INTERNSHIP REPORT

INTERNSHIP REPORT

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR MIGRATION

HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT (ICMHD)

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

(RESEARCH INTERNSHIP)

by

Sudeshna Chanda

S3670295

Placement Supervisor: Mr H. Sportel

Supervisor at ICMHD: Dr M. Carballo

in partial completion of

M.A. International Relations and International Organizations

2018-2019

Table of Contents

1. Introduction --- 2

2. Preparation --- 2

3. The Placement Organization and the Internship --- 4

4. Tasks within the Internship --- 5

5. Expectations --- 7

6. Learning Goals and Outcome --- 8

7. Living in Geneva --- 9

8. Connections to Master’s IRIO Programme --- 10

9. Career Contribution --- 10

1. Introduction

Between June and August, for two months, I interned at the International Centre for Migration Health and Development in Geneva, Switzerland. It was a research internship at an NGO in the field of public health. Doing a research internship with its focus on migration had been my preferred placement since the beginning of my M.A. programme in International Relations and International Organizations. Having done a Bachelor's in Economics with a development focus and Master’s in International Relations with a focus on migration, I wanted to explore the humanitarian sector before starting to look for jobs. Therefore, this internship was a great fit. However, starting the internship was not easy. Even finding one was a long and arduous journey with prolonged periods of self-doubt.

2.

_{​Preparation}

In January 2019, having completed most of my Master’s obligations, I started looking for internships. I had my heart set on the humanitarian sector and wanted to intern at an organization that was related to the field. I had attended a workshop by Career Services on writing one’s resume. Therefore, I knew that for each of the internship applications I would have to tweak my resume to fit the role. Due to lack of motivation and overconfidence, I did not tweak my resume for each of the applications. Soon, I started receiving rejection emails and the ones that did not

send rejections did not reply at all. This is when I realised the importance of investing time in making an impressive resume. I went through several samples resumes online before starting to work on my own. After creating a satisfactory resume, I continued with the application process. I applied to several places, all over Europe. Most of the places in the Netherlands responded by saying that they required proficiency in Dutch. I knew that I would not be able to gain proficiency in a foreign language within a month but I wanted to start somewhere. Therefore, I started learning Dutch on Duolingo, an app. I also signed up for Dutch lectures offered by the University which were to start in April. By this time I had started writing cover letters targeted to individual organizations. I even reached out to individuals whom I had heard speak at events. In this way, I landed a project as a (student) research assistant for an Amsterdam based lawyer, compiling a compendium on Female Genital Mutilation. Even though this is not an internship opportunity, I have been learning valuable lessons working with her. The internship search had not borne fruits yet. I knew that I wanted to work for a non-governmental organization and not an international organization such as the EU or the UN. The rationale behind this was that I wanted to get some hands-on experience

In March, I received three offers. One in Brussels, one in The Hague and one in Geneva. I decided to respectfully decline the offer from the NGO in Brussels because it did not seem challenging enough for me. The office comprised of one staff member and one intern and the organization was not working on any project at that time. The NGO in the Hague, at a later stage, responded by saying that there was a miscommunication and that they were yet to interview me before offering the internship. By that time I had already sent many follow-up emails. Therefore, I decided to move on to a more responsive organization. I decided to accept the offer from the International Centre for Migration Health and Development (ICMHD) in Geneva. Like most people in the field of International Relations, it was my dream to work in Geneva and this internship presented me with that opportunity. However, Geneva is an expensive city to live in, therefore, I applied for the Marco Polo Grant. Due to various delays, I missed the deadline and could not begin the internship in May. I requested my supervisor for a meeting because I needed some clarity about the start date. At the meeting, my supervisor was supportive and that helped

me during the stressful month. Fortunately, ICMHD offered to change the internship start date to June and I agreed with that. I applied for the grant in time. I also found housing relatively easily. On the 5th of June, I finished my Dutch exam and left for the internship.

