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
Person specification