. Sites will change in response to the needs of organizations locally and the specific interests of students coming on the program where possible.

Public Achievement Northern Ireland
For more information see: http://www.publicachievement.com

Public Achievement recognizes the creative capacity of individuals of all ages to actively participate in the civic life of their communities and in the building of a more just, peaceful, democratic and pluralist society. This is done by supporting small groups of young people - and adult volunteer 'coaches' who work with them - in addressing issues that are important and around which they design, carry out and evaluate their own projects. In the process, they learn skills of active citizenship and democracy. Public Achievement is active in a number of communities and schools across Northern Ireland. We are also working in museums in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. A 'site' is a place where Public Achievement groups meet - normally in a youth club, community hall, school or museum. The site will have one or more groups of young people working on issues. The young people choose a public issue that is important to them, and then design projects that address the issue and make a meaningful contribution to the life of their community and the wider world. 'Coaches' support the groups through the process by supporting, challenging and encouraging young people's ideas. They do not do the work for the young people. Coaches are supported and trained by Public Achievement staff.

UNESCO Centre, University of Ulster
For more information see: www.ulster.ac.uk/unesco

The UNESCO Centre, University of Ulster undertakes research, development and teaching on the themes of Education for Pluralism, Human Rights and Democracy.

Our current work has three main themes:

• Education, Diversity and Social Inclusion
• Education, Democracy and Citizenship
• Education, Conflict and International Development.

The UNESCO Centre, based on the Coleraine Campus, provides a focus for research and development on the role of education within divided societies. The Centre has a special interest in education and the conflict in Northern Ireland and has specific expertise related to the curriculum theme of Education for Mutual Understanding, Citizenship, Social, Civic and Political Education, the Teaching of history in divided societies, and the Development of integrated schools. A significant strength of the group is the relevance of its work to policy and practice.

Amnesty International
For more information see: www.amnesty.org.uk/ni/

Amnesty International Northern Ireland promotes awareness of the values contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other internationally-agreed standards of human rights. The organization encourages people to accept that all human rights must be protected. Based in the heart of Belfast, the intern will be expected to aid Amnesty International on a number of local and global issues within the education sector. The work that an intern will be engaged with will have a campaigning focus with some opportunity provided to become familiar with human rights education programs.

Age Concern NI

For further information see: www.ageconcernni.org/
Age Concern Northern Ireland is a voluntary organization committed, though campaigning and service provision, to improving the quality of life of all older people and promoting their rights as active, involved and equal citizens. It provides: an information and advice service; policy development fieldworkers to help set up and support local Age Concern organizations; day care and residential care for people with dementia; support for careers; home care for frail older people; skills training programs for both older people and care staff; and arts and music therapy projects for people with dementia.

It also organizes campaigns, conferences and research to raise awareness of the needs of older people. Past interns placed at Age Concern NI have worked on the equality agenda in Northern Ireland and policy development for the organization.

Sustainable Northern Ireland
For further information see: www.sustainableni.org/

Sustainable NI is a not for profit organization established in 1997 to assist local authorities, the community and voluntary sector, central government departments, non departmental public bodies and the business sector in understanding and moving towards sustainable development. Sustainable NI works through five core areas of intervention - policy, local government, community, business and process design - to promote sustainable practice in Northern Ireland Society. It is a first stop shop that is moving sustainable development from an issue based agenda into an action based program. Economic prosperity, environmental excellence and social equity are the pillars which support its work. Sustainable NI provides training and awareness-raising sessions that make use of innovative community and organizational development techniques to encourage a more integrated approach to development. The organization also provides support and advice on request and facilitate partnerships for visioning. Past interns have worked directly with community members on formative evaluations for ongoing SNIP projects.

Centre for Global Education
For further information see:

The Centre for Global Education is a voluntary non-governmental organization which uses education to promote sustainable development and social justice both locally and globally. The Center's ethos is centered around the need to stimulate discussion and raise awareness of the relationship between Northern Ireland and developing countries. The Centre offers in-service and pre-service training for teachers and trainers in the formal and informal education systems, focusing on:

• The economic relationship between the developed and developing worlds;
• The reasons for the different rates of development between countries;
• The relationship between population growth, economic activity and environmental destruction;
• The rate of environmental destruction and the need for sustainable development.

Each year the One World Centre organizes a series of Development Education seminars which are open to the public and are organized on a cross-community basis using different venues in Belfast. They address a mixture of human rights, political, economic and social themes taking both national and international perspectives. Past interns have worked on evaluations and pilot programs in youth work and on behalf of the Refugee Action Group.

St Columb’s Park House
For further information see: www.stcolumbsparkhouse.org

St. Columb’s Park House is an 18th century manor house situated in parkland on the Waterside of Derry/Londonderry. St Columb’s Park Reconciliation Trust was set up in 1994 to establish a centre for reconciliation and a safe venue. The centre seeks to contribute to peace-building and social inclusion through a range of programmes, promoting civic participation, human rights and democratic pluralism. The beneficiaries of our programme work are mostly young people, including young members of political parties, as well as teachers and youth workers. We also provide assistance to local community groups with the commissioning of research. In addition, the Trust manages the centre as a community business offering conference and residential facilities. Income from this commercial activity supports the charitable activities of the Trust.

Past interns have worked on a wide variety of projects and programmes offered by St. Columb’s Park House.

NIACRO (Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders)
For further information see: http://www.niacro.co.uk/

NIACRO’s vision is to be acknowledged as making a unique contribution to the creation of a society in which communities can live without fear of crime and in which the rights and needs of everyone, including offenders, are equally respected. NIACRO works to reduce crime and its impact on people and communities.

