Community Internship Initiative A Boost For Community Groups
Voluntary and Community Sector Minister Steve Maharey and Green Party MP Sue Bradford today announced a new pilot
Community Internship Programme - one of the Green Party budget initiatives, funded through the Department of Internal
Affairs.
The pilot programme will place people who are interested in working in a community sector organisation on six month paid
internships. Placements will be available to experienced people working in any of the public, private or community
sectors who feel they would benefit from work experience in a not for profit organisation.
Government funding under the scheme is a grant of $18,000 per intern for their six months work, plus a $2000
contribution to the host organisation to cover administration costs. In its first year the programme will fund five
internships. It is hoped that if the pilot proves successful more placements may become available in the future.
"This programme will be a welcome boost for under-resourced community organisations, as well as opening opportunities
for people who would be interested in working temporarily in another group or sector.
"It will enable community organisations to benefit from the expertise of people from a wide range of backgrounds, and
will, I hope, create synergies between people with different kinds of organisational experience. I'm optimistic that the
programme will be a success and will attract continued and expanded funding in subsequent years," Ms Bradford said.
Ms Bradford said she wanted to acknowledge the very supportive role of Steve Maharey and Internal Affairs Minister
George Hawkins in enabling the initiative to go ahead.
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