Company Profile

Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) is a non-governmental, non-partisan civil society think tank that has been working since 1998 to advance democracy, good governance, and inclusive development in Ghana and the rest of Africa through research and analysis, policy and civic engagement, and strategic interventions and partnerships. The Center harnesses the power of evidence-informed analysis and ideas to stimulate public dialogue and inform and influence public policy in furtherance of its mission and vision.

Job Description

The International Panel on Social Progress (IPSP) is offering an internship position to assist in the launching of the second cycle (2024-2027) of the global work of the Panel. 

The IPSP was launched by a group of social scientists in 2014 to harness the knowledge produced on societal institutions and structures. After four years of collegial work of more than 350 contributors worldwide, the Panel published in 2018 the first IPSP Report Rethinking Societies for the 21st Century and the companion book—A Manifesto for Social Progress: Ideas for a Better Society. The Panel gained international recognition for offering a powerful narrative to accompany the implementation of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. 

In 2023, the Panel decided to reconvene because humanity is approaching an abyss due to the deepening of interconnected severe challenges and threats. One of the main messages of the International Panel on Social Progress is that solutions for better societies already exist, but they need to be promoted and implemented by fluid coalitions of public, private and non-governmental actors. 
From 2024 onwards, the Panel will leverage co-construction with stakeholders and member-based organizations to ensure that the work will be relevant for implementation. It will gather transdisciplinary and cross-sectoral expertise to provide a comprehensive understanding and avoid biases and silos, with a special focus on the Global South and to underrepresented voices. It will develop innovative formats and tools to support change-makers and to impact processes leading to the transition. 

The second cycle of the Panel (2024-2027) provides a unique opportunity to build collective intelligence and momentum for social progress. It will: 

• Produce innovative actionable knowledge and identify the most inspiring and replicable initiatives worldwide thanks to a network of 1000+ thinkers and doers;
• Share knowledge and help actors connect and build effective coalitions for change on interdependent issues;
• Organize a worldwide dissemination to reach a variety of stakeholders (media, business, polity, lOs and NGOs, think tanks, academia, philanthropy) with a focus on younger generations. 

All IPSP material will be released in open access on the International Platform for Social Progress that will offer a global edited repertory of inspiring initiatives, a hub for collaboration, and an online media on social progress. 

Under the responsibility of the local supervisor, the intern will provide support for:

• scientific activities (assistance to the working groups, organization of online meetings, preparation of minutes, building up the international expert base)
• events in France (1st World Social Progress Forum) and internationally (with local branches of the Panel to be developed with Advisory Board members)
• communication actions (preparation of the International Platform for Social Progress, identification of players and projects likely to be included in the database, updating of content and news on the website and social networks, designing formats for dissemination of IPSP contents in student communities),
• fundraising operations (identification of priorities, creation of a database of international foundations, preparation of funding applications). 

Digital interactions with other IPSP interns located in different countries will be an integral part of the training experience. At least one online collective meeting per weekwill be organized and small transnational groups will be organized to promote collective work and benefit from different perspectives. 

• Duration: Fax months.
• Benefits: Internship stipend to be determined with each local supervisor. 
• Location: The intern will be hosted at CDD-Ghana, a local collaborator of the IPSP 

Required Skills or Experience

• Qualification: Masters / PhD candidate 
• Skills required: Interest in societal and international issues, ability to work in a team, rigor, autonomy, ability to synthesize, good writing skills.
• Language: Excellent written and spoken English is required.