Internship for Young Roma University Graduates, Brussels

Deadline: 5 December 2010
Open to: young Roma university graduates
Venue: Brussels, Belgium
Allowance: 1300 €/month
Duration: 5 month internship

Following an agreement with the European Commission, The Open Society Roma Initiatives announce a call for applications for  five-month internships within the European Commission beginning on March 1, 2011. Young Roma university graduates from new EU member states, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are eligible to apply. The training period involves work experience in one of the Commission’s departments.

Main aims of Internship

• to give Roma interns a general idea of the objectives and problems of European integration
• to provide them with practical knowledge of the working of Commission departments
• to enable them to acquire personal experience by means of the contacts made in the course of their everyday work
• to enable them to enrich and put into practice the knowledge they have acquired during their studies or professional career

Profile of Interns

• Nationals from all new EU member states (excluding Cyprus and Malta), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia who are of Roma origin.
• Applications from women are encouraged.
• The candidates must have completed a course of university education and obtained a full degree or its equivalent (for minimum national education qualifications required, see Annex 1) by the closing date for applications. Applications are only accepted if they are accompanied by a photocopy of the candidate’s degree certificate (or, in the absence of this document, an official statement from the university confirming the degree result, see Annex 2 for list of university degrees sought by the EC services).
• Preference will be given to candidates with proven experience in civil society work.
• Working knowledge of at least English or French, ability to draft reports in one of these languages. Other languages would be appreciated.
• Minimum computer literacy.
• The minimum age limit for interns is 25. However, the Selection Committee may, if there is a good reason, make exceptions to this age limit at the candidate’s request (in which case, a cover letter should be submitted with the application form). As the Commission’s in-service training program is addressing young graduates at the beginning of their career, this age limit should not be considered to be discriminatory.
• The internship scheme at the Commission is open to candidates who have not benefited yet from in-service training in another European institution or body.
• The full call for proposals and the application form are attached at right.

Required Application Documents

• Application in English or French
• Copies of all the university degrees/diplomas obtained and declared in the application (for candidates who have completed their degree course but who have not yet received an official degree certificate, a formal official statement from university confirming the degree result is sufficient)
• Europass CV. You can download the Europass CV template at: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/home/vernav/Europasss+Documents/Europass+CV/navigate.action
• Certificates and/or declarations for all work experience declared in the application and CV
• Reference/recommendation letters about work experience in Roma civil society declared in the application and CV
• Motivation letter (Obligatory questions to be answered within the motivation letter. Please see them in the Application form)

The Internship Grant

Financial assistance for the internship is provided by the Open Society Foundations. The 5-month internship grant covers

• Travel expenses to and from Brussels will be arranged by the Open Society Roma Initiatives (using the cheapest available means of transportation). Actual travel expenses will be covered by the Foundations up to a maximum of 600 Euro.
• Accommodation, subsistence, health and accident insurance: 6,500 Euro (1,300 Euro/month).

The majority of internship applications come from candidates with qualifications in law, political science, international relations and economics. Considering the objectives of this program, the Open Society Foundations also would be keen to encourage interns with other qualifications relevant for the strengthening of the Roma civil society and representation.

Application deadline is December 5, 2010.
Five-month internship – Starting date: March 1, 2011.

Official website
European Commission Internship for Young Roma Graduates – Call for Applications Document