Digital Communities Wales Communications Internship 2024
Cwmpas is offering an internship until the 28th March 2025 within its Inclusive Communities Directorate. Based in our Digital Communities Wales: Digital Confidence, Health and Well-being (DCW) programme and working closely with our Policy and Communications team, the aim of this internship is to capture the impact of digital inclusion activity developed by and supported by the DCW programme in Wales and tell the story of how digital inclusion has impacted on individuals and communities. You will be involved in the development of case studies in a variety of different media forms.
This internship is available for anyone aged 18+, at any point in their career, as an opportunity to work with Wales’ only national digital inclusion programme.
Our organisation
Cwmpas is a development agency working for positive change, in Wales and across the UK. We are a co-operative, and our focus is on building a fairer, greener economy and a more equal society, where people and planet come first.
We aim to create a greener and fairer economy by working to increase the proportion of the economy made up by social enterprises, co-operatives and employee-owned businesses; a more equal society by working to advance social justice – increasing access, equity, diversity and participation; and making positive change happen by working with people and organisations to take action for social good.
Underpinning our work is a commitment to delivering support to people, communities and businesses in ways that reflect our own co-operative values. We believe that how we do things is just as important as what we do. Our values are inspired by the international co-operative principles but are written in the words of our staff. They are:
- be co-operative
- be supportive
- be fair
- have integrity
- be positive
- be inspirational.
As a not-for-profit organisation, our work is financed through contracts and trading as well as being supported by a variety of funders including Welsh Government.
You can read all about our areas of work here, and you can read about the impact that we make here.
The opportunity
The focus and aim of DCW is to embed and mainstream digital inclusion within thematic areas ensuring ownership of digital inclusion. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that digital inclusion is embedded into, mainstreamed and owned by organisations and communities across Wales. Digital inclusion is not one organisation’s responsibility, and it cannot be championed by one programme alone. It requires collaboration, cooperation, and commitment by various stakeholders, working together, so we can create a digitally inclusive nation in Wales that benefits everyone and leaves no one behind.
Based in our DCW programme and working closely with our Policy and Communications team, the aim of this internship is to capture the impact of digital inclusion activity developed by and supported by the DCW programme in Wales and tell the story of individuals and communities. You will be involved in the development of case studies in a variety of different media forms.
What is the aim?
At DCW we work thematically. We know that the best way to reach communities experiencing digital exclusion is to work with the trusted faces and organisations that directly support them. The aim of this internship is to increase awareness of the importance that having digital skills, confidence and access has on individuals and communities.
This programme is open to individuals with lived experience in line with our programme thematic areas. We’re looking for people with lived experience from these areas:
- People from diverse ethnic minority communities
- People from Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities
- Older people
- People with disabilities or lifelong conditions
- People who live in social housing
- People who are or have been Carers
What is on offer?
We will offer an internship within our Digital Communities Wales team, working alongside our Policy and Communications team. The internship will run until Friday 28th March 2025.
Ideally, the internship would be a full-time role (35 hours per week), but we would also consider the intern working on a part-time basis (21-35 hours per week) if this helps to support other commitments or accessibility needs. We will pay the real living wage for this role, i.e. £12 per hour (equivalent to £21,840 per annum) pro-rata if part-time hours are requested.
The Intern will work from home utilising digital solutions such as Microsoft Teams to communicate with team members and manage work documents. Digital equipment will be supplied to enable them to do this. There will be opportunities to spend time with the wider Digital Communities Wales team in person, and online. Co-working spaces can be explored. Where travel within Wales is required, Cwmpas will pay mileage costs or will purchase tickets for public transport.
What will you be doing?
Based in our Digital Communities Wales team you will be involved in reaching out to and engaging with people across Wales who have been impacted by digital inclusion activity developed by or supported by the DCW programme.
This will involve understanding the barriers to digital inclusion and the wider digital inclusion agenda. You will work closely with our Thematic working groups to understand the digital inclusion work across these areas. Working closely with our Policy and Communications team you will capture the impact of digital inclusion activity developed by and supported by the DCW programme in Wales and tell the story of how digital inclusion has impacted on individuals and communities. You will be involved in the development of case studies in a variety of different media forms.
A typical day could include:
- Understanding and researching the digital inclusion, and exclusion agenda in line with the thematic groups above.
- Working with the DCW programme team to identify potential impact stories
- Capturing the voices of those who have been supported
- Creating case studies – this can include written, video or audio
- Sharing captured stories with our Policy and Communications team for use on our website and various social media channels.
- Connecting with other interns within Cwmpas’ Inclusive Communities directorate and sharing ideas and learning.
What will you learn?
- You will learn about the digital inclusion agenda in Wales, and the importance that inclusion plays for future digital transformation, and how communications play a part in that.
- You will learn about the benefits of embedding digital skills and confidence in communities and organisations, including how it can decrease social isolation and loneliness, increase confidence and skills, as well as create more resilient digital citizens.
- You will get the opportunity to engage with a wide variety of people and communities and help them to tell their stories.
- You will gain valuable experience of working as part of a driven and fast paced team, which works with varied and diverse communities across Wales.
- We will provide you with a remit for your work, which will allow you to work independently and use your own creativity but will also provide you with support when you need it.
- You will have access to our E-learning Hub, which has a wide range of modules available on such subjects as Health and Safety, GDPR, Leadership, IT and Well-being. You will also be involved in team meetings and will be able to take part in any internal training opportunities that might arise from time to time.
What skills do you need?
We are looking for candidates who are:
- committed to our company values
- able to promote our commitment to equality, fairness and inclusion
- able to communicate (verbally and in writing) to a high standard in English
- able to organise themselves well and handle different work for different deadlines
- able to work well within a team
- able to think creatively, and suggest new ideas
- able to use a computer and platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube.
- skills in creating and developing mixed media case studies are desirable.
Who can apply?
If you think you would be a good fit for our work placement, we are looking for people:
- who can evidence the right to work in the UK
- who are able to commit to the full placement period to 28th March 2024
- who can access the internet from home
- who can travel to meetings or events as required.
We particularly encourage applications from people who are traditionally underrepresented in the Welsh labour market, but this placement is open to all eligible applicants regardless of sex, age, disability, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, religion, belief or non-belief, pregnancy, marriage or civil partnership. It is also open to people with any level of work experience in any field, including those with no experience at all.
