Student Interns at the U.N.
Student interns assist with APA's work as an NGO at the United Nations. These are volunteer positions for psychology students who have an interest in international issues. The interns will work with APA's accredited representatives at the United Nations to help plan and implement activities such as the annual Psychology Day, and other psychology-related events. Interns will have U.N. grounds passes for entry into U.N. buildings and events and will have an opportunity for a close-up look at the workings of the U.N.
Responsibilities of the position include:
- Attending briefings organized by the U.N. Department of Public Information. These briefings typically occur on Thursday mornings.
- Meeting with the APA U.N. representatives at its two-hour monthly meetings on the last Thursday of each month from September through June.
- Spending five to 10 hours a week working with APA U.N. NGO representatives in information gathering and dissemination.
Psychology graduate students who will be enrolled full time in a psychology graduate program from September 2014 through June 2015 may apply. In addition, interns must be members of the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) by the time they begin the internship in the September. Ideal qualities are being culturally aware and sensitive, enjoying working collaboratively with others and having effective communication skills. Interns must live in or very close to New York City.
Deadline: April 30, 2014, 5 p.m. EST
APA-appointed Representatives to the U.N.
APA is seeking applications from psychologists in the greater New York City area to join the volunteer APA NGO team at the United Nations headquarters.
APA has special consultative status with the U.N. Department of Public Information (DPI), the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) as one of many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) whose goals overlap with those of the U.N.
APA-appointed representatives work within the NGO community at the U.N. headquarters in New York. Based on APA advocacy goals and priorities, APA representatives collaborate with other NGO representatives and APA offices and governance to identify issues, organize programs and draft statements that bring psychological science and a psychological perspective to bear on global policies and programs. Representatives also foster dialogue and information exchange between psychologists and APA and U.N. diplomats and representatives of U.N. agencies, and serve as APA's conduit for information about the United Nations.
In addition, APA representatives may be joined by associate representatives who are appointed to work on special projects, and student interns who assist the APA team in meeting planning and logistics.
APA has the following open positions available:
Representative to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to begin September 2014 .
- ECOSOC representatives are expected to work within the NGO community to join one or more of the NGO committees that parallel ECOSOC concerns (e.g., Status of Women, HIV/AIDS, Children, Families, Mental Health, Human Rights, Migration and so on). Representatives attend committee meetings and pursue program objectives on a regular weekly basis.
Representative to the Department of Public Information (DPI) to begin January 2015.
- DPI representatives are expected to attend the weekly Department of Public Information U.N. briefings, to join one NGO committee and to serve as a conduit to APA about information at the U.N., including co-authoring a quarterly column, "U.N. Matters," for the international newsletter.
All APA representatives meet monthly, and all APA representatives collaborate with other psychology-based NGOs to plan the annual Psychology Day at the United Nations.
To apply, submit an application letter addressing the requirements above and curriculum vitae to APA's Office of International Affairs with "UN APPLICATION" in the subject line or to the Office of International Affairs, 750 First Street NE, Washington DC 20002.
Applications are due May 18, 2014.
Health Volunteers Overseas: Mental Health Program in Bhutan
Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the availability and quality of health care in developing countries through the training and education of local health care providers. HVO is currently recruiting volunteers for its Mental Health program in Thimphu, Bhutan. This program seeks to facilitate the training of mental health students to become remote village-based providers of mental health assessment, support and medication treatment and triage of critical cases to the National Referral Hospital. Volunteers also work to strengthen existing Bhutanese Mental Health services through daily clinical service, staff training, consultation and support services. Additionally, volunteers assist in developing the mental health curriculum for staff and students, as well as educational material for patients and families that integrate western mental health and indigenous Bhutanese cultural values and techniques. Volunteers must be licensed to practice psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy or clinical social work in the United States, Canada, Australia or the United Kingdom and have more than five years professional experience. Volunteers serve a minimum of three months. Additional information is available on the Health Volunteers Overseas website.
NGOabroad: Psychologists Needed Internationally
NGOabroad helps professionals enter or advance in international humanitarian work and provides customized international volunteer opportunities in Africa, Asia and South America. Currently, NGOabroad is in need of psycholgists for volunteer positions in the following areas:
- Kenya: Sexual Abuse
While most of Africa is just beginning to address physical abuse, sexual abuse is still taboo. This is one of the few sexual abuse programs in Africa. Do you have strong clinical skills and experience working with trauma? We need you! It is helpful if you have skills in non-talk modalities also: music, dance, sports, art.
- Uganda and Costa Rica: Domestic Violence (DV)
The Ugandan program is an unusual DV program that believes that to stop gender-based violence you must work with the men. Do you have strong clinical, outreach and/or organizational skills in DV? We need you!
- Mongolia and Nepal: Trafficking
Traffickers prey on poverty. Come help women learn their rights and how to prevent being sucked into this vortex. Counsel women who have been traumatized and degraded; help them build a new life and new skills.
- Uganda: Relaunching Children's Program
Northern Uganda was devastated by Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA abducted kids and youth as child soldiers and sex slaves to the LRA commanders. The girls that were forced to have sex with LRA commanders bore children. Now those mothers are asking for help with parenting skills with their kids. Do you have strong experience working with children ages 7-14? Are you a self-starter? Are you good at building treatment programs? We need you!
- Bolivia, Peru and Ghana: Street Youth
People have flooded the cities, hoping to find work. There is none. All over the world, where poverty prevails, kids and youth are the ones that suffer; it is the youth and kids that are pushed to make an income for the family shining shoes. Have experience working with children, youth and families, or in child protection?
- Morocco: Refugees
Morocco is a crossroads where refugees and immigrants from sub-Sahara Africa push their way into Europe. Morocco is also a fascinating place to gain insight into Islamic culture and understand what prompted the Arab Spring. Come help with resettlement and/or trauma.
All positions are volunteer. Both seasoned professionals and students needed. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no end date. See the NGOabroad website for more information and then send questionnaire (keep your answers brief) and resume to NGOabroad.
