Gain practical design, photography and video experience at a fast-growing environmental NGO
Are you an innovative graphic designer or someone with a passion for photography or making videos? Are you looking for some valuable work experience? We have an exciting Media and Design internship in Cape Town with a dynamic environmental non profit.
Greenpop is a young but fast-growing organization that runs tree planting and eco-education projects in Southern Africa. They also activate large groups of people and involve them in their green mission. With their strong focus on well-designed and original communications material, Greenpop often looks for graphic designers, photographers or filmmakers to join their team and contribute to its exciting green message. You’ll get heaps of experience in design and art direction while being part of a high-energy group of people achieving great things.
ORGANIZATION
Greenpop is a nonprofit organization that runs urban greening, reforestation, and eco-education projects. Based from Cape Town, South Africa, Greenpop plants trees and creates gardens at schools in underprivileged areas and works to regenerate indigenous forests throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. And as part of their mission to encourage a treevolution, the organization has a strong focus on activating people – both Africans and people from around the world – to participate in their projects.
Greenpop is motivated by the vision of a world in which people and nature thrive together. Since they kickstarted their programs in 2010, the team has planted over 190,000 trees and activated over 300,000 citizens to get active in protecting their environment.
Their programs:
- Urban greening: concentrate on planting fynbos gardens and trees in urban spaces and run school-based eco-education workshops in marginalized communities. It also aims to create biodiversity corridors across Cape Town.
- Forest restoration: plants trees, clears alien vegetation, and works with communities to protect indigenous forests, restore degraded forest areas, and increase biodiversity.
- Sustainable development and environmental art projects on an ad hoc basis: these give communities tools to improve their lives while effectively managing their natural resources and create public art and music which brings awareness to local environmental issues.
- Events: experiential and educational events. Think of interactive educational workshops on a variety of environmental, entrepreneurial and leadership topics for school groups, corporate teams and the general public. They aim to equip people with the skills they need to get active (not anxious) about the future of our planet.
TASKS & REQUIREMENTS
As Greenpop actively engages large audiences, they put a strong emphasis on having well-designed communication material, and they often have a need for photography, videography, graphic design interns or volunteers to join their team.
What you’ll do
- Graphic design of posters, flyers, website elements or images for use on social media.
- Support with designs needed for events (f.e. boards, signing) or eco-education (f.e. booklet, info sheets)
- Taking pictures of workshops, events, and other activities taking place.
- Creating videos for workshops, programs, events, and other activities. This can include making storyboards, pre- and post production and/or including graphic elements (or motion graphics) into the videos.
- All interns assist with office support, plant days, workshops, and eco-hub open days.
Examples of projects previous interns have worked on: off- and online campaigns for our events, new design for our container in the nursery, signing for Greenpop vehicles traveling to Zambia, video on the ‘Fynbos for the Future’ project and promotional videos for Greenpop events.
Requirements
- Experience and education in graphic design, photography and/or videography
- Excellent Photoshop , Indesign skills (and ideally other design programs)
- Strong branding and creative strategy skills
- Ability to work with deadlines
- An interest in environmental issues is a plus
- Ideally you’ll bring your own laptop
- In case you are interested in photography/videography: bring your own camera and (video) editing software
This organization also offers internships in Fundraising, Writing, Digital Marketing, and Urban Greening.
WHERE YOU’LL STAY
You’ll be staying at the Lenox, a comfortable guest house in the heart of Cape Town. Built in the old Cape Dutch style, the Lenox is characterful and spacious. It has a garden with a barbeque area, a large dining room, and several other communal spaces. Shared bedrooms take four to eight people, and there are plenty of single rooms available as well (at an extra fee). You’ll be walking distance from a wide range of shops, cafes and restaurants, and at a great spot for some of the touristy highlights Cape Town has to offer as well. (As well as for views of Table Mountain!)
DATES & RATES
You can start your internship with Greenpop every first and third Tuesday of the month. Please keep in mind Greenpop is closed for two weeks of summer holiday at the end of the year.
What you’ll pay (2023 rates)
2 MONTHS USD 1,814
3 MONTHS USD 2,382
4 MONTHS USD 2,949
5 MONTHS USD 3,517
6 MONTHS USD 4,084
Remote internship: USD 525
At Roots, we do everything we can to make your internship experience smooth and hassle-free. We offer an all-inclusive service, which means we will help you find the right internship (we believe we are great matchmakers!), help you with visa arrangements, book accommodation for you in Cape Town, give you all the pre-departure information you need before arriving, pick you up from the airport and check in with you while on your work placement to ensure you feel supported.
What you are paying for:
- Transfer from Cape Town International airport to your accommodation and back on arrival and departure day
- Accommodation based on a dorm room (4-8 pax). If you prefer a single room, please contact us for availability and prices
- Two meals (breakfast and dinner) a day from Monday to Friday
- Assistance with your visa arrangement & other preparations
- On the ground support during your stay
- Free WiFi
- Assistance with finding the perfect work placement
- Supervision during your internship
- Check-in and feedback as well as a reference letter after your internship
- Your own account on a career development platform that offers content and courses focused on exploring different career opportunities
- Reference letter at the end of your internship
- A discount on weekend activities, exclusive to Roots interns
Excludes:
- Flights
- Visa, medical and travel insurance costs for the duration of your placement – must include cover for repatriation
- Lunch, drinks, snacks, and items of personal nature (f.e. curios, gifts, clothing)
- Meals during the weekend
- Transport to the office
- Costs for additional excursions or activities
QUICK FACTS
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Cape Town, South Africa OR Remote |
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Environmental NGO |
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Graphic design, photography, videography |
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8-26 Weeks |
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From USD 1,814 (in-person) / USD 525 (remote) |
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
”I guess not many graphic design students think about doing an internship with a non-profit or social enterprise. But this internship gave me the opportunity to work with a motivated, young team that has inspirational and creative ideas to change their world. The freedom and the way of working in this structure was really good. That combined with the location made me take the plane to South Africa. Cape Town is a vibrant city that is surrounded by a beautiful landscape of mountains, beaches and forest. I had a lot of fun and really liked doing this internship.
Marie, GermanyMedia and Design Internship, Cape Town
INTERNSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Use your graphic design, photography, and videography skills to make an impact
- Contribute to a charity on a mission to plant trees, green communities and empower environmental stewards across Sub-Saharan Africa
- Help engage large audiences with well-designed communication material
- Gain a full insight in the day to day running of a nonprofit organisation
- Live and work in Cape Town, arguably one of the most stunning cities in the world
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Enjoy exploring South Africa’s many highlights during your time off
2 MONTHS USD 1,814
3 MONTHS USD 2,382
4 MONTHS USD 2,949
3 MONTHS USD 2,382
4 MONTHS USD 2,949
Remote internship: USD 525
HOW TO APPLY
If you’re ready to apply for this internship, here’s what to do:
APPLY
Fill in the application form (it will show in a new screen) which includes sharing your CV with us.
SPEAK WITH AN ADVISOR
We’ll set up a call with you to go through your application.
INTERNSHIP MATCHING
If we feel it’s a good match, we’ll set up a call between you and the supervisor for this internship.
CONFIRMATION
If everyone’s happy, we’ll provisionally confirm your placement! We’ll then send you all the information you need.
PAYMENT
We’ll then send you the invoice for the deposit. Only once we receive payment of the deposit your placement will be confirmed.
NEED TO MAKE AN ENQUIRY FIRST?
Or if you’d just like to ask us some questions about this internship first, just fill in the contact form below. We’ll be happy to assist!
