Work at a European NGO!

College students and new graduates have always been attractive

candidates for internships and starter positions at non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). These citizen groups are recognized as key policy
actors addressing issues of public good.

Originally published on the Ilkmade Careers blog.

Check out the original article for more information about Work at a European NGO!
Given their funding constraints, NGOs are constantly in need of interns
and entry level team-members. They seek candidates from a variety of
backgrounds whom are interested in international politics and policy-
making.
Most NGOs are dynamic, multi-cultural working environments, where
people learn from each other, making it a great place for International
Relations college graduates to begin their careers. By working for a
non-governmental organization, one can gain experience in teamwork,
communication, analysis, and other important skills featured in listings
for competitive jobs in the field of International Relations.
Why work for an international NGO?
There are thousands of NGOs in Europe, and their work includes a wide
range of activities, such as research, lobbying and advocacy, events
organizing and collaborating with other civil society groups and
national governments. At the international level, you’ll gain insight into
the specific challenges these NGOs face in moving their agendas
forward across governments and within international bodies.
While each European NGO might be an independent organization with
its own structure and mission, they are often connected to other NGOs
that have similar policy agendas in Europe and beyond. By working for
an NGO you can also get a glimpse into when and how NGOs work
together.
Do I need a visa?
This depends on a number of factors, such as your nationality and the
country that you are going to work in. Each country has its own visa
policy, which means that you need to consult with the local consulate
of your target country. If you plan to work in a place which is in the
Schengen area, keep in mind that, once you get a visa for a Schengen
member state, you will be free to travel across the whole Schengen
area for the entire duration of your visa.
For graduates interested in these exciting opportunities to work at the
European level, we’ve compiled a list of 10 European NGOs for you to
explore (many not surprisingly operating in the European Union capital
of Brussels). *For non-European citizens, internships under 3 months do
not require a work or visiting visa.
Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) – London
CAAT’s purpose is to eliminate international arms trade. This
organization employs a small team of paid staff for its day-to-day
administration tasks, but it relies on a large number of volunteers to
carry out campaigns. In addition, CAAT has a network of local groups
and contacts, including CAAT Universities Network.
Click here for more information about Campaign Against Arms Trade
International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and
Intersex Association (ILGA) – Geneva
If you specialize in international human rights or civil rights, why not work at an LGBTI group with a
global reach, such as ILGA?
ILGA was founded in 1978 as the International Gay Association and it has developed into a globally
respected NGO with a wide range of activities.
ILGA has a consultative status at the United Nations. In particular, it is involved with the Human
Rights Council, the Universal Periodic Review, the Treaty Bodies, the Special Procedures and the
Commission on the Status of Women. Other noteworthy activities are the Gender Identity and
Gender Expression Program, the ILGA World Conference and the organization’s participation in the
EU-funded “Protect Defenders” (ProtectDefenders.eu) program.
This NGO offers jobs, internships and volunteering opportunities. For information about job
opportunities and internships offered by ILGA, click here: https://ilga.org/jobs-internships .

