About The Balkan Forum
The Balkan Forum (The BF) is a non-profit foundation that aspires to help transform the Western Balkan region into a unified force poised to act on the European and global stages. The BF promotes a resource efficient, greener, and more competitive Balkan region that is based on collaboration and diversity. It aims to utilize the region’s strengths, and each individual country’s comparative advantages, to catalyse innovation and development and to advance a shared vision for the region based on sustainable development, collective growth, and prosperity. The BF’s geographic focus is Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia. The following four broad thematic areas that have been identified as having a special dynamic in the Balkan region thus – presenting great opportunities for cooperation and joint development – form the framework of The BF initiative: (1) Education, (2) Energy and Environment, (3) Tourism and Infrastructure Development, (4) Human Capital and Labor Market.
We adopt a positive approach as the guiding principle for our activities; rather than re-emphasizing the problems that have divided the Balkan populations for many years now, we focus heavily on the positive elements that unite them.
The BF’s Internship Program
Our Internship Program is designed to provide opportunities to interns to further their career goals, while helping us implement our mission and values. Internship Program focuses on important aspects of our work thus we rely on the invaluable knowledge and skills that interns bring to The BF team to help us deliver on areas of strategic importance and priorities. The program allows space for knowledge sharing and collaboration, and encourages joint work on concrete responses to complex challenges and on strategies to seize emerging opportunities.
Throughout our Internship Program interns will gain experience, work collaboratively, make connections, learn about different thematic areas, develop skills, and assess their interest and abilities. We will provide them with experience of working in a team and of a busy and varied office environment; and an opportunity to develop fundraising, communications, administrative, and leadership skills.
Most of intern’s time is spent working at BF’s office in Prishtina (will possibility of travel in the region, as appropriate), and given varying responsibilities as foreseen with the Internship Program. Interns will work closely with the team to gain a fuller understanding of their work and the work of the organisation in promoting and advancing regional cooperation in specific issue areas.
Interns are generally recruited for a three to six months period, on a part or full time basis, to an intern appropriate programme of activity, and we are happy to work around existing study/work commitments of interns.
The interns will be evaluated at the end of the contract and due recognition of work will be issued in writing.
The BF strives to be an equal opportunities employer and welcomes interns from all sections of society regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability. We also seek to provide an environment where interns and staff can be appropriately supported over time.
The Balkan Forum seeks dynamic and detail-oriented interns interested in gaining experience in social/media, administration, fundraising, partnership development, research, advocacy, IT and Web design.
Location: Pristina, Kosovo
Hours: part and full time
Duration: 3 – 6 months
Compensation: This is an unpaid/voluntary internship. The BF is unfortunately not in the position to cover any costs related to the internship.
Main duties and responsibilities
The interns will provide support to the team with and working towards setting and achieving organisational priorities the targets. Interns will be involved in organizing and implementing activities related to their specific Job Descriptions (JD’s), as well as assist with conferences, research, and other regional events, including travel to countries of our geographic focus. Specific JD’s will be agreed within one week of the commencement of Internships to ensure that we are maximising the potential for the Internship Program to benefit both the interns and the organisation.
A typical day might involve
- Creating and updating a database with the entities that are relevant for the four pillars of The Balkan Forum: education, energy, tourism, labor market/human capital, and our target audience including civil society, media/journalists, young people, diaspora
- Updating the Resource Bank in The Balkan Forum’s Website
- Keeping up with the recent events in the Balkans, thus, gather the necessary information to produce web/social media content
- Identifying actors for regional events
- Language editing, translating comms related materials and taking meeting minutes as appropriate
- Researching potential fundraising sources
- Providing support in data gathering for proposal writing and submission, and drafting and submission of donor reports
- Assisting in the development of appropriate budgets for a variety of donors
- Keeping accurate and up-to-date records of funding applications and their outcomes
- Maintaining an accurate database of current and prospective donors and develop donor profiles
- Developing an effective filing system for donor related information.
- Gathering data for the production of the “Interactive Mapping”
- Assistance in developing web and social media content including video recording and production
- Identifying actors and supporting them to write blogs in the four pillars
- Undertaking and coordinating travel bookings and accommodation for staff members and participants/visitors
- Assistance in organizing meetings, conferences and workshops
- Assistance with tagging and labelling of office assets
- Assistance with preparation for Board Meetings
- Assistance to Executive Director
- Other duties – Assist the team as needed
Person specification
- University student, a Bachelor’s degree or relevant previous experience at non-profit organizations would be an advantage. Relevant coursework is highly desirable
- Commitment to The Balkan Forum’s mission
- Interested in social/media, administration, fundraising, partnership development, research, advocacy, IT and Web design
- Affinity with digital communications, such as website/content management and social media
- Excellent writing, communication, and interpersonal skills
- Motivated, self-starter
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, as the task requires
- Proficiency in MS office
- Excellent written/spoken English
- Proactive, creative and enthusiastic
- Desire to learn, develop and advance personal career prospects