Natural Resource Conservation, Microfinance and Waste Management, North INDIA

SWASH (The Sanitation of Water, Air and Soil for Healthy Village Life)

India, a beautiful, abundant country that is plagued with overpopulation and natural resource degradation. SWASH is a project that focuses on the beauty and lavish natural environment of India by working in the areas of natural resource conservation (water conservation and management, composting and soil rehabilitation) and waste management (recycling, proper trash collection, sorting and healthy disposal, and wastewater management). As a SWASH intern, you will have the opportunity to live and work in India and directly and fruitfully contribute to remedying some of the most obvious environmental issues in the country: excess trash, lack of proper waste management services, poor water sanitation services and shortages in fresh, clean water supply. As a SWASH intern, you will help to conceive, plan, develop and implement a project or project that can be in any or multiple of the following areas:

• And education and awareness campaign on the benefits of a clean environment, with classes on proper sorting of trash, the safe disposal of hazardous wastes (to counter the burning of plastics), recycling and organic composting.
• The planning of a Trash Sorting and Collection Facility to be initiated in one or more of the rural communities we are currently based, with ownership to be given over to migrant trash picker communities for their sustainable future and work safety.
• Campaigns on the impacts of a degraded environment on the health of persons and families, focusing on the need and generation of clean water sources, clean soil for planning and improved consumption habits for personal and environmental health.
• The development and implementation of a composting toilet initiative in order to reduce water use, "blackwater" creation and to create microfinance opportunities for marginalized peoples. The SWASH project also connects with local marginalized communities (trash pickers) to help facilitate recycling projects. We hope to construct portable dry toilets for our own Vikas Center Offices, as well as permanent structures in intern housing and in public areas lacking a proper toilet, which causes issue and inconvenience for females.

We are looking for interns with studies and/or experience in natural resource management/conservation, composting, dry toilets, waste management and engineering for Project Management positions; we are also looking for motivated, innovative and open-minded youth who would like to expose themselves to this area of sustainable development and work closely with our Health and Environmental Conservation projects to develop and integrate the SWASH projects.

Please follow our BLOG for up-to-date information and reports on SWASH and other ConservEN projects, with contributions from current program interns! Also, visit our Facebook Page for new photos and milestones!

Project Manager:

Reports to: Program Coordinator

Timeframe: 6-12 months

Age Restriction: 18 to 35 years of age

Tasks and responsibilities:

The Project Manager's role is to innovate and manage one or more projects within the areas listed above, with the support of Project Assistant Managers, at a specified cluster location within one of the three EduCARE India centres: Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan. They work closely with the Program Coordinator to implement on-ground projects and manage them daily, monitor and evaluate these projects and their resource needs on a weekly and monthly basis, and update the project manuals, with the assistance of the Project Assistant Manager. Additionally, the Project Manager should reach out to their community and create/maintain communication and collaboration with the local people for their education and empowerment.

Project Management:

• Research and initiate new projects
• Manage existing projects within the assigned program cluster
• Monitor, evaluate and report on the project activities to the Program Coordinator
• Liaise with the Program Coordinator to acquire material and non material resources
• Create and update project manuals regularly
• Create long term, medium term and short term plans with the support of the Program Coordinator
• Organize and chair the project committee meetings
• Coordinate and support Cluster Coordinator in cluster events

Communications:

• Liaise between Project Assistant Managers and Program Coordinators
• Help manage the feedback, concerns, and needs of the Project Assistant Managers within their projects.
• Create blog posts related to their projects regularly.
• Liaise with people from the local community, fostering good relations.

Assistant Project Manager:

Reports to: Project Manager.

Timeframe: 3-6 months

The Project Assistant Manager works on one or more ConservEN projects. They will be assigned to one specific office location within the three program centres: Himachal Pradesh, Punjab or Rajasthan. The Project Assistant Manager works closely with the Project Manager, who will provide guidance and direction and resource needs. They will also work with the Program Coordinator to ensure that their projects fit with the overall aim, mission and values of the organization.

Together with the Sustainability Project Manager, the Sustainablity Project Assistant Managers form a team to assure the continuity and quality of one of the Environmental Projects. This job role will put you in the center of the work field and you will be in close contact with the local community. Being involved in the social projects run by the VIKAS Centres will provide you with invaluable work experience in development and let you experience Indian culture first hand.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Assist the Project Manager in the daily on ground tasks related to their projects
• Monitor, evaluate and report on the project activities to the Project Manager
• Inform the Project Manager about any human resource, financial and material needs.
• Management of Project Manuals and other project documents
• Liaise with people from the local community, fostering good relations.

Benefits

Free on-site accommodation is provided. Free access to Internet is provided in the various centers and some houses. Additionally, work-related transportation and phone expenses (partially) are provided for by the organisation.

*Fee: Please note there is a one-time legal fee for intern placement that is US $460. Interns of 6-12 months or longer qualify for partial to full reimbursement of this fee.