QES internship opportunities

The Environmental Legal Clinic Chiang Mai University (ELC CMU) is part of the Faculty of Law and has the following objectives:

• To provide assistance and legal services to the public, communities and society that have environmental legal problems that affect the public and public interest.
• To be a source of learning and training for students to have skills in studying clinical legal education in environmental law.

The ELC works with civil society in the North of Thailand to identify environmental and resource issues and works with clients to solve such issues by emphasizing the promotion of problem solving from an environmental rights perspective.

Position description:

• Research Chiang Mai City Electricity Wire Management Project and Coal Mining case and provide reports
• Exchanging ideas with other students and class discussions
• Legal service observation (field trips)
• Participate in network organization activities

Position-specific eligibility:

In addition to the core eligibility criteria for the CAPI QES programs, prospective interns would benefit from the following:

• Strong writing, research and analytical skills;
• Good communication skills, including listening, report writing, and editing documents with sensitivity to cultural differences;
• Excellent organizational, multi-tasking, and project-management skills;
• Willingness to learn new things;
• Adaptable and curious about new environments, cultures and people;
• Understanding and respect for diversity;
• Basic knowledge or have interest in environmental law and policy;
• Interest in environmental justice.

Foundation for Education and Development FED works to EMPOWER Burmese families in Myanmar and Thailand to achieve their basic human rights. FED has 4 focus areas, Education, Migrant Support, Healthcare, and the Environment. FED’s vision - Marginalized Burmese people living at home and abroad achieve their basic rights. Since 2000, FED has actively worked to turn rights into reality for Burmese and ethnic minority migrants in Thailand.

Position description:

As an intern, you will play a key role in supporting the centre’s educational program, environmental initiatives, and general operations. This is an excellent opportunity for individuals passionate about education, community programming, environmental advocacy, and cross-cultural learning to contribute meaningfully while gaining hands-on experience. Internes will be involved with:

Educational Support:

• Assist in teaching English, and other subjects to students of varying ages and abilities.
• Lead or support extracurricular activities such as sports, art, and music.
• Provide one-on-one tutoring and support students with their learning challenges.

Environmental Projects:

• Participate in and organize beach clean-ups and other environmental activities aimed at preserving the local ecosystem.
• Assist in creating educational materials that promote environmental awareness and sustainability among students.

Administrative Support:

• Provide administrative assistance to the Learning Centre, including report writing, filing, and organizing workshops or events.
• Support fundraising efforts by helping plan and execute fundraising activities, both locally and online.
• Contribute to general office tasks as needed, including maintaining accurate records and reporting on project outcomes.

Social Media & Communications:

• Assist in managing the Centre’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) by creating and posting content.
• Help promote the Centre’s initiatives through digital marketing, storytelling, and community engagement.
• Assist in writing reports or blog posts that highlight the Centre’s activities and successes.

Workshops & Special Projects:

• Help organize and run workshops for students, focusing on personal development, health, hygiene, and environmental awareness.
• Assist with ongoing projects as needed, ensuring flexibility and a can-do attitude in tackling various challenges.

Community Engagement:

• Support community outreach programs and build positive relationships with students, parents, and local partners.
• Help facilitate collaboration between the Learning Centre and other local organizations, especially in environmental and educational projects.

Position-specific eligibility:

In addition to the core eligibility criteria for the CAPI QES  program, prospective interns would benefit from the following:

• Passionate about education, environmental sustainability, and community work.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and adapt to different learning styles and needs.
• Experience in social media, marketing, or administration is a plus.
• Willingness to take on a variety of tasks and work independently when needed.
• Enthusiastic, proactive, and flexible approach to problem-solving.

Disaster Education Promotion Office (DEPO) is a non-profit organization promoting disaster education and preparedness in Nepal. DEPO was established in 2022 to conduct training and workshops on disaster preparedness, develop educational materials for schools and communities, mobilize youths for disaster preparedness activities, and conduct research in disaster, climate change adaptation, and environmental protection.

