MHPSS & Climate Crisis Internship

Intern to support the co-creation of a practice framework on climate crisis and mental health and psychosocial wellbeing.

Background
Climate change is contributing to growing humanitarian needs. This undoubtably has an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of people affected by climate change and extreme weather events. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states, in its Sixth Assessment Report, with ‘very high confidence’ that climate change has already contributed to adverse mental health outcomes, including diagnosable mental health conditions as well as disruptions to normal functioning of mood, behaviour, and cognition.1 The IPCC expects these impacts to worsen with future climate change. 

The impacts of the climate crisis on mental health and wellbeing are many, varied, and have complex causal pathways. This complexity can make it difficult for practitioners, and communities to link mental health and wellbeing outcomes to the climate crisis and to identify potential interventions to strengthen mental health and resilience while supporting well-being. In addition, the interconnected and cross-cutting nature of climate change impacts on mental health and well-being can also make it challenging to determine which indicators should be assessed in program monitoring and evaluation.

The project
Four Copenhagen-based actors, the MHPSS Collaborative, Save the Children Denmark, IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support and Danish Red Cross, as well as the Nordic Network for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) will undertake a series of workshops in the fall of 2024. The aim of the workshops is to develop a practice framework on the climate crisis, it’s mental health and wellbeing impacts, and potential interventions to support and build mental health and psychosocial resilience of affected populations.

The workshops will include a range of participants from communities affected by the climate crisis, MHPSS practitioners and researchers. The workshops will be conducted in English, French and Spanish. The workshops will focus on developing a visual practice framework that depicts the pathways through which climate change impacts mental health and wellbeing and the potential actions that may support and promote mental health and resilience. 

Internship
We are looking for an intern to support the development of the workshops (drawing on a Group Model Building approach), data management, and analysis. The intern will be directly involved in the workshop design, implementation, and data analysis processes and will work closely with researchers and advisors from the participating organizations.

Tasks include:

• Support in planning and coordinating three workshops per language (English, French and Spanish)

• Support with data management (transcription and, if applicable, translation of workshop audio recordings)

• Support with qualitative data analysis (thematic analysis)

• Selecting tool for visualization of the data and support the creation of visual output

• Work with advocacy and communications teams on writing blog post and/or op-ed about the framework

• Potential opportunity to participate in a peer-reviewed academic publication depending on timelines and level of engagement at the manuscript writing stage

Experience and skills
You are a student of global health or related field (preferably graduate/master student) with a strong interest in the intersection of climate crisis and mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. You like working with data and are committed to knowledge translation that informs practice.

You have excellent English skills (comprehension, written, and oral). Good knowledge (including writing skills) in French and/or Spanish is a strong asset.

What we offer
The internship will be based with the MHPSS Collaborative (hosted by Save the Children Denmark) and you can work from our office on Gl. Kongevej 60 in Copenhagen, remotely or hybrid.

Start date as soon as possible, running to mid-January 2025. We offer flexible hours so you can fit your other commitments around the internship (a key member of our team is located in Canada, so there will be some meeting activity in late afternoons/early evenings if you are based in Copenhagen). The internship is not remunerated.

How to express interest
Please prepare your CV and a cover letter motivating your interest in this internship by 20th September and apply through the link provided. Interviews may be held on a rolling basis.

For any specific questions regarding the content of the internship, please contact Dr Jura Augustinavicius, Portfolio lead MHPSS, Climate and Ecological Crisis, [email protected]

About the MHPSS Collaborative
The MHPSS Collaborative is a global hub for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), research, innovation, learning and advocacy. We connect key academic and humanitarian actors with local civil society to give children, youth and families in fragile and humanitarian settings the possibility to thrive. Our vision is a world that protects and cares for the mental health and wellbeing of children, youth and families. The MHPSS Collaborative is hosted by Save the Children Denmark.

Learn more at www.mhpsscollaborative.org