Intern (Livelihoods)

About Voices GY

Voices GY is a registered Guyanese non-profit organisation, active since April 2018. Our mission is to strengthen community-led development and decision making for marginalised communities through long-term interventions such as education, capacity building and mental health support. As an organisation, we are founded on a community-based approach towards a more cohesive and inclusive Guyana. Previous projects have included English tuition for migrants and refugees; support through training and grants to migrant entrepreneurs; regional needs assessments on education and social integration; mental health support; social cohesion events; and multimedia productions on minority rights and cultures.

Background

At least 23,000 Venezuelans, Returning Guyanese and indigenous refugees have entered and become resident in all regions of Guyana in recent years. Among the range of legal, social, educational and psychological challenges that migrants are exposed to both in periods of transit and once resident is the need for targeted livelihood support. The prevalence of unemployment and the precarious conditions under which employed migrants often work not only exacerbate other difficulties, but also compound the pressures and dependencies upon host communities.

Migrants residing in border regions (particularly Regions 1, 7 and 9) face a different set of challenges to those residing in urban centres, including isolation from markets; lack of access to basic services and humanitarian aid; lack of internet access and skills training; and in some cases a lack of land on which to undertake subsistence activities. Host communities, in turn, are often disproportionately burdened by the arrival of migrants who may place strains on already-under pressure health and education services; land and food resources; and, in some cases, law and order as a result of increased subsistence theft.

On the other hand, the challenges faced by migrants in urban settings are often skewed towards other priority areas. In order for migrants in Guyana to access the job market (either through employment or through entrepreneurship) a number of barriers exist, including a lack of resources; a lack of accurate, consistent and accessible information; anecdotal evidence of a prevalence of discrimination and exploitation in the workplace; legal obstacles in the obtainment of documentation and registration; lack of access to financing opportunities and credits; and more. Whilst some migrants will seek to start their own businesses, others may be more comfortable working within existing Guyanese companies, often as unskilled labourers.

About the role

After successfully piloting support through online capacity building and micro-finance to ten Venezuelan entrepreneurs in 2020 and extending the project to benefit 20 more entrepreneurs in 2021, Voices GY will once again partner with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Guyana during 2021. In this project, training and grants will be provided to selected migrant entrepreneurship initiatives in regions 1, 3, 4 and 9. This support will be complemented by outreach and collaboration with the private sector to establish stronger dialogue with potential employers of migrants.

The Intern (Livelihoods) will be responsible for working with the Project Coordinator and Project Manager to ensure the satisfactory completion of all project deliverables, including the procurement and purchase of grant items to beneficiaries. Throughout the Intern's term, he/she will be required to maintain strong communication with the Voices GY team, our partners, and the beneficiaries.

The Intern (Livelihoods) will work under the supervision of the Project Coordinator.

Duties and Responsibilities

To participate in meetings with Voices GY management, partners and beneficiaries as and when required.
To assist the Project Coordinator in communication with a range of third-party actors, including institutional stakeholders (GRA, Department of Citizenship, etc.) and private sector counterparts.
To maintain close oversight of the development of beneficiary-led projects, through regular virtual communication (whatsapp) and physical site visits.
To provide internet and cell-phone top-up bundles to project beneficiaries
To visit institutions with beneficiaries to support with legal and institutional compliance.
To attend and support online training and capacity building sessions.
To undertake organisation and logistics of a final graduation event
To assist in the organisation of meetings and public talks with private sector involvement.

Requirements

Education: High school diploma
Experience: Desirable familiarity with small business & entrepreneurship, livelihoods support and financing, humanitarian assistance, economic development, community empowerment, or other similar areas.
Languages: Fluency in Spanish is required for this position, ability to communicate in spoken English (B2 level or above)
Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) and Google Drive
Strong communication and teamwork skills, punctuality and self-drive
Experience working remotely is a plus

This position is full-time and based in Georgetown, Guyana.

A stipend is offered to offset all costs incurred by the Intern.

To Apply

To apply, send the following documents to careers.voicesgy@gmail.com by 5pm on Friday 29th October 2021. Applicants who fail to provide all documents will not be considered.

Cover Letter
CV
Contact details for 2 referees (Professional and/or Academic)

Voices GY is not only an Equal Opportunities Employer – diversity is at the root of all that we do and strive for. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and identities to apply and enrich the work we undertake.