COMPANY DESCRIPTION

NVPC is the national agency dedicated to growing a culture of volunteerism and philanthropy in Singapore. By engaging individuals, organisations, communities and leaders across the people, private and public sectors, we seek to create a more caring, inclusive, and compassionate society. Together, we envision Singapore as a City of Good, where everyone is able to give every day and everywhere (3Es), contributing their time, talent, treasure, ties and testimony (5Ts). Learn more at nvpc.org.sg.

The Knowledge & Insights team conducts research studies in the non-profit sector, investigating trends and uncovering insights around volunteering and philanthropy. The team aims to be the subject-matter expert in the giving space, providing robust research evidence to support strategic planning for NVPC and the sector.

Project Overview:

The intern will be attached primarily to a qualitative research study under the Drivers and Outcomes of Volunteer Experiences in Singapore (DOVES) programme. DOVES is an ongoing series of studies at NVPC that examines different aspects of Singapore's volunteering landscape.

The DOVES Foreigners study examines the volunteering experiences of foreign residents in Singapore, including their motivations for volunteering, experiences within volunteer settings, and outcomes arising from their participation.

This will be a learning-based qualitative research attachment that combines hands-on involvement in a research study with supervised learning and shadowing. The intern will support the DOVES Foreigners study throughout its data collection phase, while gaining exposure to how qualitative research is designed, conducted, analysed and translated into practical insights.As qualitative research involves methodological and interpersonal skills that are best developed through practical experience, the intern will have opportunities to observe and discuss how qualitative interviews are conducted, including rapport-building and probing techniques, as well as how researchers interpret participant accounts and develop themes.

Over the six-month attachment, the intern will also undertake a small-scale qualitative research exercise under supervision, applying the research concepts and skills developed during the internship. The exercise will give the intern an opportunity to translate their learning into practice, from formulating a research question and designing an appropriate approach through to conducting interviews, analysing data and communicating findings.

The key deliverables include:

DOVES Foreigners

Well-coordinated participant recruitment, communication and interview schedules for the DOVES Foreigners study

Accurate, quality-checked and appropriately translated interview transcripts

Qualitative research exercise

A completed small-scale qualitative research exercise demonstrating the application of qualitative research principles and methods

A final presentation or written summary communicating the research process, findings and methodological reflections from the small-scale study

RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties & Responsibilities

The intern will support their RO in the DOVES Foreigners study.

Core responsibilities will include:

Quality-checking English transcripts generated through a transcription software against interview recordings
Translating Mandarin-language interview transcripts into English (there is in house support for Malay and Tamil translations)
Liaising with research participants and relevant organisations on interview arrangements
Scheduling interviews and managing participant communications
Supporting participant voucher distribution and other research administration

Research learning opportunities

Subject to research protocols, confidentiality requirements and the intern's capabilities, the intern will also have opportunities to:

Shadow interviewers during qualitative interviews to observe interviewing, rapport-building and probing techniques
Gain exposure to qualitative coding and thematic analysis, learning how researchers move from individual participant accounts to broader themes and findings
Where appropriate, develop preliminary qualitative observations or themes under the supervision of the RO
Observe how findings are synthesised and translated into actionable recommendations for policy, programme design and practice
Participate in weekly check-ins to discuss qualitative research methods, such as interview design, fieldwork considerations and researcher reflexivity

Small-scale qualitative research exercise

During the attachment, the intern will develop and complete a small-scale qualitative research exercise under the supervision of their RO. This will involve:

Formulating a feasible research question
Developing an interview guide and considering sampling and ethical consideration
Conducting a small number of qualitative interviews with supervision
Organising and analysing interview data
Identifying and interpreting key themes
Presenting findings and reflecting on the research process and methodological choices

The scope of the exercise will be appropriately sized for an internship and is intended primarily as a consolidation and application exercise of the intern's learnings rather than as an independent research study for publication or organisational decision-making.

QUALIFICATIONS

Pre-requisites:

Background in Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, or related social science disciplines
Interest in social research methodologies (e.g., qualitative interviews, focus-group discussions, cognitive interviews)

Good to have, but not required:

Prior exposure to qualitative research methods, such as one-on-one interviews, focus groups or cognitive interviews
Basic understanding of qualitative data analysis or thematic analysis
Experience working with interview transcripts or qualitative data
Domain knowledge or interest in volunteering, migration, foreign residents, acculturation or related social issues
Proficiency in Mandarin would be an advantage

OTHER INFORMATION

Please state your availability in your resume. Those who are able to commit full-time immediately and for at least 3 months will be prioritised.

Please note that your application will be sent to and reviewed by the direct employer - National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

Intern, Knowledge & Insights (DOVES Foreigners)