DEPO manages the Mitra Disaster Risk Reduction Learning Center (MDRRLC), which provides hands-on learning experiences on disaster education based on localized Japan's concept of disaster prevention education. The center is open to all interested in disaster education, focusing on schools, communities, governments, the private sector, NGOs, and the international community.

DEPO works with various local governments and civil society organizations, particularly in promoting Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Education Promotion activities through training, game design and distribution, workshops, and visits at Mitra DRR Learning Center, a Unit of DEPO. Multiple programs are organized throughout the year, depending upon the needs of the schools, communities, and municipalities.

DEPO’s main focus is providing schools and communities with training on disaster risk reduction and conducting various workshops and events in related fields.

Position description:

The intern is responsible for:

• preparing reports on training, events, and programs and presenting them in a publishable form
• updating activities on websites and social media
• developing content for social media related to events, training, workshops, and tours at Mitra DRR Learning Center

and will assist the other staff in:

• organizing training and events, conducting/ facilitating meetings with government and non-government agencies, and taking meeting minutes
• working with the chairperson to develop grant proposals, organizational development strategies, marketing strategies, and fundraising activities 

Position-specific eligibility:

In addition to the core eligibility criteria for the CAPI QES program, prospective interns would benefit from the following:

• Strong writing, research and analytical skills;
• Good communication skills, including listening, report writing, and editing documents with sensitivity to cultural differences;
• Excellent organizational, multi-tasking, and project-management skills;
• Skills or experience working with young children, making teaching plans, knowledge of information dissemination

The Malaysian Social Research Institute (MSRI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the poor, marginalized and politically under-represented people from the local communities they serve (refugees and asylum seekers from Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Pakistan Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Afghanistan). MSRI has three main programs QEScholars would work on:

1. Women and Girls Protection Project (WAGAR) provides health programming to refugee women and girls to improve mental and physical health outcomes. WAGAR provides the opportunity and space to safely share their experiences including concerns about their mental health, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
2. MSRI Education Program. Since there are very limited options for education available for refugees and asylum seekers living in Malaysia. MSRI's education program provides schooling for refugees and asylum seekers from preschool to secondary level students.
3. Food Aid Programme that distributes food to refugee families registered with MSRI.

Position description:

The Education Intern will be assisting the Education Programme Manager in setting up and running of MSRI’s Education programme for the 2025 school year and assisting with MSRI's community facilitation and empowerment programmes for adults (teachers, parents, guardians):

• Monitoring daily activities, formulating reports and school updates
• Formulating/reviewing school registration policies, school rules/regulations and standing operating procedures
• Reviewing of curriculum and printing of school books
• Monitoring/organising of extracurricular activities/trips
• Setting up a system to connect secondary school students with higher education opportunities
• Designing and implementing a feedback system and conducting feedback surveys for clients
• Planning and organizing activities and supporting administrative work
• Supporting the teachers and students in the classroom
• Organize afterschool activities and clubs

Position-specific eligibility:

In addition to the core eligibility criteria for the CAPI QES program (see above), prospective interns would benfit from the following:

• Strong writing, research and analytical skills;
• Good communication skills, including listening, report writing, and editing documents with sensitivity to cultural differences;
• Understanding of how and when to work independently and/or collaboratively;
• Ability to take initiative where appropriate;
• Excellent organizational, multi-tasking, and project-management skills;
• Commitment to, and knowledge of refugee and migration related issues;
• Curiosity, a willingness to be challenged, an open-mind and commitment.

The Karenni Social Development Center (KSDC) is a small community-based organisation located on the Thai-Myanmar border. KSDC provides education and training programs for Karenni youth in Human Rights, Democracy, Law, Environment, Leadership, Community Management, IT, and English. KSDC students go on to work with organisations in the community, including the Karenni Refugee Committee, Camp Justice, Karenni National Women’s Organisation (KNOW) and the Legal Assistance Center. KSDC also runs mobile trainings inside Karenni State aimed at promoting grassroots change. The KSDC's training program aims to spread knowledge and skills regarding human rights, environment and law on the Thai-Burma border. For most of the participants, the programs offered by KSDC are their only opportunity to access education and training.

