Applications Open for the Doctors Without Borders Community Engagement and Advocacy Internship

Doctors without Borders (MSF) invites South African unemployed graduates to apply for Community Engagement and Advocacy Internship Programme 2024.

Background

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Southern Africa is looking for a Community Engagement and Advocacy Intern to join their Johannesburg office in 2025. This internship offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to MSF’s humanitarian mission by engaging with communities, conducting research, and supporting advocacy efforts in key health areas such as HIV/TB, migration, climate change, and more.

If you are passionate about healthcare, advocacy, and social impact, and you have the skills and drive to support humanitarian work, this internship could be the perfect opportunity for you.

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About MSF: A Global Humanitarian Mission

MSF Southern Africa is part of the global network of Doctors Without Borders, providing medical humanitarian assistance in crisis areas worldwide. MSF teams work on the frontlines in over 70 countries, offering medical care to people affected by conflict, epidemics, and disasters.

In South Africa, MSF is committed to raising awareness of key health issues, such as HIV, TB, migration, and access to healthcare, through advocacy and community engagement. By bearing witness to the experiences of those they assist, MSF mobilizes public support to drive change and advocate for the most vulnerable populations.

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Responsibilities

• Conduct primary mapping, information gathering, research, analysis, and writing on specific health-related thematics, such as HIV/TB, migration, NHI, climate change etc., dependent on the needs of projects or the Johannesburg office.
• Assist with monitoring, analysing, verifying, and updating key information and data concerning the specific health-related thematic areas, ensuring to generate credible analysis that is evidence-based.
• Monitor online xenophobia incidents, corroborate, and verify incidents, log incidents on the MSF GIS platform, and liaise with other data encoders from partners organisations.
• Assist with interagency meetings related to xenophobic incident mapping.
• Support analysis and strategies for community engagement/working with communities and documenting good practices on community engagement and related work.
• Support the development of community engagement tools for CBO capacity-building needs.
• Assist in mapping and assessing international and national funding opportunities for both local and regional CBOs.
• Create and maintain a good up to date electronic filing system of key documents that can be shared and accessed by field advocacy teams and the OSU team.
• Assist with administrative tasks on working with CBOs and Projects.
• Assist with administrative tasks for the unit, including sitting on office working groups on specific topics (knowledge management, data privacy) and implementing for the unit.
• Other research and advocacy tasks as needed on an ad hoc basis.
  Maintain a stakeholder database (comprising of key stakeholders such as civil society, government officials, MSF staff etc.).

Conference, Meetings, and Advocacy Events:

• Assist with organizing meetings, conferences, trainings, and workshops with CBOs/CSOs and other key stakeholders.
• Manage conference call, meetings, and workshop notes and minutes.

Administration:

• Assist with the development of advocacy-related materials, liaise with designers and printers.
• Coordinate the printing and shipping of advocacy-related materials, reports,
• Conduct regular media monitoring of print, online and broadcast outlets through online content monitoring services, newspaper subscription and online media alerts of advocacy and community engagement related developments.

Requirements:

• Commitment to MSF’s core principles.
• Minimum university graduate or postgraduate student, ideally in Social Sciences, Public Health, Politics, International Relations, or related field, or with a demonstrable interest in working in the health policy analysis, community engagement and advocacy field.
• Interest/experience or knowledge of qualitative research, data collection, and analysis.
• A good understanding of conducting context analysis within the socio-cultural, political, economic, and geographic scope.
• Knowledge and understanding of local and regional civil society work.
• Preferred demonstrable experience or demonstrable strong interest in working with communities at grassroots level.
• Interest in national and global health policy and organizations, with particular interest in HIV/TB, access to medicines, health impact of the climate crisis, migration, xenophobia, etc.
• Knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint essential.
• Excellent networking, diplomacy, and negotiation skills.
• Good analytical and writing skills with attention to detail.
• Creative social media skills
• Creative and highly flexible approach to work, and ability to work within a team, multi-task and good stress management skills and ability to deal with the high workload at specific times.Remuneration and resources:
• Resources needed such as working space, computer, internet, stationery, and other resources will be made available.
• Monthly Stipend: R 5000.
• 100% Medical aid contribution.
• Transport allowance.
• Cell Phone Allowance.

How to Apply

Click here to apply.

NB: Information

The protection of your personal data is important to MSF SnA. By submitting your application, you consent to MSF using your personal data only for the recruitment process to have all the information and documents necessary to proceed with the recruitment, validation of your application and selection of the most suitable candidate. Your personal data will be treated confidentially. MSF SnA will not use your personal data in any other way not foreseen for purposes of recruitment.

MSF values diversity and is committed to create an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, and all other diversity characteristics.

Closing Date: 13 January 2025