Internship Program
As an Assistant Organiser at the Alliance you will be mentored by a Community Organiser to organise for the common good of international students. The current agenda includes social isolation, work rights, regulating education providers, housing and evictions, welfare and issues relating to international student’s wellbeing. The Alliance has been supporting the creation of Oz International Student Hub, created by international student leaders from different backgrounds to provide a welcome, support and justice.
Your experience will vary widely and you will work in a team with the other interns of diverse cultural backgrounds and with others members in the Alliance network. You will learn about strategy, politics and put into practice the power of community organising.
If you care about power and inequality, human rights and social justice, come and learn how to build and exercise cooperative power.
Interns are tasked with expanding and deepening the relationships, listening and power of the Sydney Alliance. The Alliance internship is unique and will push you in your understanding of relational power, leadership, self-interest and action. You will be asked to put into practice what we reflect and learn in trainings.
You will complete a range of activities that may include administration, research, recruitment, organising, public speaking, writing, media, campaigning, small group facilitation, assembly preparation and execution and research-action meetings with academics, experts, government institutions, private sector and civil society organisations.
For the duration of the internship, you will be encouraged to contribute to discussions and put yourself forward as other leaders in the Sydney Alliance would - except where organisers have explicitly asked you to observe. In those situations, interns are encouraged to think about raising questions and comments in rigorous evaluation of what they have just observed.
Once oriented, interns are expected to contribute independently and need less guidance as the internship progresses, you will be required to be actively participate and engage in your own community. The interns group will be guided through reflections for the first weeks of the placement.
You will be supervised by a Community Organiser and will consult closely with colleagues about different projects. Interns will be exposed to a wide range of leaders from various faith, union and community sector backgrounds and will be active in neighbourhoods across different parts of Sydney.
Placement responsibilities and expectations:
Punctual to all agreed meetings
Wear professional dress at all Sydney Alliance meetings
Email report activities and hours once a fortnight to the Community Organiser
Activities will be completed in a timely manner. Where issues arise, the intern will speak first with the Organiser or the appropriate staff member
Placements are in charge of their own workload, and communicating effectively when they are at or near their capacities. Placements should be aware of deadlines and be active planners and action takers
Readings are to be completed before reflection meetings
Placements will, in conjunction with Sydney Alliance staff and team leaders, be proactive in advancing the work of the Sydney Alliance in the empowerment of international students
At the end of the internship, placements will:
Be competent at relational meetings
Be competent at facilitating listening campaigns and online meetings
Be able to speak publicly about their story
Be able to manage a small team of volunteers
Have made a significant contribution to the power and leadership of Sydney Alliance
Have developed professional relationships with fellow interns, volunteer leaders and staff and leaders across Sydney
Understand mid-range community organising theory and practice and be skilled in explaining how it connects to social work theory and practice
Made a significant difference in the future of international education in Australia
Graduate and be an alumnus of the Sydney Alliance Internship program
Campaigns and projects you may be involved in:
Compulsory Activities:
Interns Induction
Sydney Alliance Council Meeting
Sydney Alliance Leaders retreat
Foundations Training: 2-day training, find out more here.
Group Meetings: Initially weekly, then fortnightly check-ins with your supervising Community Organiser
Colleagues: Reflection meetings with other interns
Taste of organising: Each intern will be asked to demonstrate participation in a team, effort or initiative related to one of the Alliance’s issue areas
Graduation: Interns work as a team to organise their own graduation as an “action” supported by Sydney Alliance and Sydney Community Forum
Examples of reflection group readings (readings to be sent):
Roots for Radicals, Chapter 1: World as it is, World as it should be. Ed Chambers
Roots for Radicals Chapter 2: The Relational meeting. Ed Chambers
What is Public Narrative? Marshall Ganz
Origins of Organising, Luke Bretherton
Tactics, Saul Alinksy
Assembling in Solidarity, Austen Ivereigh
Can I participate in this internship as an international student or temporary worker visa?
Yes. The Sydney Alliance has designed this voluntary leadership and education experience within the frameworks of all visa categories. You will be supported by Sydney Alliance’s public liability insurance while acting as a volunteer for the Alliance. The Sydney Alliance is an extremely well recognised civil society organisation working for the common good of all Sydneysiders.
Next Steps:
Please contact us to find out more information or find out about other ways to join us