Students at the Karenni Social Development Center are refugees from Karenni (Kayah) State, Burma. These students have been severely marginalized by the violence of the Burmese regime and the ongoing civil war, now running for over 60 years. The school provides students with the education and opportunity to produce non-violent change within their communities and create a free and democratic society within Karenni State. KSDC's goal is to improve the lives of Karenni refugees by enabling youth to become advocates in non-violent social change, and equipping them with the tools they need to be leaders in their communities and to help build a peaceful, democratic society, based on the rule of law.

Position description

The intern selected will be involved in teaching KDSC’s Advanced Community Training Course. The Advanced Community Training Course is a six-month course specifically aimed at equipping KSDC students with the skills needed to become advocates and activists for the Karenni people as they strive towards a free and democratic future.

The subjects and teaching are practical and provide the skills for grassroots change. The students speak English at an intermediate level, meaning subjects should be provided in simple English. The students will have already taken a ten-month basic course in English and will have an elementary grasp of legal aspects related to the rule of law, constitutional law and refugees. This position would include programming areas such as:

• teaching English, 4 hours daily for 18-20 students
• facilitating workshops on consultations, project planning, report writing, office management, proposal writing
• supporting local teachers and students with their curriculum and work

The intern selected will be involved in teaching KDSC’s Advanced Community Training Course. The Advanced Community Training Course is a six-month course specifically aimed at equipping KSDC students with the skills needed to become advocates and activists for the Karenni people as they strive towards a free and democratic future.

The subjects and teaching are practical and provide the skills for grassroots change. The students speak English at a basic level, meaning subjects should be provided in simple English. The students will have already taken a ten-month basic course in English and will have an elementary grasp of legal aspects related to the rule of law, constitutional law and refugees. This position is primarily responsible for teaching English, supporting the students with their homework and support the local teachers who are providing most of the content in their local languages.

Living and working at the school:

As an intern you will be expected to live and work alongside the students and staff of the KSDC. The students board at the school during the week and they are responsible for the basic daily running of the school. They cook three rice-based meals a day, and have a daily rota for the chores. Living and working together with the students creates a strong sense of togetherness and community which makes for a good teaching atmosphere. It also makes it easier to get to know everyone.

The washing facilities are very basic. There is no running or hot water; however, there are two community basins filled with river water where students and teachers bathe and do laundry. There is also a private area for bathing.

There are three tiny family shops around the school, as well as many local shops in Nai Soi village nearby. The nearest large town is Mae Hong Son (where interns will initially arrive) which is 20 km away and is easily reached by Songthaew (bus like public transport) or motorbike. Mae Hong Son is a tourist destination so has all modern conveniences available.

Life is very simple at the school in terms of facilities, but it's very rewarding and engaging. Interns will have the opportunity to be part of the school's close-knit community.

Position-specific eligibility:

In addition to the core eligibility criteria for the CAPI QES programs, prospective interns would benefit from the following:

• a strong work ethic and willingness to learn
• teaching experience or a strong interest in working with youth
• curiosity, commitment, open-mindedness
• experience and relative comfort with living remotely or with limited amenities close by.

The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW), registered as the Alliance Against Traffic in Women Foundation, is a think-tank, and a progressive Alliance committed to work for changes in the political, economic, social, and legal systems and structures which contribute to the persistence of trafficking in persons and other human rights violations in the context of migratory movements for diverse purposes, including security of labour and livelihood.

