Do you have an affinity with activism, grassroots organizing, or campaigning for agriculture and food issues, as well as social justice? Would you like to use your organising, fundraising, logistics, awareness, communicative or creative skills to change our current food system towards a more fair and sustainable one?
Then maybe this is something for you!
General introduction: What is ASEED Europe?
ASEED (Action for Sustainability, Environment, Equality and Diversity) is an Amsterdam-based grassroots collective that targets the structural causes of environmental destruction and social- agricultural injustices by involving people in activism. ASEED advocates for food sovereignty and agroecology working together with activists, small scale farmers, grassroots collectives and other groups working on social and environmental justice. ASEED is often involved in international actions and events extending beyond Amsterdam and the Netherlands, although we have a “Think Global, Act Local” approach.
With a small team working together in a consensus-seeking, non-hierarchical structure, we campaign against multinational corporations and their national and international influence spheres and control tools. At the same time, we promote sustainable alternatives. Currently, ASEED runs the Fossil Free Agriculture (FFA) campaign, where we focus on exposing the connections between the fossil fuel industry (specifically gas and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers) and agriculture. Simultaneously, we support and educate about the alternatives to industrial agriculture that exist in the Netherlands and worldwide.
For more information about ASEED follow these links: Food Autonomy Festival, Fossil Free Agriculture campaign, our Mission Statement, Intersectionality Statement and Safer Space Policy.
Internship descriptions
We are looking for interns for the organization of the Food Autonomy Festival, our biggest event in the year, which usually takes place at the end of May or start of June. The interns will work closely with the three coordinators, the financial administrator, participants of the ESC program and the rest of the team, providing support as needed. The intern will be part of a Working Group (Fundraising, Communications & Media, Logistics or Awareness) and share responsibility for the daily tasks accordingly.
Further bellow, you can find the tasks related to the internship positions and a current need we have within ASEED, but in addition to that you can take on other tasks and roles depending on your motivation and skills.
General common tasks include:
- Being part of the organization of the Food Autonomy Festival
- Participating and supporting the rest of the team during ASEED events
- Participating in general office tasks and responsibilities (answering emails, keeping the office tidy, helping to plan agendas and facilitate meetings)
Requirements
- Ability to keep a broad overview
- Ability to work independently
- Willingness to learn on the job
- Solution oriented – creative problem solver
- Spoken/written fluency in English; some Dutch is a preference
- Affinity with food sovereignty issues and grassroots activism in general
- Awareness of and commitment to anti-oppression work
Bonus:
- Experience with (grassroots) event planning
- Experience with web design and WordPress
- Familiarity/experience with Linux and other open source software
- Experience with Co-op’s, CSA’s, or farmers
We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace, which is why people from communities that experience discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity; gender; ability or sexuality are especially encouraged to apply.
Details for each internship position
- Communications & Media Intern
The intern will be responsible for the daily management of some of the main tools ASEED has to mobilize people and share its standpoints, activities and events: our social media channels, mailing lists, and website. They will also have the chance to create campaign material and use their creative skills.
Specific tasks and responsibilities:
- Ensuring that our social media (Facebook, Instagram) is up to date, vibrant and appealing
- Managing the official website
- Promoting and spreading information on our activities, events, actions, festival
- Use our platforms to mobilize, and to support and amplify the demands of likeminded groups, collectives and movements
- Producing campaign materials: brochures, flyers, stickers, posters etc.
Specific requirements:
The ideal candidate will have:
- Experience with managing (social) media platforms
- Good feeling for written and visual communication skills
- Graphic design and/or other creative skills
- Fundraising Intern
Structural sources of funding are challenging for our small non-profit, and we are looking to revitalize the organization towards a more sustainable funding scenario. In cooperation with the Fundraising Coordinator, the intern will also be in charge of ensuring the necessary resources for project implementation within ASEED. This includes identifying new fundraising opportunities, writing grant and fund applications. The intern will also be responsible to help manage and update the official website in order to make ASEED’s mission and image more appealing and clearer to funders.
Specific tasks and responsibilities:
Supporting the Fundraising Coordinator in securing necessary resources for project implementation, both for projects expenses as well as for the organizational support structure (admin and coordination), e.g. through:
- Identifying new fundraising opportunities
- Supporting with writing grant and fund applications and helping with reporting
- Project funding (FAF, FtS, Patagonia, etc.)
- Co-creating donation campaigns
- Ensuring that the official website is clear, up to date, vibrant and appealing
Specific requirements:
The ideal candidate will have experience with fundraising and grant applications.
- Awareness Intern
The intern will be responsible for tasks related to the Awareness Team of the festival.
Specific tasks and responsibilities:
- organising trainings
- making sure that the organisation of the festival is following our Safer Space Agreement
- finding & coordinating the awareness volunteers during the festival days
Specific requirements:
The ideal candidate will have:
- Experience with disability justice issues
- Experience with anti-oppression and care work
- Logistics Intern
The intern will be responsible for tasks related to the Logistics Working Group of the festival.
Specific tasks and responsibilities:
- making sure that we have all the practical things we need for the festival such as a location, materials, food, etc.
- keeping in contact with other groups that will help us make this possible
Terms and conditions
Position title: Intern
Location: Your work will be done primarily in the ASEED office in Plantage Doklaan 12a, Amsterdam. Being based in the Netherlands is required (and preferably in Amsterdam).
Scope: Part-time (20 hours per week as a standard; some flexibility in availability can be expected during project periods)
Duration: 6-8 months
Financial compensation: Unpaid internship, interns that benefit of financial support programs such as Erasmus+ or through universities are encouraged to apply
Starting date: Flexible, preferably 1st February
How to apply
The application deadline is Monday 4th December 2023. If you are interested in the position send the following by email to info@aseed.net and anna@aseed.net:
- Short motivation letter (no more than 1 page). Mention of your experience as an activist (voluntary and/or professional) is useful
- CV
Short-listed candidates will be notified and invited for an online or in person interview by the 8th December 2023. Interviews will scheduled between the 10th, 11th and 14th December 2023.
