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The
Institute for Conflict Research welcomes applications from students
and others to take up an internship at the organisation.
Interns will be based at the ICR offices in Belfast and we would expect
individuals to spend between 6 and 12 months with us.
We can offer the opportunity for interns to undertake a range of practical
research work on an existing ICR project based in Northern Ireland
and to have the chance to explore a variety of research methodologies.
All work will be carried out within a supportive team environment
and under the guidance and supervision of our staff of experienced
researchers.
During their time at ICR interns will be regarded as part of the broader
staff team and as such will be expected to accept their general responsibilities
to the Institute.
At present we are only able to offer this opportunity to post-graduate
students and we would also ask that applicants from outside of Northern
Ireland should have some previous experience of working or researching
away from their home country.
Unfortunatey,
we have no further capacity for interns until Spring 2006.
For further information on Internships at ICR see the FAQs below or
email Sylvia Anderson on [email protected]

WHAT
IS IT LIKE BEING AN INTERN AT ICR?
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Mary Beth Conway
(August 2004 - July 2005)
My internship
with ICR was a great experience. I found the program academically
challenging and the ICR staff friendly and extremely helpful. I would
highly recommend an ICR internship to anyone interested in learning
more about social research in Northern Ireland.
ICR's internship
program is a fantastic opportunity. Interns are expected to actively
participate in the research projects. During my internship, I processed
data, assisted with focus groups, wrote reports, attended seminars,
conducted library research and occasionally made tea and coffee. The
program encourages interns to pursue their academic interests while
assisting ICR projects.
The quality of research conducted at ICR is superb and has been recognised
by a number of prestigious organisations. ICR's good reputation allows
researchers (and interns) access to many different communities and
individuals while conducting research.
One thing I really
enjoyed about the organisation was the constant staff discussions
on research projects, political development and daily news in Northern
Ireland. Staffers were always willing to express different points
of view on a number of topics. Listening to and participating in these
impromptu staff discussions really broadened my knowledge and awareness
of important issues. ICR staff were always willing to answer my questions
about Northern Ireland, no matter how basic or offbeat the subjects
were.
Through my internship,
I have learned more about Northern Ireland, research, politics, and
conflict than I ever expected. I would like to thank the ICR staff
for their patience with me and my constant office mishaps. I will
miss the staff and organisation very much, and look forward to keeping
in touch.
Rebecca Thomas
(May and June 2004)
ICR is, in many
ways, an ideal organisation in which to undertake an internship and
I found the two months I spent there both invaluable experience and
tremendous fun.
Undoubtedly the
greatest benefit of interning with ICR is the opportunity to undertake
interesting and challenging research into a plethora of issues. Contrary
to many internship programmes, ICR does not employ the service of
interns for their photocopying and tea-making abilities. Whilst at
ICR I undertook a number of projects. I worked on research into European
hate crime legislation, a report on a Community Relations conference
on the topic of interface areas, a report on young people in community
conflict and assisted a researcher with graphs and tables for a report.
A second advantage
of interning with ICR is the quality of the organisation. ICR has
a very positive profile, reflective of both the high calibre of staff
and high quality of publications and interns are fortunate to reap
the benefits of this profile by the way of access to conferences,
experts in the field both in Northern Ireland and the wider world
and to resources. I attended conferences on community relations, the
future peace of Northern Ireland, a consultation on human rights,
the launch of a political manifesto as well as attending a week long
conference on conflict resolution and regulation.
Finally, ICR enjoys
an informal, unpretentious atmosphere. There is an eclectic and international
mix of staff at ICR that ensures any given issue is approached, debated
and influenced from a number of perspectives.
If one has a serious
interest in conflict research, a positive work ethic, a desire to
gain valuable experience and a sense of humour, then an internship
with ICR will not be time wasted. If I were to have one negative reflection
on my ICR experience it would be that the duration was far too short.
Overall I cannot recommend an internship with ICR highly enough.
Fabrice Mourlon
(January - June 2004)
In 2003, I came
to ICR for assistance with my PhD research. I was struck by the warm
welcome I got there, the staff's eagerness to assist and the high
quality of research carried out by the organisation. I said to myself
then: ICR, that's the place to be
In 2004, here I am at ICR
as an intern, provided with all the facilities a researcher would
dream of: a desk, a PC, a telephone line and access to a mine of information.(Any
academic at the start of her/his career will understand this).
I have learnt a lot in the 6 months I spent with the staff at ICR.
From the outset I was involved in various projects ranging from desktop
research to on-the-ground survey work and research training with young
people in North Belfast. I had the opportunity to participate in focus
groups and interviews. I learnt how to design questionnaires and to
process data on SPSS. I was thus provided with solid and in-depth
knowledge and skills on how to conduct research.
At the same time I had the possibility of carrying out my own research.
The library at ICR was just another Aladin's Cave full of gemlike
documents. The high profile of the organisation facilitated all the
contacts I made and I am most indebted to the staff's thoughtfulness
and support when I was down and low.
The easy-going yet professional environment at ICR is a match to the
high quality of research conducted by the organisation. The wide-ranging
projects on which the researchers work gave me a good insight of the
Northern Ireland society.
