EU Policy and Advocacy Intern

SOS Children's Villages, founded in 1949, is the world's largest non-governmental organization focused on supporting children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it.

Child neglect, abuse and abandonment is everywhere. Families are at risk of separation. Locally led, we work in more than 130 countries and territories to strengthen families who are under pressure so they can stay together. When this is not in a child or young person's best interests, we provide quality care according to their unique needs.

Together with partners, donors, communities, children, young people and families, we enable children to grow up with the bonds they need to develop and become their strongest selves. We speak up for each child's rights and advocate for change so all children can grow up in a supportive environment.

Location: Brussels (Belgium)

Duration: 6 months (with possibility of extension to 12 months)

Mission

SOS Children’s Villages International is the umbrella organisation for the global federation of SOS Children’s Villages. As a non-governmental social development organisation, we help children without parental care and families in difficult living conditions through services in care, education, health and emergency relief, and we advocate for children’s rights. We work in 136 countries and territories, reaching over one million children, young people, families and caregivers each year.

Today, we are seeking a dynamic EU Policy and Advocacy Assistant (internship) to support the engagement of the SOS Children’s Villages federation towards the EU and advocate for the promotion and protection of the rights of our target group. The team of the SOS Children’s Villages International EU Representation is based in Brussels and is currently composed of 9 employees. The main working language is English.

Tasks & Responsibilities

• Supports the implementation of SOS Children’s Villages advocacy work to influence EU policies, legislative processes and practices and to advance the rights of children without or at risk of losing parental care across Europe and worldwide.
• Monitors, researches, analyzes, reports and informs about EU policy, legal and institutional developments regarding children’s rights, and in particular the rights of children without or at risk of losing parental care, both inside the EU and worldwide.
• Helps identifying new relevant advocacy opportunities.
• Supports all aspects of the organisation of internal and external meetings and events.
• Attends relevant internal and external meetings, takes notes and reports back to the EU advocacy team and other internal stakeholders.
• Supports the development/drafting, formatting, proofreading and dissemination of external and internal policy and advocacy material.
• Assists the Representative to the EU and the EU Advocacy advisor to coordinate with all relevant SOS Children’s Villages teams and Member Associations, as well as in liaising with other NGOs, networks and child-rights coalitions.
• Performs other duties as needed, such as updating and maintaining SOS Children’s Villages’ database of key EU stakeholders, supports stakeholders mapping, supports with organizing travel, translating, proofreading, verifying references, summarizing, and helping with presentational as well as administrative tasks.

Requirements

Essential:

• University degree or relevant experience in International Relations, Political Sciences, EU Policies, International Development, Human Rights, Social Sciences pr any other relevant degree
• Good understanding of the EU institutions and policy-making processes
• Good knowledge of the EU Institutions and/or previous experience in advocacy to advance child rights is a strong asset
• Great research, analytical, reporting and strategic thinking skills
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Excellent coordination and organization skills, including ability to plan, organize and deliver results
• Skills in flexibility and being a team-player
• Fluency in written and spoken English, basic understanding of French
• Permission to live and work in the EU

Desirable:

• Knowledge of EU policy areas relevant to SOS Children’s Villages’ work, e.g., social policies, children’s rights, humanitarian and development aid
• Experience in advocacy
• Experience organising public events and conferences
• Knowledge of other European languages

We offer

• Compensation EUR 1.100 net per month
• Monthly subscription to local transportation
• Meal vouchers
• A diverse range of interesting tasks in a leading INGO multicultural working environment
• 6 months internship following the Convention d’immersion professionelle, according to Belgian labour law

If you are interested in this position, please submit your application with CV and a motivation letter (max. 1 page) in English by the 31st of January 2023 at the latest to frini.ezunkpe@sos-kd.org

Interviews will take place on 9 and 10 February 2023. Due to the high level of responses, SOS Children’s Villages can only respond to shortlisted candidates.