Plan Australia

Organisation profile

Plan Australia is an international organisation focused on empowering children to reach their full potential through child -centred community development. Plan Australia began in Australia in the 1970s and forms part of Plan International, a non-religious and non-politically affiliated global network that comprises of 49 program countries across the developing world and 18 national offices.

Plan Australia  follows the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in its approach to community development, ensuring the best interests of the child are the focal point of the organisation's programs and that the children actively participate in community development. The primary areas of focus for the organisation are child health and early development, education, economic security, sexual health and HIV, water and sanitation and child protection.

In addition, Plan Australia runs a number of campaigns both globally and locally including ‘Learn Without Fear' (end violence against children in school) and ‘Because I Am A Girl' (focusing on specific violations against girls). Through these community development programs and campaigns, Plan seeks to promote and protect children's human rights, reduce child poverty and enable children to reach their full potential.

Plan International is currently working in Haiti to ensure Haitian children's right to survival, development, protection and participation in community life.  As one of the poorest nations in the world, Haitian children are confronted with extreme poverty, violence, inadequate access to water and sanitation and inadequate education on a daily basis. Plan has implemented a strategy to address these concerns that involves working directly with disadvantaged children and community organisations across Haiti.

For more information, please refer to the Plan Australia website.

Intern profile

The intern will be involved in research work on child protection issues, and will work predominately on assisting Plan in creating its Child Protection Strategy and design programs for its work in Haiti.  Please email the Castan Centre for more information on the framework that will be followed in creating the child protection strategy.

Eligibility criteria

The intern must be a French speaker. 

Candidates must have child protection knowledge and operational experience will be essential to the role as would experience working in developing countries.

NOTE: unlike the other Global Internships, students do NOT need to have a unit remaining in their degree upon finishing the internship to be eligible. Students who have completed all of the units of their degree are still eligible for this internship.

Please click here for eligibility criteria.

Selection criteria

The following selection criteria will be taken into account by the Castan Centre in choosing the intern and applicants are advised to directly address each criterion in the personal statement.

• A demonstrated interest in human rights as shown through your practical or academic experiences;
• Particular interest in the work currently being undertaken by PLAN Australia in Haiti;
• Strong academic record, in particular marks received in human rights and other relevant subjects;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Operational fluency in French;
• Experience working in devloping countries;
• Knowledge of and interest in child protection.

Application process

This internship is part of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law's annual Global Internship Program.  For full details of the application process, go to the Global Internship homepage.

Equity grants

The Student Mobility Equity Grants have been developed as part of the Law Faculty Student Mobility Fund to provide financial assistance for faculty internship programs to those students who can demonstrate financial hardship. Students are advised to apply for Equity Grants by the Equity Grant application deadline. Contact Cathy Meredith (below) for more details about Equity Grants.

Contact information

If you would like further information about this internship please contact:

Forms

Current Intern - Elisabeth Howard
Global Internship Application Form