RISE Mutual CIC
Policy and Evaluation Intern
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Duration: 12 months initially
Hours: Full/Part time
Deadline: Monday 21st September 2026
Interviews: 24th/25th September 2026
Start date: 6th October 2026
We are looking for a curious, motivated and enthusiastic person at the beginning of their career to join our team as a Policy & Evaluation Intern for an initial 12-month period.
This internship is designed for someone starting out and looking to gain their first meaningful experience in policy, research, evaluation, and the voluntary/public sector. You might be a current student, taking a year out, a recent school or college leaver, or a recent graduate who is beginning to explore what career path you would like to take.
You do not need extensive work experience. We are much more interested in your curiosity, potential, ability to learn, willingness to ask questions and enthusiasm for making a difference.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone interested in policy, politics, research, evaluation, domestic abuse, children and young people, public services and the criminal justice system to develop practical experience while working alongside experienced colleagues and researchers.
The role will sit across our three key areas of work:
- Domestic Abuse
- Children/Young People
- Justice
You will have the opportunity to contribute to policy development, support campaigns and influencing work, monitor changes in government, mayoral and local authority priorities, and help us identify opportunities to connect our work with emerging policy and practice.
Alongside the policy element of the role, you will support our evaluation and research work -helping us understand what the evidence tells us and, importantly, translate research and evaluation findings into practical improvements for practitioners and the people we support.
This is an opportunity to learn by doing. You will be encouraged to develop your research, writing, critical thinking, communication and organisational skills, while gaining an understanding of how policy, research and frontline practice connect.
Who This Opportunity Is For
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We are particularly interested in hearing from young people who are at the start of their career journey.
You might be:
- Someone who has recently completed their GCSEs and A levels and is looking to gain practical experience;
- Taking a year out or gap year before further study;
- Considering whether to go to university or pursue another route into work;
- A current university student looking to gain experience alongside or outside your studies;
- A recent graduate looking for their first experience in policy, research or the voluntary/public sector; or
- Someone who knows they are interested in social change and public services but is still working out what career path is right for them.
We particularly welcome applicants with an interest in English, politics, social sciences, criminology, law, public policy or related subjects.
You do not need to have studied these subjects formally. Curiosity, motivation, and a willingness to learn matter more to us than a perfect academic background.
What We Are Looking For
We are looking for someone who is curious, motivated and keen to learn. This is an early-career internship, so we do not expect you to have an extensive CV or previous professional experience.
We are interested in people who:
- Are genuinely interested in policy, research, evaluation and social change;
- Enjoy finding things out and asking questions;
- Can read information and identify the important points;
- Can communicate their ideas clearly in writing and conversation;
- Are organised and willing to learn how to manage different tasks and deadlines;
- Think critically and are interested in understanding why things happen and how systems work;
- Are interested in how government and local government make decisions;
- Can spot connections between different pieces of information and see the bigger picture;
- Have the confidence to contribute ideas and ask questions, even when they are new to a subject; and
- Are interested in how research and evidence can lead to better policy and better frontline practice.
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Qualifications
We are looking for applicants who have a good foundation in English and other relevant academic subjects.
This might include:
- GCSEs, including English Language, at grades 5–9 or equivalent;
- A levels or equivalent qualifications, particularly in English, politics, social sciences or other relevant subjects; and/or
- Current or recently completed Graduate in a relevant subject.
For RISE, the most important things are curiosity, commitment, communication skills, critical thinking and a genuine desire to learn and contribute.
An Opportunity to Develop
This internship is intended to give someone at the very beginning of their career the opportunity to build confidence, knowledge and practical experience.
You will learn about:
- How government and local government develop and implement policy;
- How policy decisions affect communities and frontline services;
- How research and evaluation can inform practice;
- How campaigns and influencing work operate;
- How to monitor and interpret political and policy developments;
- How to turn research into clear, accessible information;
- How voluntary-sector organisations engage with policymakers, politicians and other stakeholders; and
- How evidence, policy and frontline experience can be brought together to create positive social change.
You will work alongside experienced colleagues and, where appropriate, current PhD students and researchers, giving you an opportunity to see how academic research can connect with real-world issues and practice.
Our Approach
We know that someone starting their career may not yet have all the answers and we don't expect you to. We are looking for someone who is prepared to learn, ask questions, try things, make connections and develop their skills over time.
If you are bright, curious, thoughtful and interested in understanding the world around you, this could be a great opportunity to take your first steps into a career in policy, research, public services, campaigning or the voluntary sector.
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