Social Entrepreneurship & Design Intern

Job description

We are looking for an entrepreneurial, creative intern to work with us for three months during the design and launch of a new international social venture – the Global Innovation Academy. You will be based at the Young Foundation offices in East London from February through April 2012.

Background
The Global Innovation Academy is a new model for collaboration and learning, helping individuals on the front-lines in government, the third sector and industry to learn more quickly from one another and solve our greatest social challenges. The Academy has held several pathfinder events, prototyping our new learning model with a range of audiences in Bilbao, Hong Kong, Singapore, London and elsewhere around the world.

The Academy has completed its beta phase and is intending to spin-off as an independent venture in the next several months. In its final form, the Academy will synthesise and aggregate the best ideas, research and methods for social innovation, and make these available globally through face-to-face teaching, web-based teaching tools, and bespoke services. The Academy also aims to spur innovation within organisations, promoting new ideas and new ways of working, and ensuring that staff at all levels are empowered to innovate and trained to deliver social change.

The Academy has been funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and NESTA, and is being launched by the Young Foundation – a non-profit organisation committed to finding and developing new and better ways of addressing pressing unmet needs. The Young Foundation works across the United Kingdom and internationally, carrying out research, influencing policy, developing practical initiatives, creating new organisations and supporting others to do the same.

The Role
You will be working alongside the Global Innovation Academy team on various strands of venture development including helping to coordinate international pilot programmes; developing the curriculum we teach; expanding our web content and social media presence; conducting research; and much more. We introduce interns to all aspects of our work and expect that their input form a relevant and valuable contribution to our on-going projects.

You will join our team alongside a new wave of interns at the Young Foundation, providing you with an immediate network of peers working in a multitude of areas in social innovation.

Desired profile

Responsibilities
• Assisting with the planning, logistics and communications for our pilot programmes
• Using a mix of research methods to inform design of the Academy
• Brainstorming and business modelling
• Supporting the development of the curriculum content
• Helping design and build our online and written content

Requirements
• Excellent team skills and the ability to work flexibly
• Strong interest in or some experience of working in the fields of either international development, social entrepreneurship or public policy
• Strong administrative and organisational skills
• Confidence to discuss your own ideas with the team
• Ability to work individually and take initiative
• Some experience or interest in web development or design is desirable

How to apply
Internships are voluntary, unpaid roles. Applicants should be available for at least three days a week for three months. A work visa is not required.

We will reimburse travel costs to and from work (within London) and provide £5.00 per day as a food allowance. We will also cover any other expenses incurred in the course of your work.

To apply, please fill out the online form available at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GZBYCLB.

Timeline
• Application Deadline: 12 noon on Wednesday, 18 January
• Short-listed Candidates Notified: Friday, 20 January
• Interviews: Week of 23 January
• Internship: Three months beginning Monday, 30 January 2012 (flexible)