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Working attachments - John Smith Fellowship

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John Smith Fellowship Attachment Brief

This brief is to help you complete the section of the application relating to attachments.

The 9 day attachment period is a key component of the Fellowship Programme. Former Fellows have found the attachment period both valuable and enjoyable. Fellows draw upon lessons learned from their experiences to produce their final reports.

The aim is to provide each John Smith Fellow with an individual insight into British organisations and institutions that make up part of the social and political structure in the U.K., building upon the seminars and group visits Fellows will have already undertaken. An attempt is made to find placements that match the Fellow’s professional interests and may provide useful contacts for the future. This often means two or three placements during the 10 day period, generally reflecting the range of interests a Fellow has.

During this time most attachment hosts do not provide Fellows with a desk and project to complete: Instead the Fellow will be given a range of experiences within an organisation – such as attending meetings or conferences with key staff, briefing politicians or visiting local projects. These attachments may be anywhere in the U.K. Each attachment is unique. In the past successful placements have been with Members of Parliament, central or local government departments, the BBC, think tanks, charitable organisations, campaigning groups, trade unions and academics, covering a wide range of interests and issues.

Placements are not subject to a contract of employment, and the participant will not be employed by the organisation on a contract for services in respect of any work with which s/he is involved. All attachments are provided by the different institutions free of charge and as a matter of goodwill. For these reasons we cannot guarantee to arrange an attachment with a particular organisation or institution. However, we will do our best to find a placement which reflects each individual’s interests and abilities.

In order to help us match your interests with the right attachment host or hosts, we have produced the list below to give you an idea of the types of placements on offer. We have also suggested websites where you can find more information. In your application you should suggest the type of organisation and issues you might wish to explore further during your attachment period. Please provide as much information as possible.

Attachments are available in the following fields:

1) Central Government
Including Parliament, government departments and political parties.

2) Devolved Government
Scottish Parliament and Executive; Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland.

3) Local Government and Administration
Including Local Authorities, Regional Health Authorities and local development agencies.

4) NGOs
Non-governmental organisations working in the areas of: human rights, conflict resolution, development, children, women's rights, disability, employment, community action, minority rights, advocacy and other issues.

5) Media
Including broadcasting companies, newspapers, on-line news agencies and internet campaign organisations.

6) Think Tanks
Public policy think tanks - general and specialist. For example, think tanks working on economic/fiscal policy, family policy or foreign policy.

7) Academic Institutions
University departments with particular relevant expertise - Please state area of interest.

8) Legal Issues and Services
Including the Ministry of Justice, Law Courts, human rights practitioners, law centres and legal specialists.

9) Other
If you would like your attachment to be in a particular area not covered in the list above, please make this clear in your application.

Further information:

The websites listed below will give you an idea of some of the major organisations working in these fields in the UK.

Organisation

Web address

The House of Parliament

http://www.parliament.uk/

The Labour Party*

http://www.labour.org.uk

The Conservative Party*

http://www.conservatives.com

The Liberal Democrats Party*

http://www.libdems.org.uk

The Department of Health

http://www.dh.gov.uk

HM Treasury

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk

The Department of Work and Pensions

http://www.dwp.gov.uk

The Department of Education and Skills

http://www.dfes.gov.uk

The Welsh Assembly

http://www.assembly.wales.gov.uk/

The Scottish Parliament

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/

Local Government International Bureau

http://www.lgib.gov.uk/

The City of Bradford Council

http://www.bradford.gov.uk

Luton Borough Council

http://www.luton.gov.uk

The London Borough of Lewisham

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk

Edinburgh City Council

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk

Maidstone Borough Council

http://www.digitalmaidstone.co.uk/

The North East Assembly

http://www.northeastassembly.gov.uk

The Environment Agency

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk

The Electoral Commission

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/

Amnesty International

http://www.amnesty.org.uk

NACRO

http://www.nacro.org.uk

The Prison Reform Trust

http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/

Birmingham Voluntary Service Council

http://www.bvsc.org

Everychild

http://www.everychild.org.uk

One World Action

http://www.oneworldaction.org

Refugee Council

http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk

The Hansard Society

http://www.hansardscoiety.org.uk

The BBC World Service

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/index.shtml

Channel 4 News

http://www.channel4.com

BBC Hardtalk

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/programmes/hardtalk/

The Royal Institute of International Affairs

http://www.riia.org/riia

Ministry of Justice

http://www.justice.gov.uk/

HM Courts Service

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/

The Law Society

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk

The Bar Council

http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/

*Political Parties will only offer placements to Fellows working for one of their registered sister parties.

Attachments are not limited to these organisations, and include many diverse organisations. Applicants should remember that we cannot guarantee to arrange an attachment with any particular organisation or institution. However, we will do our best to find placements that reflect each individual’s interests and abilities. Placements may be anywhere in the UK, and Fellows will be expected to travel if necessary to attend them (with costs covered by the Programme).

Please provide as much information as possible about your interests on your application form. This will assist us in finding the best placements for you.

The Trust encourages all Fellows to maintain contact with their attachment hosts after the Fellowship Programme.