INTERN – PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT

At Hedayah, the Programs Department works to develop collaborative, contextualized programs/projects, and practical tools to enhance the capacities of government and non-government stakeholders. This department aids in designing and implementing effective policies, programs, and projects to counter extremism and violent extremism. These initiatives include Preventing Violent Extremism Through Education, Strategic Communications, Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Violent Extremist Offenders, National Action Plans to Prevent and Counter Extremism and Violent Extremism, Supporting Families to counter extremism and violent extremism, and strengthening resilience through Community Oriented Policing, among others.
To ensure the internship is high-value to students or those recently graduated (up to 2 years), Hedayah’s team involves interns in all aspects of the Program Departments’ work. Realizing that not all interns may have a profound knowledge of countering extremism and violent extremism, Hedayah staff members will guide and support interns throughout their internship terms to ensure the quality of their work meets Hedayah’s standards.
The Programs Department intern (s) will work with the Department to enhance efforts in delivering programs and projects funded by international donors. This could include work across a range of different teams within the Programs Department and other departments in Hedayah. The intern will conduct literature reviews, desk research on relevant topics, review reports, collect data, contribute to planning, logistics, and administration tasks, and support the department’s overall objectives in alignment with their professional goals and Hedayah’s needs.

• Support countering extremism and violent extremism programs and projects within the department, including country-specific programming, communication, and various other global programs.
• Conduct literature reviews, desk research, and review reports on countering extremism and violent extremism topics as directed.
• Collect research material on specific topics related to radicalization, extremism, and violent extremism in relevant countries/regions or in support of ongoing projects and programs.
• Condense programmatic documents to produce clear and concise impact reports for a general audience
• Provide administrative support, including support in: note-taking and data collection and management, logistical support, visibility/communications, or other planning efforts.

EDUCATION:

• Students enrolled in a university or other accredited institution, or at a graduate or postgraduate level; recent graduates or postgraduates, i.e., currently enrolled or within two years of graduation; with a background in criminology, security studies, strategic communications, peacebuilding, international relations, political science, diplomacy, or any related field

EXPERIENCE:

• No specific working experience in the field required.

REQUIRED:

• A high degree of communication in English and excellent research, writing, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work virtually, autonomously, and in a team with the ability to perform various tasks and think creatively.
• A well-organized, adaptable team player with the ability to perform various tasks and think creatively.
• Ability to manage several stakeholders coming from diverse cultural backgrounds appropriately.
• Results-driven, proactive, and has the ability to meet deadlines.
• Interest in working in an international, multicultural environment.

PREFERRED:

• Interest in strategic communications, countering extremism and violent extremism, international relations, or related fields is preferred.
• Results-driven, proactive personality with the ability to meet deadlines.
• Campaigning, Adobe Creative Suite and social media monitoring skills or an interest.
• Fluency in other languages, particularly Arabic, French, and/or Russian, will be considered an asset.

• Please note this internship role is not remunerated.
• Please note this internship role is entirely remote, unless the candidate is already based in the UAE. Travel costs are not supported for this role.
• The internship will be 6 months in length and will require a minimum of two working days per week, although this could increase depending on the candidate’s availability. Noting the internship is remote, the preferred candidates would be those located in time zones that are -5 hours / + 5 hours from Abu Dhabi’s time zone.
• The preferred timeframe for availability is from 1 January to 1 June 2026, noting that applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis.

To apply, please submit a short cover letter and CV to hr@hedayah.ae, with “Intern – Programs Department” in the subject line.