We have member organisations based in different parts of the world. The International Secretariat (GAATW-IS), the office where the internship will be stationed, is based in Bangkok, Thailand, and has a small and committed team. The work of GAATW-IS is in the areas of research, international advocacy, mutual learning, and political education of women workers. We also publish a bi-annual peer reviewed journal, the Anti-Trafficking Review. While member organisations work with women, children, men and gender-diverse people, GAATW-IS has always focussed on the rights of adult women in the context of labour migration.

Position description:

• Assist and support the GAATW team in research and communication activities.
• Participate in and contribute to various meetings and functions in and around the office.
• Take notes and provide logistical support.
• Prepare meeting kits, schedules, itineraries, and multi-media presentations.
• Fact-check articles for Anti-Trafficking Review.

Position-specific eligibility:

In addition to the core eligibility criteria for the CAPI QES program, prospective interns would benefit from the following:

• Strong communication, research, and analytical skills with sensitivity to cultural differences;
• Excellent organisational skills, multi-tasking, and the willingness to take initiative where appropriate;
• Some knowledge of, and interest in, anti-trafficking frameworks, particularly with regards to issues of gender, migration, and labour;
• Experience in qualitative research an asset;
• Knowledge of other languages is an asset.

The Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) is a Jakarta based think tank dedicated to providing policy analysis and practical policy recommendations to decision-makers within Indonesia’s legislative and executive branches of government.

As a non-partisan and non-profit think tank, CIPS promotes social and economic reforms that are based on the belief that only civil, political, and economic freedom allow Indonesia to prosper. CIPS shares updates, stories, and analysis internationally. The primary aim of the organization is to promote international dialogue and to encourage comparative research of key issues concerning Indonesia. Main research focus at CIPS includes the fields of Food Security & Agriculture, Economic Opportunities, Education & Life Skills, and Community Livelihoods.

Moreover, CIPS works to train new Indonesian talent in policy analysis and think tank management. With this, they endeavour to support the next generation of think tank leaders who promote a free and prosperous Indonesia.

CIPS has been hosting more than 20 local and international interns since the program started back in January 2016. Our former interns are now working at local media outlets, international embassies, research centers and other prestigious institutions. We are always fascinated to be inspired and to inspire young people to contribute to Indonesia’s economic and political development.nk">Anti-Trafficking Review. While member organisations work with women, children, men and gender-diverse people, GAATW-IS has always focussed on the rights of adult women in the context of labour migration.

Position description:

The main objective for the internship with CIPS is to introduce to young people how a think tank works, especially in local context. The program itself will provide full experience of a think tank, start from the operational side, research, also on communications and outreach advocacy. The selected intern will be involved in programming areas such as:

• Conducting and compiling literature-based research on issues related to CIPS key focus areas.
• Working with tools to compile and complete data entry.
• Developing and implementing communications strategies for various works of policy advocacy.
• Identifying best practices of key messaging based on different audience groups for media and fundraising.
• Creating content on different social media platforms and supporting platform maintenance.
• Administering and supporting think tank operations.
• Producing infographics and other data packages for use in CIPS meetings, advocacy work and media outreach.
• Assisting and help out CIPS programs and events such as workshops and research paper discussions.
• Collaborating with staff and other interns on projects and tasks as well as participation in team-oriented discussions.

Position-specific eligibility:

In addition to the core eligibility criteria for the CAPI QES program, prospective interns would benefit from the following:

• Strong writing, research and analytical skills;
• Good communication skills, including listening, report writing, and editing documents with sensitivity to cultural differences;
• Excellent organizational, multi-tasking, and project-management skills;
• Curiosity, a willingness to be challenged, an open mind and commitment;
• Knowledge and/or interest in Indonesian public policy an asset

Check out an instagram reel by Lauren Lum-Webb, 2024 CAPI intern at PACOS Trust.

PACOS Trust is a community-based organization based in Sabah, Malaysia that is dedicated to supporting Indigenous communities. Their aim is to engage and empower Indigenous peoples in the ongoing protection of their identities, lands, culture and traditions, PACOS serves as a bridge between the communities and government, as well as local and international bodies that highlight issues related to Indigenous peoples in Sabah.