Click here for volunteering opportunities at International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex
Association
International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) – Geneva
The International Committee of the Red Cross is one of most well known
NGOs in the world. Its headquarters are in Geneva, but it operates in 80
countries. The ICRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement.
ICRC is considered an independent and neutral organization which provides
humanitarian protection and assistance to victims of war and other forms of
violence and responds to situations of emergency. Moreover, the
organization works for the promotion of respect for international law and its
implementation in national law.
As one of the largest NGOs in the world, ICRC offers a wide range of
opportunities globally and there is always a need for new staff and
volunteers. Click here for more information about those opportunities
at International Committee of the Red Cross
Oxfam – Oxford
Oxfam is a British charity based in Oxford, UK. Oxfam defines itself as an
“international confederation of 19 organizations working together with partners
and local communities in more than 90 countries”.
Oxfam has the following objectives:
• Fighting poverty and its causes;
• Rebuilding after a crisis; and
• Ensuring that the voices of low-income people are heard by the national
authorities.
This NGO is involved in a wide range of issues and hence they offer numerous
opportunities that match with the profile of an International Relations graduate. As
an Oxfam employee or volunteer, you will work in a truly global and diverse
environment.
Click here for more information about working with Oxfam
Amnesty International – London
Although it is based in London, Amnesty International is a non-
governmental organization with a global reach thanks to its worldwide
network of regional offices. The mission of Amnesty International is the
promotion of human rights through research, campaigning, and
lobbying.
Amnesty International has plenty of paid and volunteering
opportunities all over the world and it is a great employer for an
International Relations graduate.
Click here for more information on careers at Amnesty International.
WWF European Policy Office – Brussels
WWF is one of the oldest and most active environmental NGOs in the world. Its
mission is to “stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build
a future in which humans live in harmony with nature”.
WWF has founded a European policy office for two reasons. First, the EU is
considered responsible for more than 80% of the member states’ environmental
legislation. Second, the organization is a large international environmental player; it
participates in international inter-governmental forums with an environmental
impact, such as the World Trade Organization and is involved in international
environmental agreements, such as the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
As a volunteer or paid employee for WWF, you will be part of a multi-cultural and
interdisciplinary working environment with global impact and global reach.
Click here for more about careers with the WWF European Policy Office.
European Disability Forum (EDF) – Brussels
The European Disability Forum is an umbrella NGO that brings together a number of European disability NGOs. EDF was created in
1999 by its member organizations.
The mission of EDF is to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy “full inclusion in society and access to the human rights”.
To accomplish its mission, EDF works with a plethora of bodies, namely:
• Its active members across Europe;
• Other NGOs fighting for equality and non-discrimination;
• EU institutions and agencies;
• EU Presidencies and permanent representatives of states to the EU;
• The Council of Europe;
• The United Nations and its bodies;
• The International Disability Alliance; and
• The International Disability and Development Consortium.

EDF offers ordinary vacancies, internships, as well as PhD research opportunities. For more information, follow this link:
http://www.edf-feph.org/work-us
European Environmental Bureau (EEB) –
Brussels
The European Environmental Bureau is considered the largest network of environmentalists in Europe; around
150 organizations in more than 30 European countries function under the umbrella of this NGO.
According to its official website, the EEB stand for “sustainable development, environmental justice and
participatory democracy”.
EEB offers different paid opportunities, depending on the subject that you are interested in. It is noteworthy
that they are one of the few European NGOs that pay their interns.
Some of the issues that this NGO works on are the following:
Communications;
• Air, Biodiversity and Nanotechnology;
• Chemicals, Ecological and Product Policy;
• Law enforcement and noise; and
• Waste and water.

For more info about opportunities with EBB, click here.

Platform for International Cooperation on
Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) – Brussels
PICUM is a European NGO whose objective is to respond to undocumented migrants’
situations and to provide a platform to engage policymakers and the general public in the
realization of undocumented migrants’ rights.
This NGO is based in Brussels and cooperates with a big number of other NGOs, such as
the Child Rights Action Group, the Coalition to End Violence against Women and Girls, and
the EU Alliance for a Democratic, Social and Sustainable European Semester.
Apart from regular vacancies, PICUM run the following paid traineeship programs:
• Policy and Advocacy
• Communications
They also offer interesting, unpaid, work-from-home volunteering opportunities which
cover a wide range of tasks, such as translation, research and design. All you need to do in
order to join is to sign up and state the amount of time that you would like to devote.
For more information, click here: https://picum.org/employment-and-internships
To check out the volunteering opportunity, click here: https://picum.org/get-involved
European Network Against Racism (ENAR) –
Brussels
ENAR is a pan-European anti-racist network whose mission is to end
structural racism and discrimination in Europe, as well as to alter positively
the lives of people who are members of ethnic and religious minorities.
Apart from paid vacancies and student placements, ENAR also offers unpaid,
online volunteering opportunities.
For more information about working with ENAR, click
here: https://www.enar-eu.org/Get-involved

For the online volunteering opportunity offered by ENAR, click

here: https://www.enar-eu.org/Volunteer-for-us-156
These are just ten European level NGOs for international politics
graduates to explore. This article highlights some a variety of positions,
types of employment and issue areas – it all depends on what you are
interested in! So, who’s up for a working adventure in Europe?
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