The period of looking for an internship was not easy. It stretched over four months and took a toll on my health and my thesis for a while. I was in a constant state of stress. However, there are many lessons and skills that I learned over these four months. I learned to accept rejection and work on myself and my profile instead of giving up. I developed patience while waiting for something to work out, and working on my CV and cover letter for every application separately. This has helped me in my job hunt because now I review and change my cover letter to suit individual job openings instead of making a generic CV and cover letter. I also realised that reaching out to friends and acquaintances is healthy when we are stressed because more often than not, people will gladly extend an empathetic ear. This internship search taught me several life skills that I may not have acquired otherwise.

3.

_{​The Placement Organization and the Internship}

The internship was a research internship at the International Centre for Migration Health and Development. For my Master’s programme, I had a course on migration which I found interesting. This internship provided me with the opportunity to gain some practical experience in the field. It was related to migrant health which I did not have a background in. Therefore, the internship provided me with the challenge that I was looking for and also broadened my horizon. Furthermore, being based out of Geneva, it gave me the opportunity to work from the city that I had dreamt of working from. I also networked with people working in the United Nations and its agencies.

ICMHD is a research-based NGO that has worked on projects in collaboration with the WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and the United Nations Peace Corps. It was established in the early 90s to assist various UN agencies with research and policy advisory. Its functions now are limited to research. The executive director of ICMHD is Dr Manuel Carballo. He has been associated with

the World Health Organization (WHO) for over three decades. He worked with the WHO in several countries. In the 1980s he set up the WHO Global Programme on AIDS (GPA). In 1993 he went to Bosnia as the WHO Public Health Advisor and was responsible for the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, until the end of the war in 1995. In 2002-2003 he headed missions for the UN in the occupied Palestinian territories and Iraq. He has several other accolades that make him an inspiring person and an honour to work next to.

He has a lot to teach about the humanitarian field in general and bureaucracy in particular. Interns here are from various fields such as international law, public health and human rights studies. Most of the interns I have worked with are from the United States of America. Being around them has taught me a lot about American politics, healthcare systems around the world and even cultural differences. It has also made me consider more career options than I was. Besides all these benefits, I have also made friends here whom I can reach out to even at later stages in life. In addition to my supervisor and interns, I have had the opportunity of meeting various people who have worked with WHO. These individuals have shared resources with us besides sharing their experiences from various WHO missions in the past. I have also been offered career guidance from my supervisor.

4.

_{​Tasks within the Internship}

The internship itself required a considerable amount of self-motivation and planning. It is independent in the sense that interns are allowed to determine their research interests and are then guided accordingly to steer their work towards the work of the organization. There are regular discussions with other interns and staff where interns can share their learnings, ask for feedback and support. I decided to work on adolescent health care for refugees and the international community’s response to it. I submitted my first complete draft after a month of starting the internship. I was told that the paper would be used for the Partnership for Maternal and Newborn Child Health (PMNCH) programme, which is administered by WHO. It is a great opportunity and I am pleased to have received it. However, as this is an independent work environment, I had to take initiative to ask questions, set personal goals and deadlines to be on

time and even ask for more work. In order to learn more, I sought out other work such as creating content for the website and the Facebook page. In the first month of the internship, I was still working on my thesis. Therefore, it was more challenging because I had to spend my entire day either working on the report for ICMHD and the thesis. After the thesis submission, I found myself facing another challenge. Having spent almost four months on the thesis, I was tired of research and was disinterested in writing another research paper. However, after a productive and encouraging conversation with my supervisor, I was back on track with the paper. I was able to complete the paper within 6 weeks of the internship. I then worked on a shorter version of the report to make it into an op-ed and send the pitch to newspapers and think tanks that are working in the field of adolescent and public health, especially for migrants. I received my final feedback on the research paper in my last week at ICMHD.

One of my biggest challenges while working there was my lack of knowledge about the public health sector. In my past, I had never worked in or studied about the public health sector. Therefore, there were numerous occasions where I found myself at a loss for ideas while discussing issues or proposing solutions. To overcome this challenge, I started asking more questions and talking more extensively with my colleagues about the topic. To my surprise, they understood my predicament and would often explain concepts to the basics. Another issue that often bothered me was my introverted nature. As a result of this, I generally spoke less than the others. However, I do not see this as a problem that I need to rectify as this is a personality trait. Therefore, I decided to only push myself when required and I convinced myself that it was not necessary to be outspoken. This acceptance helped my confidence and I was able to form meaningful bonds with my colleagues.