Impacts in communities include: building and supporting Community Learning Centres (CLC) at the request of the villagers who see the benefit and need to have a CLC in their village; supporting and maintaining traditional knowledge; building community capacity to encourage sustainable socio-economic growth within communities so that they will achieve self-reliance and become more economically independent; training programs in leadership; creating jobs for women; increasing health and wellness outcomes; and educating communities on Indigenous rights.

Position description:

The main objective for the internship with PACOS Trust is for interns to learn about the various issues Indigenous peoples in Borneo face. Through this learning process, interns will help empower Indigenous peoples by participating in events and programs held by PACOS as well as visiting Indigenous communities and working on projects to support community initiatives. The internship is a mix of office-based work as well as field-based work, where the intern has an opportunity to collect research in the field to contribute to various projects. A large part of this internship is an immersive experience and most tasks happen during programs and events. Interns will:

• participate in any/all programs such as Indigenous people’s day, Indigenous youth celebration, Women’s empowerment event, finance training, etc.
• conduct research in villages to help support and maintain community knowledge. Past projects include Vertical U (community mapping) and the Centre of Excellence documentation project 
• Support Community Learning Centre’s (CLC) at the request of the community 
• Build community capacity to help encourage self-reliance and cultural revival of communities

Position specific eligibility:

In addition to the core eligibility criteria for the CAPI QES program, prospective interns would benefit from the following:

• Strong writing, research and analytical skills
• Good communication skills, including listening, report writing, and editing documents with sensitivity to cultural differences;
• Excellent organizational, multi-tasking, and project coordination skills;
• Curiosity, a willingness to be challenged, an open-mind and commitment;
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to the pace and ways of being of the local communities;
• Knowledge and/or interest in Indigenous and land based issues

Check out an instagram reel by Marcus Hougaard, 2024 CAPI intern at DAP.

Penampang DAP Service Centre serves the residents in Penampang, but more specifically in Kapayan. The focus of services are on information dissemination through online/printed media and social media; organizing communities and facilitating activities on the environment, culture, women and youth; and providing aid to individuals (disabled, elderly, poor) and community in needs. Penampang DAP Service Centre is happy to welcome interested, open minded and committed individuals to join our research and activities. With this, we endeavor to support intercultural relationships and networks which will contribute to more open and just communities.

The Service Centre focuses on programmes such as environment (community recycling, upcycling, composting, community work etc), culture & identity, women empowerment, youth development and social services.

Position description:

Penampang DAP Service Centre (PPA) is the office of elected official Jannie Lasimbang who serves district 25, Kepayan. The focus of the services provided include information dissemination through online/printed media and social media; organizing community events and facilitating activities on the environment, culture, women and youth; and providing aid to individuals (disabled, elderly, poor) and community in need. Penampang DAP Service Centre is happy to welcome interested, open minded and committed individuals to join the small office. DAP endeavors to support intercultural relationships and networks which will contribute to more open and just communities.

The selected intern will be involved in programming areas such as:

• Conducting research for current and future office endeavours which could include environmental projects, community engagement, education, empowering women and youth, and disaster relief. 
• Logistics of community events and assisting to organize those events
• Helping with social media / outreach materials for community events
• Attending community events and supporting elected officials while there
• Providing consultation on a variety of topics including environment (community recycling, upcycling, composting, community work etc), culture & identity, women empowerment, youth development and social services.

Position-specific eligibility:

In addition to the core eligibility criteria for the CAPI QES program, prospective interns would benefit from the following:

• Strong writing, research and analytical skills;
• Good communication skills, including listening, report writing, and editing documents with sensitivity to cultural differences;
• Excellent organizational, multi-tasking, and project-management skills;
• Curiosity, a willingness to be challenged, an open-mind and commitment;
• Knowledge and/or interest in the current Malaysian political climate.