US project fosters summer leaders

For most students, summer in the US consists of a major financial outlay followed by unchallenging, if lucrative service work. However, a scheme for Irish students offers the chance to work in the White House, CNN or any number of big name places.

Applications are now open for the Project Children Young Leaders Program, organised by Queen's University students' union in Belfast but open to any student born on the island of Ireland.

In recent years, successful candidates have been posted to a plethora of well known institutions and companies. Last year, two candidates worked in the White House and others for leading senators (including Ted Kennedy), congressmen and government departments.

Participants are placed in offices for unpaid internships for six weeks. "We try to give each intern a work experience that is consistent with his or her career goals," says Brian Heading, the Young Leaders co-ordinator at Queen's students' union.

The students stay with host families and receive an allowance of $75 dollars a week to cover work related expenses such as lunch and transport.

Heading says the scheme's organisers are particularly interested in attracting applicants from the Republic. "In the past they have mostly been from the North but we want that to change," he says.

"Following on from our five-year partnership with the US charity Project Children, both organisations now want to develop and expand the opportunity of political and media internships in Washington DC for third-level students in the Irish Republic," he says.

"The programme provides a series of leadership training experiences and weekly seminars on advocacy, lobbying, the media and citizen education."

Applicants must be in good academic standing with their colleges and have a grade average of 2.1 or a high 2.2.

For more information go to the website at Queen's students' union: www.qubsu.org/frayourunion.htm.