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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