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AIIA WORK OPPORTUNITIES |
Become more involved in the Institute's activities and discover the benefits.
The AIIAV relies on volunteers and active members to assist with a wide range of activities including fundraising, events, publicity and administration in order to further the work of the AIIA in encouraging discourse on international affairs. Responding to high demand and a growing need for volunteer work, the AIIAV selects new volunteer work opportunities in many aspects of the Institute's operations and advertises them online.
As a not-for-profit organisation, the AIIA is limited to one paid employee in Victoria, but volunteer work experience can lead to outside opportunities and has strengthened past volunteers' chances of employment.
Members and non-members are welcome to apply for all positions.
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What is an AIIAV Volunteer? |
Volunteers at the AIIA can participate in a number of ways: single events (e.g. the International Careers Conference), regularly (e.g. event program, library), committees, university-based internship (e.g. voluntary work placement). For further information on internships, click here.
Volunteers need to demonstrate that they can be independent, conscientious and proactive participants at the AIIAV. Good communication skills are essential. Students and interest non-members are welcome to apply and become familiar with the AIIAV.
We have been inundated with interest for volunteer work. In order to cope with demand, we have merged the formerly separate volunteer and intern programs and created an online space here to advertise individual work opportunities at the AIIAV. Ongoing volunteer positions advertised involve specific tasks and weekly time commitments. Past positions include Office Assistant, Library Assistant, Publicity Assistant and Event Volunteer.
While we do not always have positions available, we welcome interested individuals to contact us by email, phone or in person and sometimes we engage individuals on a case by case basis.
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Benefits |
- Discover how a members-based non-government organisation such as the AIIAV functions
- Demonstrate your interest in international affairs to future employers
- Network with like-minded people interested in world affairs and careers
- Attend seminars and meet speakers
- Meet and Interact with AIIAV members, experts and professionals in an intimate environment
- Use this as a 'stepping stone' to the next career opportunity
- Variety - use tasks and skills in communication, problem-solving, research and management
- Develop your professional and academic skills - e.g. project management, event coordination, briefing papers, critical and strategic thinking
- For interns, documentation of your internship is provided by the university program, and a verbal reference is provided by the AIIAV for 6-12 months.
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Current Availabilities |
As of 29 April 2008, there are no current availabilities for volunteer work in the AIIAV office.
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Internships |
AIIAV work opportunities can constitute an internship when organised through a university program.
Depending on the AIIAV's activities, the Institute can have one internship per Australian university semester. A minimum 60-hour work placement, depending on the candidate and university, the AIIAV internship is not usually a university enrolment but some local universities, such as Deakin, Melbourne and La Trobe, have undergraduate programs for voluntary work placement. We recommend candidates contact the relevant university representative before contact the AIIAV.
While covering many aspects of the administrative tasks at the AIIAV, the internship can also be project-based. Most activities are involved in the office administration and organisational management, event coordination, some event-related research, and publicity of the AIIA and its activities. Past interns have been involved in the International Careers Conference, event publicity, the ACCESS career mentoring program, the website and the specialist library.
If a candidate wishes to undertake a project-based internship, they need to contact the AIIAV to discuss it further over the phone and then they need to submit a 1-2 page proposal outlining the project, its relevance to the AIIA and the candidate, and a 3-4 phase plan of tasks to be undertaken. Such project-based internships are usually arranged with the candidate's university.
Internships are usually organised through local universities, but we do encourage outside proposals from candidates. AIIAV members of at least 6 months with a demonstrated interest in the AIIAV will be given preference over non-members. However, interested non-members are welcome to apply and become acquainted with the AIIAV.
Before beginning the internship, the successful candidate is required to outline their objectives and expectations of the project in a 1-2 page brief. This helps him/her to remain focused during the internship and to provide reflection at the end of the placement when the Executive Officer and intern discuss the candidate's performance and successes.
Supervised by the Executive Officer, an AIIAV intern is required to spend 5-10 hours per week over 8-16 weeks at Dyason House assisting the Executive Officer and relevant Council members. Most activities are held at Dyason House on weekdays, with occasional events held offsite in the inner city. Interns can come in for full-day or half day sessions between 9.30am and 4.30pm.
Here are the key objectives of AIIAV internships -
- Improve the administration of the AIIAV in organisational management, marketing and publicity, and events coordination.
- Increase the profile of the AIIA in Melbourne and Victoria. To strengthen the AIIA’s appeal to a new generation of members and make the Institute more accessible to young people.
- Encourage increased participation of young members in the AIIA’s discussion of international affairs and their continued membership of the Institute.
- Provide young members with the opportunity to contribute to the work of the AIIAV and to apply their skills and knowledge in a non-partisan organization.
- Contribute to the development of student members’ full potential and their professional skills in networking, communication, analysis, marketing, problem-solving and project management.
- Help participants demonstrate their professional skills, motivation and interest in international affairs to future employers with short-term and long-term opportunities.
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Availabilities |
There is no formal application process, however, AIIAV internships are available on an ad hoc basis and depend on the AIIAV workload and program. When positions are open, they will be advertised on this site.
As of 29 April 2008, the AIIAV has no internship positions.
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(last updated 15/06/08)
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