Life outside academia, ESRC & BPS internships: The application, the

interview and the experienceHannah Swift

h.j.swift@kent.ac.uk

• Type of internships available • Making applications – ESRC – BPS

• Internship experience – ESRC Cabinet Office – BPS Parliamentary Office of Science and

Technology (POST)

ESRC – Internships available• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)• British Heart Foundation• Department for Communities & Local Government• Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affair (DEFRA)• Home Office• Law Commission• Ministry of Justice• The Scottish Government• Thomas Pocklington Trust• Unchosen• Welsh Government (WAG)• Westminster Drug Projecthttp://goo.gl/BM2EU

Closing date 30th March 2012

Application

• Summary of PhD topic (max 300 words)– Framed in terms of issues the PhD addresses

• Statement on your reasons for applying, what do you hope to gain from the internship? (max 300 words)

• CV

Stated an interest

Evidence of interest

Importance of interest

Over the past two years I have concentrated on the link between research and policy in the areas of ageing, fairness and equality.

I have attended and presented papers to numerous seminars, workshops, conferences and parliamentary debates on issues surrounding ageism, age equality and dealing with Britain’s ageing population.

Currently these are major challenges that face the UK and have economic, social and political implications. These age related issues cross-cut government departments and parliamentary interest, they involve the areas of work and pensions, education, health and social care, communities and local government.

Throughout my CASE studentship with Age UK I have learned, and informed others about the impact and relevance of ageism for debates surrounding the future of the state pension, extending working lives, raising the state pension age, the future of health and social care and social exclusion. Through my attendance at these events I have witnessed the call and need for research to be properly represented and disseminated to the public and those responsible for finding solutions.

What I do now I am constantly learning, developing and looking for new experiences that will expand my understanding of how to best connect social psychological evidence surrounding ageism to the progression of policy.

I believe the internship will provide opportunities for the extension and development of key skills that contribute to strategic changes, such as being able to interpret and define research contributions from a range of disciplines. To me this involves being able to communicate, engage and work in partnership with diverse and non-specialist audiences. I also hope the dynamics of the Strategy Unit will provide an opportunity for me to take a different perspective to evidence, to further develop and practice analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as identifying areas where new research evidence is required.

Demonstrate understanding of

interest

How internship can help- add to

development

Applications -CVs

• What does the job require? – Knowledge of analytical tools– Collecting & analysing evidence– Understanding complex statistical data– Understanding what constitutes good evidence

The interview

• 2 parts – Problem solving skills – Reasoning ability – Communication skills – Approach to work

The Job Cabinet Office“making government

work better”• National Security• Reform & efficiency

• Big Society• Transparency

Behavioural insights Team

Big society policy &

analysis team

Office for civil society

Big Society1) Community empowerment2) Opening up public services3) Social action

Time Banks •Supporting material for tender document•Literature review on impacts and evaluations •Typology of time banks

Time banks

BPS Fellowship

• Application – Summary of psychological research relevant to

public policy in 1,200 words• Psychological Research in Ageism is Relevant to Public

Policy– CV– Opens May, closes 31st August

Application

CV• Work in policy areas • Affiliations with external

organisations

Written piece • Demonstrate effecting

writing and communication skills

The interview

• Summary of my PhD research so far• How is it relevant and why is it important to

public policy • Knowledge of organisations – government or

NGO’s who work in my area. – Do I know who I would contact and how would I

go about it

The Job

• POST note – http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/

offices/bicameral/post/publications/• Video games and Violence

Industry•VG publishers•VG developers •UKIE •TIGA•PEGI •BBFC•NGOs

Academic•Aggression•Addiction •Brain development

Government

•DCMS•DoE•APPG•MPs

• Initial research phase– Contacted over 30 people– Conducted over 18 interviews – Read many papers