NIACRO has six Operational Units; four delivering services externally and two providing support and organisational infrastructure to those units. Units delivering services externally include;

• COMMUNITY/FAMILY SERVICES
• YOUNG OFFENDERS
• PRISONERS/EX-PRISONERS
• OFFENDERS IN THE COMMUNITY

Past interns have concentrated their efforts in the area of Community/Family Services which involve the following work:

ADVICE SERVICES
NIACRO (in partnership with Probation) provides a specialist advice service geared to particular needs of people in contact with the Criminal Justice system. The service is available in each prison establishment, the young offenders centre and in the community for families of prisoners and ex-offenders. Information, advice and advocacy services are provided addressing a range of issues including benefits, debt and housing. Last year the service responded to over 2,000 enquiries.

PRISON LINK
Prison Link is a partnership between PBNI and NIACRO providing a range of services to the families and children of prisoners, the primary objective being the maintenance of family contacts during the period of imprisonment. Services offered by Prison Link include:

Transport to and from prisons.
Childcare in the home for families who would otherwise be unable to visit a relation incustody.
Welfare advice services.
Childcare, canteen and advice facilities at prison visitor centres in Maghaberry andMagilligan.
Social activities and respite breaks from prisoners’ families.

CHILD CENTRED VISITS.
Operating in Magilligan since September 2002, child centred visits provide the opportunity for children and their imprisoned parent to meet in a less structured and secure environment to maintain and develop the bonds between parent and child. Maintaining relationships between imprisoned parents and their children can have positive outcomes in terms of successful resettlement of the parent upon release.

MAGILLIGAN VISITORS’ CENTRE
NIACRO volunteers based at Magilligan provide assistance in the delivery of prison visitors’ services. These include assistance with supervising children in the play area and also serving food and drinks for visitors. They also fulfil a similar role in the visitor centre outside the prison where visitors can stop for light refreshments before or after a visit. An important aspect of the magilligan service is provision of advice, usually about welfare benefits.

TRANSPORT
NIACRO provide a transport service to and from prisons and to the Lisnevin Juvenile Justice Centre for people who would otherwise be unable to visit a relation in custody.

Peace PRG (Peace and Reconciliation Group)
For further information see: www.peaceprg.org.uk

The Peace and Reconciliation Group (PRG) was set up over 25 years ago to address practical ways to work towards understanding and reconciliation in the context of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Throughout its history, PRG has used a variety of diverse programmes to allow people to build bridges between communities that have been polarised by the historical and political events that have occurred in Northern Ireland. PRG is based in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. One of the Peace and Reconciliation Group's (PRG) main aims is to create opportunities for individuals and groups to address and challenge divisions, perceptions and stereotypes through effective programming. Projects are designed to reach various groups throughout the community, including young people, women, retired adults, minority ethnic groups, Protestants and Catholics. Projects are carried out on both a single-identity and cross-community basis. Some projects are started at the initiative of PRG and other's at the request of community groups, schools or churches. The length of projects varies, ranging from one day to several years from start to finish.

The Peace and Reconciliation Group also offers a range of quality training programmes to all segments of the community, public and private. All training is tailored to meet the needs of individual client groups, and training packages are offered both on an off-site. PRG offers set training sessions throughout the year at our offices in Derry/Londonderry.

Past interns have worked on interface community projects and training manuals for the organisation.

Children in Crossfire
For further information see: http://www.concern-universal.org/cic.html

'Children in Crossfire' is the fundraising and development education arm of Concern Universal. Based in L'Derry in Northern Ireland, the team works with people in Ireland and the UK to raise awareness of poverty issues with a particular focus on children. As part of their development education agenda they work with schools, parishes, community groups and businesses to build awareness of the interconnectivity of communities and global issues. This work helps develop skills, values, knowledge and understanding of issues in a global context e.g. peace and reconciliation, environment degradation, health, unemployment, debt and human rights.

Key Activities
The Children in Crossfire is a small but growing team committed to raising awareness of the causes and effects of poverty and working to change the world we live in. The key activities of the team are: delivering presentations and workshops in schools, parishes and community centres in Ulster and the West of England
organising conferences for teachers and school students
organising competitions e.g. writing & poetry
fundraising events
building the support base of associate members
arranging international cultural exchange visits as part of the 'Young People inCrossfire' programme.

The Playhouse
For further information see: http://www.derryplayhouse.co.uk/index2.htm

The Award Winning Playhouse is one of Ireland’s leading Art Centres. It opened in 1992 in two historic B1 listed buildings in the heart of the Historic Walled City of Derry / Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The Playhouse Theatre (The Stage - Outstanding Achievement in Regional Theatre 2004) is an intimate, 200 seat theatre that programmes high quality professional & community theatre, music, comedy, dance & children’s shows. Artists who have performed include Prime Cut Productions, Reduced Shakespeare Co, Kieran Goss, Damien Rice, Dubbeljoint Theatre Co, Jeremy Hardy, Rough Magic Theatre Co, Pimlico Opera & Juan Martin. There are a number of community based theatre groups residing at the Playhouse. The Playhouse also delivers a wealth of innovative arts projects that aim to promote social inclusion for marginalized individuals, and promote positive community relations. We work with schools, hospitals, day care centres, nurseries, prisons, community centres, long term unemployed, young people using the arts to inspire confidence & creativity, and help change lives for the better.

The Context Gallery supports and encourages emerging fine and applied Irish artists, and to develop link between emerging Irish artists and emerging artists in other countries. The gallery’s aim is to provide artists with a platform for their work. Twelve exhibitions, solo, grouped and themed are organised per year alongside several public at based projects. The Context continues to further develop it existing links to the local artistic community as well as opening the visual arts to every section of society through its Education and Outreach work.

Past interns have worked with the director of the organisation and the education officer on a variety of ongoing community arts based programmes.