JRS Europe now recruiting EVS volunteer
MEDIA ASSISTANT VOLUNTEER POSITION NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS

Wednesday, 01 July - JRS Europe is now accepting applications for its Media Assistant volunteer position.  The position is a fantastic opportunity for any young people with an interest in European or international relations, communications and the refugee/forced migrant subject.

The Media Assistant will be expected to support the JRS Europe Policy and Advocacy team in Brussels in communicating their reports, studies and publications to those in the JRS network and the wider world.  The successful candidate will assist in the production of the JRS newsletter 'The Refuge', assist in the organisation of events with European institutions and other civil society organisations, will help coordinate awareness raising projects and will help in the development JRS Europe's electronic communications.

Those who wish to apply for this position should send their CV and letter of motivation to JRS Europe before the deadline of 12 July.  This EVS position is open to young people aged between 18 and 30, and who are legally resident in Ireland.  The successful candidate will be contacted in the week of 27 July.

The European Voluntary Service (EVS) provides young Europeans with the unique chance to express their personal commitment through full-time voluntary activities in a foreign country within or outside the EU. In this way, it seeks to develop solidarity, mutual understanding and tolerance among young people, thus contributing to reinforcing social cohesion in the European Union and to promoting young people's active citizenship.

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An application has been sent to the European Commission for the funding of this project. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.    

Dates:
From December 7th, 2009 to December 6th, 2010
Venue:
Jesuit Refugee Service Europe, Rue du Progrès, 333/2 – B-1030 Brussels - www.jrseurope.org
For more details:
Contact person for JRS-Europe:
Isabelle de Sazilly, Administration – Tel.: +32/2 250.32.20 – Tel.: +32/2 250.32.29
E-mail: europe.admin@jrs.net

Sending Organisation in Ireland:
Voluntary Service International (VSI) - Mountjoy Square - Dublin 1 – Ireland
Tel.: +353-1-8551011 – Fax: +353-1-8551012
Contact person: Tom Ryder 
E-mail: deved@vsi.ie
Website: www.vsi.ie.

The host organisation: Jesuit Refugee Service Europe
JRS Europe’s aim is to accompany and serve forced migrants and refugees. JRS Europe advocates for refugees to the European institutions and assists JRS in other parts of the world through activities at European level.

JRS Europe supports and coordinates the activities of 21 national offices and contact persons of JRS in Europe. Regular activities include research projects in the main advocacy areas (detention, migration and development, destitution, externalisation), seminars and workshops organised for JRS members and other organisations working for refugees (training and working on refugee issues), Regional Coordination meetings, and the Annual General Meeting, gathering together members of the JRS teams in Europe (information and training).

JRS Europe is one of ten regions belonging to the global JRS network, it is a member of the European Council for Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) and several working groups in Brussels, namely the UNHCR Platform for Migration and Asylum.

JRS Europe’s international team is used to integrating newcomers, especially young people (EVS volunteers, short-term or long-term volunteers or interns).

The volunteer is part of the advocacy and project development team and is involved in different areas of the work, where he/she can give his/her own opinion and make suggestions.

Summary of the project: EU Refugee Media Project
The volunteer/media assistant will be part of the policy and project development team during the individual 12-month EVS project. Through this activity JRS aims to give the volunteer the opportunity to work in a non-governmental organisation with a clear European dimension (14 country offices and 7 contact persons). The work of JRS promotes a more tolerant and respectful environment for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers coming to Europe.

As a member of the policy and project development team, the media assistant will get an inside view of the policy making process. Under the supervision of the Senior Policy Officer, he/she will assist the JRS team in the publication of JRS newsletters and monthly progress reports. He/she will also help prepare awareness raising papers.

As part of the volunteership, JRS will provide a French introductory course in order to facilitate his/her integration in Brussels, training with our International Media Officer in Rome, training with a JRS national office, as well as exchanges with JRS beneficiaries and volunteers.