But most of all I will miss those wee moments: Jennifer sharing anecdotes
about her young son at lunchtime; Ulf's good sense of humour; Jonny's
wee jokes; the boys winding me up and giving me a good slag; exchanging
jazz CDs with Neil; Rebecca's fresh outlook on the whole situation
and Sylvia's radiant morning smile
Fabrice Mourlon,
January-June 2004.
Thomas Lefebvre
(July and August 2003)
During my internship
at ICR, I was part of a research project on migrant workers in Northern
Ireland. We travelled all over Northern Ireland interviewing migrant
workers, civil servants, lawyers and social workers. It was very exciting
to be part of an investigative project, assembling the different elements
which were going to compose a serious report. I really appreciated
that I was always given clear guidelines on what I had to do and never
left with nothing to work on. A small part of my time was given to
administrative work but most of the work that I did allowed a high
level of responsibility.
The atmosphere
was relaxed but everyone was focused on their own work which enabled
me to work efficiently on the project. ICR is a small but lively and
friendly place and as a consequence it was very easy to integrate
with the team. There was a good interraction between me and the other
colleagues which made me sad to leave. Looking back at this experience,
I found it quite useful for building my professional career. I would
recommend anybody to apply for an internship at ICR.
Jonathan Byrne
(March -November 2003)
I joined ICR in
March 2003 as an intern. I was with ICR in that position until November
2003, when I became a full-time member of the organisation's research
team. I found my time at ICR as an intern very fulfilling. I was fortunate
enough to work on a range of topics and research projects, which provided
me with an insight into different communities in Northern Ireland.
I gained valuable experience in several research methods, namely conducting
interviews and focus groups.
ICR was excellent
to work for. I found the existing staff a pleasure to work with, and
felt priveleged that they welcomed me into the bosom of their organisation.
The atmosphere was one of warmth and friendship. The relaxed but productive
work environment meant that work was enjoyable and educational. The
guidance and support was crucial in my understanding the intricate
and often extensive research projects which ICR undertake.
I am at present
a Research Assistant with ICR, and am enjoying my work as much today
as I was twelve months ago. I have developed an understanding of the
complex community relationships evident within Northern Ireland, every
day I am learning more both about myself and the issues facing people
today.
Chrissie Steenkamp
(Summer 2001)
I am a South
African student and studied an MA in Comparative Ethnic Conflict
at the Queens University of Belfast in 2000/1. Over the
summer period (June-August 2001), while I was working on my dissertation,
I did an internship with the Institute for Conflict Research.
I participated in many projects, such as preparing manuscripts
for publishing, presentations to community groups and preparing
data sets for analysis. If you are considering an internship at
the ICR, here are some observations from my own experience.
Why would you want to intern at the ICR?
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Well-established
Research Staff: There are some well-known, established and
internationally respected researchers working at the ICR. Not
only will you learn a lot from them, but they have contacts worldwide.
You are bound to meet some really interesting people. The office
atmosphere is friendly, quite close-knit and relaxed.
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Broad
Research Agenda: The ICR has a rather broad research agenda
and I found that they show an interest in almost any topic or
interest, as long at it has a conflict aspect to it. They also
engage in research with a very practical purpose, rather than
only engaging in theoretical work.
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Opportunities for Interns: I found the ICR very willing
to invest in their interns. For example, they trained me in data
analysis software and sponsored me to attend local conferences.
Also, they appreciated that I had my own research to complete
and we arranged that I only had to work half-day.
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Location:
The ICR office is located in North Belfast (an area that can be
politically very tense at times) on a peace line (dividing two
communities). As an international student, the internship in North
Belfast has exposed me to experiences and views that you dont
encounter in textbooks. I walked away with a different and (I
hope) better understanding of the Troubles, than I had when I
started there.
Yes,
this sounds great, but keep in mind that:
-
Internships
are unpaid and therefore you need to provide you own sufficient
funds to support yourself for the period of the internship.
-
If
you live in the university area (South Belfast), it can be quite
a while to travel to the office. On foot it takes at least 45
minutes and by bus 20-25 minutes one way.
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As
an intern you are right at the bottom of the food chain in any
organisation, so here too you will be doing your fair share of
tedious administrative jobs. Approach ICR with a clear idea of
what you want to do and have definite goals: for example, you
may want access to sources via ICR to help with your own research
(e.g. dissertation); or learn certain practical research skills
or may even just want to see what life in an NGO in Northern Ireland
is like. Make you goals clear to the staff. They were generally
very willing to accommodate specific interests and this will ensure
that you walk away with more skills than you arrived with.

Claudia Sauerborn
(Summer 2000)
I
interned with Community Conflict on Children in the summer of 2000.
The internship was a major part of the completion of my Masters
in Applied Anthropology.
Within the three months I worked for CCIC, I helped organise a conference,
called "Building the Future; Young People and the Troubles",
and the prior site visits where international delegates visited
communities in Northern Ireland; I learned how to analyze qualitative
data using Nudist and how a small local organization is structured.
I learned a lot from Marie Smyth who has a great knowledge about
Northern Ireland and about researching the Troubles in general.
I wish I could have learned more from her.
My experiences in Northern Ireland can be portrayed as my work experiences
that followed; exciting, fulfilling, frustrating, depressing, meeting
a lot of great people, seeing beautiful places, being confused and
at the same time amazed by us humans.
Thanks!
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