5.

_{​Expectations}

I had expected the work environment to be more formal than it actually was. On the first day of the internship, I had a meeting with Manuel to decide on a topic that I could work on. I had initially suggested that I would write a paper on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and preparedness among gynaecologists in countries that do not practice FGM. However, after learning about the PMNCH project I decided to work on adolescent health and healthcare preparedness. From the first day itself, I was allowed to decide my pace of work. However, knowing that I would require more work to stay engaged, I pitched the idea of doing a human interest series on people associated with ICMHD. I prepared questionnaires tailor-made for individual backgrounds. I also conducted interviews and shared the document with the staff. Manuel was interested in the project from the beginning. The series has not been published yet but will be published in the future.

I had also expected the work that I would be doing to be more structured. This, however, has not hampered my learning curve. I have developed strong work ethics since my work depended solely on me. I have also discovered a few things about myself. I have learnt that I require a balance between desk research and fieldwork to achieve job satisfaction. Furthermore, I have become aware that I need to be engaged at all times. While interning at ICMHD, I found myself reading research papers, applying for jobs or offering to help the staff with their work. I had started taking up new projects and suggesting new ideas to keep the workload reasonably high.

I had not expected the work environment to be as friendly and supportive as it turned out to be. We all came from different cultural backgrounds and yet we were empathetic towards each other. We respected everyone’s point of view and extended help whenever required. Several times, the interns brainstormed research ideas with each other before undertaking them. Each individual had several skills and values to teach that worked in perfect harmony. We also went on weekend trips together.

6.

_{​Learning Goals and Outcome}

I was able to achieve all the learning goals I had set for myself, though, differently than I had expected.

1. A deeper understanding of the roles and duties of organizations that work in the field of humanitarian action.

- This, probably, is my greatest learning from this internship. In our conversations with Manuel and at meetings there were instances narrated to us that made all of us more aware of the way in which international organizations work. There were several lessons learned on diplomacy and bureaucracy that I am sure will help me in the future. I also met a few extremely kind and learned people who have dedicated their lives to this field and it was inspiring to see that the system still works despite its many flaws.

2. Improve academic writing skills in terms of writing an official report.

- The opportunity to write a paper on adolescent health and health preparedness for adolescent refugees for a project such as PMNCH is a great opportunity. I have received valuable feedback from my supervisor and I believe that it has helped me hone my academic writing skill. It has also furthered my interest in getting my work published and I am working hard on writing an op-ed or report that is acceptable for publishing.

3. Improve communication and engagement skill by networking with external partners and promoting the work done by ICMHD.

- In trying to increase the online presence of ICMHD, I collaborated with another intern to work on the website. Even though we were unable to see the project through till the end, I am confident about my communication and engagement skills. I am also confident that I will be able to approach external partners if required in the future.

4. Improve critical thinking skills by furthering recommendation for further improvement. - I had the opportunity of doing this on two occasions. Firstly, in suggesting changes to the

website and creating content for the ICMHD blog, I furthered recommendation to ICMHD. Later, in my paper, I have also mentioned a few recommendations for the PMNCH project based on my learning while researching for the paper.

5. Gain more learning experience in terms of teamwork and bureaucratic office atmosphere. - As mentioned earlier, the office environment was different from what I had expected. We

worked as a team right from the beginning, despite having our research papers to work on. We learned about the bureaucratic office atmosphere when other consultants for ICMHD visited the office and through our supervisor’s retelling of his experience.

6. Reconnecting with the core values that drive humanitarian work.

- In these two months, I have admired the people around me for their dedication to humanitarian work. I have learned the values and skills that I will take with me.

7. Developing professional skills and building a stronger CV for future opportunities.

- I believe that this experience would look great on my CV. I have also built a professional network that might be of help in the future.

7.

