Internships

The SISHA International Internship Program gives international university students and recent graduates the opportunity to gain field experience in a developing country working to help protect and prevent vulnerable people from human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. The Internship Program is a two-way training process, as interns learn from working side by side with a team of experienced international and local staff, whilst at the same time transferring their own skills and knowledge to their local counterparts.

Legal interns are provided with exposure to practical legal work and the Program helps law students and recent graduates develop skills in legal research, preparing legal briefs and case documentation, liaising with other NGO legal service providers and writing other law-related articles.

Program development, finance, fundraising, communications and social work interns are also encouraged to apply and are accepted dependent upon SISHA’s current openings and the intern’s particular educational background and skill set. For example, social work university students may volunteer as aftercare interns to gain exposure to victim aftercare work while collaborating closely with SISHA’s Aftercare Department to further develop local staff skills in dealing with clients who have been victims of trauma.

Interns will be accepted into the SISHA International Internship Program for a period of no less than 2 months and no more than 12 months, depending on the intern’s convenience and availability. Exceptions can be made for applicants with unique qualifications and who bring substantive benefits to SISHA, however such applicants will be assessed on an application by application basis.

Ordinarily, SISHA only accepts applicants who have academic qualifications related to SISHA’s operational mandate. Every intern must be proficient in both written and spoken English and display a willingness to learn the basics of local language and etiquette. Applicants who display past commitment to volunteering for social justice organisations, prior travel experience, and proven flexibility and cultural sensitivity needed to work in a developing country will be given priority in the selection process.

SISHA accepts internship applications at any time during the year, however only three interns will be accepted into any of SISHA’s country offices at any one time.

Procedure to apply

An applicant wishing to apply for SISHA’s International Internship Program must send the following materials via email to the SISHA Country Director (This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) for consideration by SISHA management:

• An expression of interest outlining the applicants desire to join SISHA’s International Internship Program
• A detailed CV outlining qualifications and experience
• Two references: one personal and one professional
• The specific dates the applicant is available to participate in the Program

SISHA will confirm, by way of email, that the application has been received and that the application will be assessed for suitability. A telephone interview may be required in some circumstances.

Each application will be assessed individually by SISHA’s Country (or Executive?) Director and, providing that there is a suitable position available on the Program, the best possible applicant will be selected tentatively pending criminal history and probity checks. The intern will be notified of their tentative selection via email.

Upon criminal history and probity clearance, the intern will be notified in writing of their successful selection and be sent a copy of the SISHA International Internship Program Policy and SISHA Code of Conduct/Non-Disclosure Agreement. These documents must be signed prior to or on the day of commencement in the SISHA International Internship Program.

Costs and Remuneration

All interns will be required to fund themselves during their stay in the country of the Program, including air travel to their destination, entry visas, accommodation, medical insurance and personal expenses.

SISHA will pay for all pre-approved costs associated with any work or travel related to SISHA operations per standard operating procedures.

SISHA will provide each intern with a desktop computer with internet access.

PLEASE NOTE: SISHA will not pay any salary or financial remuneration to any intern