Initiatives of Change - Caux Internship Programme

Wanted: Energetic, self-starting young adults seeking experience leading international work teams of volunteers during summer 2008.

Caux terrace (Photo: John Munro)

Venue: The international conference centre of Initiatives of Change, above Montreux, Lake Geneva, at 1000m above sea level.

Timing: Interns will be expected for a period of 3 to 4 weeks. Your exact timing will be e-mailed to you once your application has been received, the selection process is completed and you are accepted. Internships are not available for shorter or different times from the ones you will be given. Each intern will be given their time-table of training, working and participation in the workshifts in the house.

Training: All interns participate in a series of seminars on leadership and personal skills development training.

NEW FOR 2008
Their programme includes participation and note taking in some of the conference sessions and workshops, from which they report to the rest of the Interns group.

Interested...?
The Caux summer conferences attract hundreds of people from all over the world. Keenness to work sensitively with mixed cultural groups of all ages is essential. As part of the community-building process all day-to-day practical work of the centre is done by conference delegates, led by Caux Interns, who have a unique opportunity to develop skills and get training in leading international teams. Completion certificates are given.

Caux delegates on an outing to the Dent de Jaman (Photo: Daniele de Lutzel)

Applicants must be at least 18 years old by July 2008 and need a good command of English and preferably another language. French is especially useful. Previous leadership and organizational experience is an advantage, as are skills related to the areas of service, which include: Kitchen, Dining room service, Housekeeping, Kindergarten, Technical, Administrative, including secretariat, reception, telephone, and others. Interns may be moved to different work areas depending on the needs at the centre.

Interns are expected to fund their travel costs to and from Caux, and can expect to have the cost of their stay fully funded. As the Caux centre is charitably funded through the contributions of many volunteers’ time, talents and money, any financial contribution you are able to raise for your stay will be greatly appreciated.

FAQs about the Program

Hospitality is one of the most important ways of caring for people. It is a core value of the Caux conferences and of the intern program. The spirit in which we welcome people from all corners of the world, make them feel at home and include them in hosting the house, is an important part of our conferences.

This “community in service” is the place where we put into practice the values we talk about – teamwork, trust-building, inclusion, and multiculturalism, community-building. Here we experience it by becoming aware of the behaviour and skills needed to create authentic communities.

Each part of the dynamic is critically important to experience the community of Caux. For more information about each of the different tasks and their job descriptions please click here >>. In order to allow the best possible atmosphere during these 'conferences in community' all participants are given a welcome leaflet with information about the house on their arrival. This includes a few simple house rules: please find these in the following paragraph as the interns are part of the hosting team of the house by the time the participants arrive.

Mountain House is an international, multi-cultural community, which requires sensitivity to the presence of other cultures and generations. All are expected to respect the following:

For safety and insurance reasons, smoking is not permitted in the conference centre or on the balconies.

Quiet in the conference centre and gardens after 22:30 hrs.

Bedrooms are private to their allocated occupants.

Out of respect for different cultures represented in Caux, alcohol is not served in Mountain House and participants are asked not to bring any into the conference centre.

If you have read the information above, as well as the text about Mountain House, the conference centre and about IofC on our web page and would like to register for the program, please send us an email by clicking here >>.

Please give your complete contact details, where you heard about the Intern-program and the name of two persons you will ask to be your reference persons, together with their contact details.