Early Childhood Development Intern

Terms of Reference (TOR) for Interns

Position: Early Childhood Development Intern
Location: African Centre for Early Childhood Development (AfC-ECD), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (or remote, depending on the program’s needs)
Duration: 6 months

Start Date: February 2025

Reports To: Research team lead

Required number: Three

Background

The Centre of Excellence on Early Childhood development (COE-ECD) is dedicated to advancing the welfare and holistic development of children aged 0-6 years. By working with a range of stakeholders, the Centre aims to foster the growth and well-being of children through multisectoral approaches, delivering high-quality early childhood development (ECD) services across the continent. The Centre is positioned to guide policy development, promote best practices, and scale contextually appropriate innovations. As part of this mission, AfC-ECD seeks to offer an internship program for young professionals, providing hands-on experience in ECD and creating a learning environment that fosters the development of future leaders in the field.

Objective

The internship program aims to provide practical experience and exposure to the field of early childhood development, enriching interns’ knowledge and skills in specific areas of ECD. Interns will have the opportunity to contribute to ongoing projects and initiatives within the AfC-ECD framework, allowing them to apply their academic learning in a real-world context. Moreover, the program fosters collaboration, networking, and knowledge exchange among interns, researchers, and practitioners, creating a supportive community dedicated to advancing early childhood development.

Intern Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the intern will be aligned with the AfC-ECD’s strategic objectives and will encompass a variety of tasks, including but not limited to:

• Assist in ongoing research projects related to ECD under the guidance of a mentor.

• Support the design and implementation of training materials, toolkits, and resources for ECD programs.

• Assist in organizing seminars, conferences, and workshops related to ECD.

• Help create communication materials such as reports, presentations, and social media content related to AfC-ECD’s work.

• Maintain accurate documentation of activities, outcomes, and feedback. Prepare weekly and monthly progress reports.

• Attend relevant meetings and workshops, engage with researchers, professionals, and practitioners to expand knowledge in the field.

• Submit a comprehensive report at the end of the internship, summarizing achievements, lessons learned, and recommendations for the organization.

• Perform any tasks or duties as may be reasonably assigned by the Management as required by the needs of the Center.

Support and Benefits

AfC-ECD will provide the following support and benefits to selected interns:

• A monthly allowance will be provided to cover some living expenses, subject to tax deductions.

• Access to office space, research tools, and necessary materials required for the completion of assigned tasks.

• Guidance from experienced professionals within COE-ECD to support learning and development.

• Opportunities to collaborate and network with professionals, researchers, and organizations working in the ECD field.

• Participation in relevant training sessions, workshops, and meetings to enhance ECD knowledge and skills.

Duration

The officer role will run for a period of 6 months, with a possibility for extension based on performance, programme needs and availability of funding.

Reporting and Supervision

The Intern will report directly to the Research team lead. Regular progress meetings will be held to ensure alignment and review deliverables.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the internship program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Graduate students or those who have finished a graduate program in anthropology, psychology, public health, social work, early childhood education, child development, or other relevant fields. 

• Prior experience working with young children or in early childhood education settings is highly desirable.

• Strong interest and passion for early childhood development and its impact on children’s well-being. 

• Proficiency in English (both written and spoken); proficiency in Amharic or other local languages is an added advantage.

• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently and within a team.

Key Competencies

Interns should possess the following competencies:

• Ability to manage time effectively, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.

• Capacity to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and work under pressure.

• Ability to work with minimal supervision and take initiative.

• Strong interpersonal skills to engage with diverse stakeholders within the organization and externally.

• Accuracy in handling tasks, documentation, and reporting.

How To Apply

Recruitment Process

The recruitment process for the internship program will consist of the following steps:

Application: 

Interested candidates should submit a CV and A statement of purpose (cover letter) outlining interest and relevant experience, detailing their qualifications and relevant experience, to fetiyatemam.coe@gmail.com within 10 days of posting.

N.B. After submitting your application to the above address please fill out and submit the form using the below link

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScfNSWRQouuXgrY6bcJ1DH1PDDGA7-M86xdjmUXQjJ4Egwlow/viewform?usp=dialog

Please be aware that unless you fill out and submit the form in the above link, your application will not be taken into consideration.

1. Shortlisting: AfC-ECD will review applications based on qualifications, motivation, and experience relevant to the ECD field.

2. Interview: Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview (either virtual or in-person) to assess suitability and commitment to the program.

3. Selection and Onboarding: Successful candidates will receive an offer letter, and an orientation session will be held to familiarize interns with the Center, their responsibilities, and program expectations.

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.