Would you like to acquire an understanding of international trade and development issues? Would you also like to obtain a working knowledge of the operation, role and function of an development NGO? ICDA is regularly looking for interns for its office in Brussels. If you are between 20 and 30yrs, this could therefore be a great opportunity for you!

Given the nature of the work at ICDA, it would be highly desirable for prospective interns to not only be receptive to but, more importantly, be in sympathy with, ICDA's primary aim and commitments.

Internships are for a period of no less than 4 months minimum, and ICDA provides some financial compensation (200 Euros/month). This means that we do not offer a salary. In general, Brussels-based NGOs are in no way sufficiently resource-rich to offer interns salaries. Moreover, ICDA does not have sufficient resources to make dispensation for accommodation in Brussels. However, we can help you in finding some.

Please read this page very carefully taking into account in your covering letter elements from this page that you think would help convince us of your eligibility for an internship. We read all covering letters very carefully, and will do our best to contact you as soon as possible if you qualify for basic requirements (please see yellow box below). **Due to budgetary constraints, interns are also asked to assist in some fund-raising with direct supervision from the Chairperson. However, We would like to stress that working at ICDA is more about the experience than about the financial compensation**.

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Tasks required of Interns:

ADVOCACY

Produce ICDA's FREE Trade & Development-related electronic newsletter, the WTO Impact List. The WTO Impact List is the quintessential work that ICDA interns work on. This basically means that it forms the bulk of the work for interns , especially as this daily list is important not only for the research work that is paramount for ICDA, but more importantly, the advocacy work that ICDA has been known to provide through this List since 1998. At the time of writing, the list goes out to 385 subscribers. Check some actual WTO Impact Lists that ICDA Interns produced: WTOIL#284-Regional Trade WTOIL#329-RIO+10 WTOIL#320-WTO-QATAR WTOIL#327-FfD-IFIs-TNCs Click on the WORD Document image, or the Outlook Express image, to view respectively, within a popup window, the respective WTOILs in Microsoft Outlook Express format. The Word Document is an editorial, written in August 2001, of what the UNLDC3 focus is about. A little bit risqué, but very poignant and candid. It may also interest you to know that you can read some of 2003 WTOILs at ICDA's WTOMC4 Information page here.

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If you are still unsure of what the WTO Impact List (WTOIL) is, we strongly advise you to check out the following links: Explanation of the 5-day focus Explanation of the ICDA WTOIL SOD Reports ICDA Latest News 2002 We would highly suggest that prospective interns visit the 2001 latest news (service was set up in 2001) as this would provide, along with 2002 news, a better perspective of the frequency of work at the Secretariat. Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) It's a common mistake, but do please read this page as it does provide you with a better perspective of the work that ICDA does. as from 2003!: ICDA's WTOMC4 Information Page This is the page to which we referred to above. Here you can find information aout understanding the WTO; Agriculture; LDCS; Regional Trade, plus find a few articles on related topics from a New Zealand website called SCOOP. also : ICDA's EU-NGO Dialogue with Civil Society Page. Here, you can read outgoing intern Jennifer M Cyr's Analysis of DG Civil Society's Rhetoric on the DDA (Doha Development Agenda). This was an idea mooted by Jennifer, and we hope very much that future interns will follow suit with this, especially in the run-up to Cancun. So crucial will it also be post-Cancun, so please read carefully in order to understand background knowledge required for interns. You can read the report itself here.

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RESEARCH

Contribute, gather, and research information for the ICDA Update. This task would inevitably involve a lot of reading so as to prepare oneself better for the dynamic working environment that ICDA is. It is important that everything and anything that is trade-related is -- at best -- read; at worst, perused so that you become familiar quickly with the countless acronyms, such as WSSD, FfD, LDC, that is increasingly used within the NGO community both in Brussels and world-wide. Test yourself: ICDA Chairperson Janice Goodson Foerde's Briefing from the UN Conference on Financing for Development, held March,2002 in Monterrey, Mexico

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NETWORKING

Your Qualifications

University student/graduate with a Major in Economics, Economic History, Political Science, International Relations. Preferably a documented interest in (International) Development, the Environment, or related field Fluent in English--both written and spoken. Preferably a good understanding / some knowledge of French. As interns communicate a lot with the NGO community which, rightly or wrongly, may expect you to be familiar with a lot of the terms, do please bear in mind that being fluent in English is fine, but we place a greater value on prospective interns with proficient English -- both written and spoken. Proficient English will ease communication both by email and by phone as we speak a lot, in our networking capacity, with many NGO professionals. Moreover, as an intern, you represent ICDA; therefore it is imperative that professionalism is ensured at all levels. A knowledge of French is useful also as there is a lot of very useful information for dissemination that is unavailable in English. It therefore goes without saying that those interns with proven proficiency in French would be better placed, too.

Expected Personal Specifications:(after New Economics Foundation) The ideal candidate will have the following skills: Good understanding of current issues and debates relating to international trade and debt; governance; finance; Third World/developing countries. Good knowledge of international political economy & globalisation-related issues, and understanding of current affairs. Some NGO experience ability to work in a small team. Excellent/Proficient English writing and speaking skills. Excellent computing skills -- in particular: Word, Excel, Outlook Express; and experience in using the 'Net for research A proven ability to analyse development/trade/globalisation-related arguments, and to translate these into language that is comprehensible, and accessible to fellow NGO activists, and a wider NGO community. Please see WTOIL SOD Reports

Although an understanding of business is good for the internship, please note that we tend to categorically reject applications with business-related backgrounds as we feel they will not be receptive to the NGO environment here at ICDA. Nonethless, if you are uncomfortable, or unsure, about this policy, please address the Secretariat on why this policy.