_{​Living in Geneva}

The cost of living in Geneva is very high. Starting from public transport to rents to eating out, the cost of everything is high. My Marco Polo grant was not enough to cover the costs of living in Geneva. However, given its proximity to France, living in and commuting from France is possible. I found a homestay almost an hour away from my office, in France. I had to change buses to get to work but the house was located in a quaint French town and it was reasonably priced. My host is the Team Leader in the Polio Operation at WHO. She is a congenial person with a social personality. We shared the household chores and she involved me in her social activities. I even had the opportunity of organizing a music festival along with her and her friends for 400 people. It was a great lesson in relationship building and event planning. I learned about her missions in Uganda and Nigeria.

I enjoyed living in that house because it was far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. On the weekends, I found time to explore Geneva and nearby towns and villages. My team from work also did a few outings to Swiss country-side. Being an introvert, I do not enjoy big, spontaneous social gatherings. However, I found myself not only attending the ones here but also enjoying them. To me, this was a sign of personal growth. At home, I had a few disagreements with the landlady which I was able to resolve without giving in to unreasonable expectations. This was another sign of personal growth that I have achieved with experience.

8.

_{​Connections to Master’s IRIO Programme}

As a part of my IRIO M.A. programme, I had research seminars on sustainable change and migration. My capita was International Security. As a result of this combination, I wanted to work somewhere that allows me to combine at least two of these fields and their knowledge. This internship allowed me to connect all three fields with my research paper. In my research paper, I explore the sustainability of adolescent healthcare among adolescent migrants. In a short section in the paper, I also explore the contribution of public health systems in decreasing the possibility of radicalization among refugee youth. I was glad that I was able to use my learnings from the research seminars and capita for the paper. The research seminars have improved my research skills which were essential for this internship. In addition to the MA track, I was also a part of the Honours College programme on Leadership. Skills learned during that programme such as taking initiative and self-confidence have benefited me greatly in this internship.

9.

_{​Career Contribution}

This is an aspect that remains unclear. The internship has provided an insight into the working of international organizations and research organizations. I have worked on research projects. Before this internship, I believed that I would thrive in an organization that primarily does research. I was also considering a PhD as an option after graduation. However, during the internship, I realised that I need a balance between desk research and fieldwork to gain job satisfaction. As much as I have enjoyed working here, I do not see myself continuing primarily

as a desk researcher. Furthermore, the multicultural work environment has ensured me that I will gain maximum job satisfaction in an international setting. Working with people who have worked in humanitarian and fragile settings has re-instilled my passion in the field and I am actively applying for jobs in organizations that are working with people from and in fragile settings. Another important lesson learnt was during the internship search period. I have started reading each job description carefully and writing cover letters for individual vacancies. In the past, I used to send the same cover letter for all vacancies. While searching for internships I saw the virtue in writing separate cover letters for individual vacancies. I believe that this strategy will make the job hunt more fruitful. Finally, I have learned to be patient with myself and take a break whenever required. In the past year and these two months, I have realised that everything in life has its own pace and it is best to have faith in it and work hard towards things we have control over.

10.

_​Tips

To all those who are considering a job or an internship in Switzerland, and especially in geneva, I would like to say that the experience here depends on the candidate himself/herself. Despite being a very small country, Switzerland has a lot to offer. I have hiked, gone on picnics, spent afternoons in the lake, biked for hours to other villages, read a book in a park or on top of a mountain and taken days off. It entirely depends on the candidate how they want their experience to shape. It is very important to budget one’s stay here because of the high cost of living. It is very useful to know French in Geneva. However, even trying to pick up a few common phrases are highly appreciated by the locals. To avoid any unnecessary expenses, it is important to look for accommodation outside Geneva. The city is well connected to its neighbouring French towns and cities and, therefore, commuting from these towns is manageable. To find reasonable accommodation, students should go on ‘Geneva Interns Association’ page on Facebook. It is important to carry proper papers while travelling if one lives in the French towns because there are frequent checks at the borders. The city has a lot to offer and, therefore, it is perfect for networking. One should come here with an open mind and make the best out of their time here.