Role and tasks for the volunteer:
The volunteer will be integrated in the policy and project development team. He/she will be under the supervision of the senior policy officer. His/her role will be to assist the senior policy officer with media and communications.

This means:

Report on European Union policy initiatives. Rewriting policy documents for public dissemination in coordination with policy officer.

2. Supporting the Policy department when organising media events – press briefings, price-giving ceremonys (relating to our awareness raising projects), dinner debates, conferences – writing press releases, preparing documentation or providing assistance and coordination, maintaining conatct with media.


3. Supporting JRS policy department by diffusing information to JRS network and reporting to JRS partners on the work done by national offices.


4. Support JRS team in designing and updating the JRS website. In coordination with JRS International Communications Officer, establish a proposal to the team for new website presentation – coordinate new online video/multimedia presentations.


5. Publication of 4 JRS newsletters; 12 monthly internal progress reports and consistent press conatct.

Support JRS team in the publication of the Annual report.

Media work:
During this activity, the volunteer will be requested to work closely with the JRS International Communications Office in order to help develop an 'international communications team' and ensure a coherent message os delivered regarding the topics of concern to JRS-Europe. This, an initiative of the JRS International Officer, will mean a coordinated approach to JRS communications across all regions, and the opportunity for the volunteer to develop communications skills with both European and international dimensions.

Furthermore, the volunteer will join JRS during an interesting period for our electronic communications. Assuming work already started by the previous Media Assistant, the volunteer will be given the opportunity to further develop and augment the information contained on www.jrseurope.org and to continue to work on updating the website.

The volunteer will be requested to assist JRS Europe in meeting new challenges in media activities with the publication of results of the research and advocacy project Destitution of Vulnerable Asylum Seekers (DEVAS) – this will enable JRS Europe to attract new audiences and create media awareness of the detention problem. He/she will also collaborate on the preparations for a destitution conference.

Between January and June 2010 the volunteer will work on the JRS European Award on Migration, a journalism competition for third-level students. It will be asked of the volunteer, along with JRS Europe's Projects Officer, to shortlist entries to the competition, organise a jury, and the subsequent prize-giving in the European Parliament.

In September/October 2010, under the guidance of the Project Officer, the volunteer will begin the publicity campaign for the Pedro Arrupe Award 2010/2011, an educational competition for high school students. The volunteer will design posters and leaflets, and engage Jesuit schools in the competition.

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Practical arrangements:
The volunteer will work 35 hours per week. The working hours will be from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 17.00 including a coffee break and a lunch break of 1 hour.

The volunteer will benefit from the same public holidays as regular staff members and from the holidays foreseen by the EC (2 days/month). The volunteer should request his/her holidays in advance and take them in agreement with the Director.

JRS will find accommodation for the volunteer,

• either in a place where other young people from other countries have their accommodation and where food is provided, such as ICA


• or in a shared accomodation with French speaking people. If food is not included, food allowance will be provided (around 180 Euros/month).

Local transport: JRS will pay all local transport tickets.
The volunteer will receive 160 Euros/month for pocket money.

Profile of potential volunteers:
This EVS position is open to young people aged between 18 and 30, legally resident in Ireland.The volunteer should meet the following criteria:

• open mindedness regarding refugees/migrants issues;


• willingness to work in an organisation such as the JRS whose accompaniment of refugees is supported by certain values;


• ability to work in a team;


• willingness to learn;


• a minimum command of computer programs (Windows, Office).

Furthermore:

• A good command of English would facilitate the volunteer’s integration in the team, since this is the main language used for work relationships in the office as well as in the JRS network.


• Media and communication skills would be an advantage so that the volunteer is in a position to use his/her creativity from the beginning of the experience.

How to apply:
Candidates should send a CV and a motivation letter in English, before July 12th, 2009 to europe@jrs.net or through the sending organisation (Tom Ryder, VSI, deved@vsi.ie) explaining:

• why they are applying for the EVS position in the JRS Europe office,


• how they feel they connect with the mission of JRS.