Migration Policy Scotland offers paid internships to people from migrant and minority ethnic backgrounds as part of our commitment to migrant and racial justice.  We aim to promote diversity in policymaking by giving those from migrant and minority ethnic backgrounds accessible opportunities to begin and further careers in policy research and policy influencing.

Our “Diversity in Policymaking” Internship programme gives paid interns the chance to support the work of a specialist policy research and influencing organisation. Alongside our experienced staff, interns are supported to deliver on a range of tasks including: background research, events organising and report writing. 

We support learning and development throughout our internships through structured learning inputs and agreed development aims. 

Following on from the internship period at Migration Policy Scotland, interns can take up 2 follow-on mentoring sessions.  The mentoring sessions are with MPS Director, Sarah Kyambi, and aim to nuture potential and progression while provide sounding board for people from BAME backgrounds to discuss issues that can arise in the workplace. By talking through stumbling blocks and we develop strategies to support successful outcomes. 

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MPS also offers student internships, placements and collaborative dissertation opportunities in partnership with universities across Scotland. You can read Eunuk Kim’s blog about his experience here and Patrick To’s here.

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In her own words: MPS first ‘Diversity in Policymaking’ intern, Hana, wrote this on her experience:

Reflecting on my internship at MPS has made me realise the number of opportunities I was afforded for personal and professional growth. The work was by no means just administrative, and I felt intellectually challenged by the different tasks I was set. In the two months that I was with MPS, I drafted a publication on specific migrant populations in Scotland, assisted with the preparation of three government-funded events, and developed MPS’ online brand and email system. I also had the chance to work in-person with the MPS team to deliver a panel event at the COSLA Conference Centre. 

Being part of a small but rapidly growing organisation like MPS gave me plenty of opportunities for both collaborative and independent working and I was able to obtain valuable feedback on the work I carried out.

During the internship:

• I gained deeper knowledge of immigration systems and in particular, how they relate to migration in Scotland.
• I learnt how to analyse and interpret data from the Office for National Statistics and the National Records of Scotland
• I honed my skills in relation to setting realistic goals and managing time effectively to get tasks done efficiently and for relevant deadlines.
• I developed skills in events planning and effective communication to ensure a smooth-running event.
• I sat in on weekly team meetings which enabled me to understand how the tasks I was set worked towards MPS’ long-term goals. Given that the internship is remote, it was hugely motivating to be able to see the ‘bigger picture’ and watch as our work came together.
• I had weekly one-to-one ‘Learning Inputs’ with the Director and Senior Researcher. These informal sessions were a valuable chance to discuss how the internship was going and learn from the experience of MPS’ team. Sessions that stand out include ‘Careers in Policy Work’ and ‘Advice on Postgraduate Courses’. As a recent graduate, the chance to discuss my future and seek advice was reassuring and made everything feel a bit less daunting. I really appreciated the time set aside for these sessions.

Without doubt, the highlight of this internship was the chance to work alongside Sarah and Becka. MPS is an organisation that ‘helps people think together and work together’ and this is reflected in the internal working environment they have created. From the very first day, I was welcomed into the team, and I felt valued and supported throughout the internship. I have immensely enjoyed my time at MPS and will take with me the skills and knowledge I have gained.

I would recommend anyone looking for an internship in migration/policy that is both challenging and rewarding to apply.

Listen to Hana talk about her experience at MPS

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Migration Policy Scotland offers internships on a rolling basis recruiting at different points in the year in relation to specific projects and outputs that involve work suitable for internships. Our paid internship opportunities are advertised and prospective interns are recruited through a structured application and interview process. We do our best to provide flexible internships (including part time) to broaden access.

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