Description

Ashoka, the largest network of social entrepreneurs in the world, is offering you a unique professional opportunity!

Social Entrepreneurship Internship at Ashoka Belgium

Time commitment: at least 6 months, starting in September 2023

Salary: unremunerated

Location: Ashoka Belgium’s office: Impact House – 20, Rue Joseph II, 1000 Brussels (homeworking possible)

About Ashoka

For 40 years, Ashoka has pioneered the field of social entrepreneurship – finding, selecting and supporting some of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. Our growing network of over 3,700 Ashoka Fellows is successfully implementing system-changing solutions to human and environmental problems in almost every area of need, in 90 countries. Ashoka Fellows are extraordinary changemakers. Please see http://www.belgium.ashoka.org and http://www.ashoka.orgfor more details.

Role and Responsibilities

The Venture programme is the search and selection process of new Ashoka Fellows. Every year, Ashoka spots around 150 leading entrepreneurs worldwide with the best system-changing ideas to address social problems and change society for the better. We elect them as new “Ashoka Fellows” into our global network and, in alliance with hundreds of partners, support them in scaling and replicating their solutions.

The Belgian Ashoka team is constantly conducting research into the most innovative and systemic social entrepreneurs in Flanders, East-Belgium, Brussels and Wallonia.

To support the Venture work, we are looking for someone who canplay an essential role in sourcing the latest and most promising social entrepreneurs in Belgium. The role consists of expanding and managing the pipeline of candidates, doing in-depth research on potential candidates, co-leading interviews with senior Ashoka staff and making final decision on candidates in weekly pipeline meetings. Before sending Belgian candidates into the international selection process. The local team compiles research, does benchmarking, site visits, reference checks and write extensive documents on a candidate’s work. As part of the Venture team, you will contribute to who the next Ashoka Fellows will be!

Additionally, you will support the Belgian team in identifying new nominators, who can support Ashoka in identifying Fellows from, in the Fellowship, underrepresented communities.

Tasks:

• Carrying out research into leading social entrepreneurs in Belgium
• Evaluating candidates with the Venture team and presenting research on short-listed candidates in the form of a concise ‘profile’
• Desk and field research to investigate new topics for Ashoka Belgium and identifying social innovations
• Preparing materials for the international selection process of Belgian candidates
• Desk-research on identifying opportunities and networking events to raise Ashoka Belgium’s profile and increase the number of applications

• Meeting with leaders in the non-profit / venture philanthropy world to build our network of nominators
• Re(engage) the existing nominator network through the organisation of events

Required Skills and Experience

• Fluent spoken and written English and Dutch

• Proficiency in Frenchis an asset
• Analytical, research-oriented mindset
• Demonstrated track record in producing high quality written materials (e.g. through writing of thesis, research/policy papers or blogging etc.)
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work productively, proactively and independently, on own initiative

• Awareness of social and environmental issues in Belgium
• Excellent time management skills
• Experience in the citizen sector, either as a social entrepreneur or a volunteer, etc.