Internships & Voluntary Work

April 27, 2005 by Postgraduate Editor

Internships and voluntary work with organisations working in global health and other related areas can be a great way of gaining experience in your field of interest, meeting and networking with like-minded individuals - and it looks great on your CV!

Below we provide links to various organisations that offer internships and/or voluntary work and to sites that search for such opportunities for you. In the future we hope to profile those that have undertaken successful internships/volunteer placements. If you've had a successful internship/volunteer placements, share your experiences with us by writing to Aska Leslie.

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Internships

The World Health Organisation offers internship opportunities for graduate or post-graduate university students, generally in health-related programmes for 6 to 12 weeks.

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Unicef has internship programs for students and professionals. It is also possible to volunteer. See here for further details.

Unicef UK offer internships from time to time. These are advertised on their website.

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The mission of the Global Health Council is to promote better health around the world by assisting all who work for improvement and equity in global health to secure the information and resources they need to work effectively.
Their internship program hopes to offer unique learning experiences in advocating and supporting programs that improve health around the world.
There are positions available in the DC and Vermont office. These internships run on a rotating schedule during the Fall semester, the Spring semester and over the summer.
Click here for more detailed information and how to apply.

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Hobsons Graduate Careers Centre lists a wide range of internship opportunites, not limited to global health.

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Voluntary Work

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The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) is the leading HIV/AIDS advocacy organization in South Africa. TAC welcomes international volunteers if they meet the organization’s requirements. TAC’s volunteer program is not an internship or training program – the main goal of the program is to provide assistance to the organization wherever needed.

What do volunteers do?
Volunteers usually work within the national office in Muizenberg, a suburb of Cape Town, doing a variety of tasks depending on the needs of the staff and organization, such as:
- Administrative tasks: preparing mailings, updating or creating databases, cataloguing materials, etc.
- Programmatic tasks: research, assisting with campaigns, developing fact sheets and other materials, etc. Often volunteers will pair up with specific staff members and work with them on their projects.
As a campaign oriented organization, workload can vary. TAC cannot guarantee consistent work for volunteers.

What are the eligibility requirements?
TAC volunteers are generally under-graduate, graduate, or post-graduate students. In addition, we require:
- A commitment to working at least 12 consecutive weeks, at least three days a week.
- Proficiency in spoken and written English.
- Knowledge of another South African language is a plus.
- Computer skills
- Some knowledge of HIV/AIDS issues (political as well as scientific) and the TAC (check www.tac.org.za for useful background information)

How do you apply to volunteer?
If you are interested in volunteering, please send CV, cover letter and a completed application form to volunteers@tac.org.za. The application is available for download here.
Please meet the following application deadlines:
If you are applying to volunteer sometime betwen January through June, please apply by late September. If you are applying for the June through September period, please apply by late February. If you are applying for the September through December period, please apply by late May.

Once you have been accepted as a volunteer, if you require documents for entry into South Africa (e.g. a letter of invitation to give to the embassy), please draft the letter and e-mail it as an attachment to volunteers@tac.org.za where we will review it, print it on letterhead, sign it, and fax it back to you or to the South African Embassy (please provide detailed information for faxing).

What about funding for my stay in South Africa?
Unfortunately, TAC is unable to pay international volunteers or provide reimbursement for travel, local transport, or living expenses. We are happy to help with advice and guidance on issues such as housing and transportation and offer volunteers a useful guide to living and working in Cape Town. If you are applying for independent funding to subsidize your volunteering and require a letter from TAC, please draft the letter and e-mail it as an attachment to volunteers@tac.org.za where we will review it, print it on letterhead, sign it and fax it back to you or whomever you designate (please provide detailed information for faxing).

If you would like to get involved with FoTAC (TAC's UK-based supporting organisation) please e-mail Aska.Leslie@almamata.net

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The Do-it website has the only national database of volunteering opportunities in the UK. This is a highly comprehensive website, easy to use and you can search for voluntary work according to your interests and/or location.

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Commonwealth Service Abroad Programme
This programme sends volunteers to a variety of to offer technical expertise to 15 projects each year for on average 12-15 month placements. Volunteers should be professionally qualified and have ten years experience in their field.

See the Commonwealth Secretariat website for information about current opportunities.

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"Unite For Sight" has volunteer opportunities available in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Benin, Togo, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, and The Gambia. No previous medical experience is required. The Unite For Sight volunteer teams prescribe eyeglasses to children and adults, implement eye health education programs, screen for eye disease, and coordinate diagnosis, treatment, and surgery for patients in local eye clinics. If you are interested in participating, please see http://www.uniteforsight.org/intl_medvolunteer.php

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