The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs
Job Description and Person Specification
RISE Accelerator Intern
September 2009
UnLtd, 123 Whitecross Street, Islington, London EC1Y 8JJ
www.UnLtd.org.uk/RISE
Background
UnLtd – The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs is a charity, whose mission is to support people who wish to create a positive change in their communities, people who will make a real difference by taking initiative. UnLtd was formed through a unique partnership between seven leading non-profit organisations that work with Social Entrepreneurs across the UK. Social Entrepreneurs provide their communities with leadership at a grass root level, and promote an entrepreneurial approach to finding solutions for social regeneration.
For further information, please visit our website.
The Awards Scheme
The scheme operates through 6 regional and country offices. Our aim is to devolve the operation of the Awards Scheme wherever possible to a local level, so that local knowledge and support can be capitalised on, whilst adopting a common set of standards and procedures to ensure that awards are made equitably.
The Awards Scheme has 3 levels:
· Level 1 Awards range from £500 to £5,000 (with an expected average award of £2,000). Level 1 Awards are designed for people wishing to develop their ideas into real projects. The award money is intended to help with the running costs of their project. Level 1 Award Winners could be people with little or no previous community involvement. UnLtd makes up to 1000 Level 1 Awards each year across the UK.
· Level 2 Awards range from £5,000 to £20,000 (with an expected average of £15,000). Level 2 are for people with previous social entrepreneurial experience (who are experienced at setting up and running projects that are of community benefit). The award money is intended to help them to progress their existing project and/or to fund their living expenses, enabling them to concentrate more fully on their project. UnLtd makes approximately 60 - 80 Level 2 Awards each year.
· Level 3 Awards. Up to £60,000 over 3 years is provided to a very small number of high potential entrepreneurs who are looking to grow their social operations to scale. A tailored package of intensive Ventures consulting support is provided as part of this.
Support Services
As well as financial support, the UnLtd Awards Scheme also provides valuable support services to our Award Winners. All Award Winners receive a tailored package of advice, training and support, provided through our extensive network of resources and partner organisations throughout the UK. Award Winners are also provided with a dedicated UnLtd contact person, regular project-shaping meetings and Awards and Graduation days to both celebrate their achievements and provide valuable networking opportunities. In addition to our Awards and Graduation days, we offer Award Winners help in sourcing mentors, in identifying suitable training courses, in signposting and in finding further networking opportunities.
Our Award Winners
UnLtd Award Winners come from diverse backgrounds, cultures and locations; what they have in common is a desire to change the world. That doesn’t mean they necessarily develop complex, global solutions to large-scale issues; often, social entrepreneurs simply take a problem in their own community and make a commitment to tackle it. This may lead to something bigger, or it may not; what makes a true social entrepreneur is that they have the will to make a difference, the vision to know how to go about it and the determination to make that vision happen.
Intern – Job Description
Funded by the European Refugee Fund Phase III and with the support of the UK Border Agency, UnLtd – the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs has re-launched RISE: Refugee Initiative for Social Entrepreneurs, under the name RISE Accelerator - which aims to unleash and encourage the potential of refugees as social entrepreneurs.
The RISE programme has already funded over 100 refugees, benefiting over 2000 people around England. The scheme will fund and support 64 refugees over two years and will benefit over 200 people throughout England. The awards will range between £500 and £5000 and help individuals or small groups of refugees from all over England to turn their ideas into reality. The RISE Accelerator programme has been extremely successful in it’s first year and in this coming year we hope to take this success even further and expand the range of people we can help.
In addition, UnLtd will provide dedicated project management support, including training sessions to develop key skills and mentoring opportunities to connect with experts in the field, as well as access to a wealth of other resources. With UnLtd’s support refugees will be empowered to set-up projects that will make their communities happier, healthier, safer and more just places, as well as help refugees to achieve their full economic and social potential.
Main Responsibilities:
The RISE intern, working with the RISE Accelerator Coordinator, will:
· assist in planning and delivery of RISE training events,
· research and compile a bi-monthly newsletter,
· research and compile a directory of resources for refugees,
· maintain a database of award winners,
· assist in planning and delivering outreach in the refugee community,
· assist in developing new ideas as to how we can expand/ promote the RISE programme,
Intern - Personal Specification
Experience/skills:
1. You have relevant knowledge of refugee issues
2. You have relevant experience in an administrative and working in a busy office environment
3. You have experience in the third sector
4. You have excellent interpersonal skills and can communicate effectively with people at all levels
5. You have experience of organising events
6. You have strong organisational skills and excellent attention to detail
7. You have all the basic IT skills, especially MS Office, and know how to access and derive information from databases
8. You can work collaboratively and flexibly with colleagues and Award Winners
9. You are able to work well within a team or independently, and under pressure
Personal qualities:
· You are dedicated, trustworthy and can demonstrate an empathy with our mission
· You are confident, approachable and considerate of others
· You have a flexible approach to the job combining energy, enthusiasm and a will to succeed
· You are resourceful and proactive
· You are methodical and well-organised
· You are happy to occasionally travel across England
Position specifics:
Please note that as an intern, UnLtd will not be able to pay you a salary or contribute towards your living costs. The only costs covered by UnLtd will be a daily lunch subsistence of £5/day and any travel and meeting related costs incurred during the internship.
This internship will be 2-3 days a week starting in October 2009 for 8 week with the possibility of extension.
As this internship is UK-based, non-EC nationals will require current and valid permission to work in the UK, as the Department for Employment will only issue work permits in exceptional circumstances and for limited periods only.
To apply please e-mail your CV and cover letter to by Monday September 28th 2009.
More information: or 0207 566 1136
Managed by: Maryam Pasha, RISE Accelerator Coordinator
Location: Central London