Parliamentary Placement Scheme

Transcription

1 Cynllun Lleoliadau Seneddol 2014 Tŷ r Cyffredin a Chynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru Parliamentary Placement Scheme 2014 House of Commons & National Assembly for Wales

2 CYNLLUNIAU SENEDDOL Beth yw r rhain? Dyma gyfle i fyfyrwyr gael profiadau ymarferol o fywyd gwleidyddol, yn rhoi cymorth i gynrychiolwyr gwleidyddol yn Nhŷ r Cyffredin neu Gynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru. Bydd myfyrwyr yn gweithio yn swyddfa Aelod Seneddol neu Aelod Cynulliad am 4-6 wythnos yn ystod gwyliau r haf (wedi r arholiadau a chyn gwyliau haf yr Aelodau). Fel arfer, mae r gwaith yn cynnwys ysgrifennu datganiadau i r wasg, gwaith ymchwil a delio â materion etholaethol. Gall hefyd gynnwys mynychu digwyddiadau (rhai yn nodedig iawn!), neu fod yn rhan o ymgyrch etholiadol. Pwy all fod yn rhan o r cynllun hwn? Mae r cynllun yn agored i fyfyrwyr yr ail flwyddyn yn unig. Mae r cynllun yn digwydd ar ddiwedd yr ail flwyddyn. Lleoedd cyfyngedig sydd ar gael felly rhaid mynychu cyfweliad er mwn cael eich dewis ar gyfer y cynllun. Rydym yn chwilio am fyfyrwyr sydd wedi dangos eu bod yn frwdfrydig ynglŷn ag astudio Gwleidyddiaeth Ryngwladol, rhai sy n gallu gweithio n galed a diwyd o dan bwysau, a chanddynt sgiliau rhyngbersonol da ac yn gallu addasu n gyflym i astudio mewn amgylchedd gwahanol. Mae n werth rhoi gwybod os oes gennych ddiddordeb penodol mewn gyrfa wleidyddol ond cofiwch, mae n bosib y cewch eich gosod i weithio gyda pherson sydd â barn wleidyddol hollol wahanol i ch un chi! Sut alla i ddarganfod mwy? Gallwch ddysgu mwy am y cynllun drwy ddarllen proffiliau r myfyrwyr sydd wedi bod yn rhan o r cynllun yn ystod Haf

3 PLACEMENT SCHEMES What are they? Students get hands-on experience of political life, assisting political representatives in the House of Commons or the National Assembly for Wales. Students work in the office of a serving Member of Parliament or Welsh Assembly Member for between 4 and 6 weeks during the summer (after your exams and before their summer break). The work typically includes writing press releases, research work and dealing with constituency matters, but also includes attending events (sometimes prestigious!) and in the past students have even been on the pre-election campaign trail. Who can participate? The scheme is open to second year students only, the placements take place at the end of year two. There are limited places, so students attend an interview and are selected from this pool. We are looking for people who have proven that they are enthusiastic and passionate about studying international politics, can work hard and diligently under pressure, who have good interpersonal skills and who are capable of adapting quickly to working in this very different environment. Let us know if you have a particular interest in a career in politics but beware, you might be placed with someone who has a very different political opinion to your own! Find out more by reading the profiles of the students who participated in the Scheme during the Summer of

4 Student name: Thomas Corbett Joyce Watson, Labour AM for Mid and West Wales, National Assembly for Wales The Assembly is a place of wonder, a place which welcomes you with open arms into the world of Welsh Politics. For me, being someone who is proud of their Welsh roots, living in Wales and being a part of the Labour Party, one of the major drivers of Welsh devolution, the experience has been in many cases overwhelming. To be selected by the department was a real boost to me in my studies. It gave me time and a chance to get to know the Welsh system of government and the real side of policy creation, as well as being able to work and live in Cardiff and to explore a fantastic city. The department has run some excellent modules and through this I had been able to understand the principles of government and how in theory politics will work. I was able to put this into practice by following an AM in all aspects of her work day to discover the roles that a member of the Assembly must perform, firstly to her people, but also to her government and the process of committees. Like many I would admit at first to being resigned to a life as the office tea boy but as with all I found myself being delivered head first into the busy work of an adviser and speech writer allowing me to write many key speeches and most importantly of all ask key questions. The joy of being with a AM such as Joyce was the region that she covers allowed me to do key work on the Aberystwyth area as well as looking at future public travel plans and local government policy areas. The Assembly experience is one that I would recommend to anyone, for the politics alone. The access that you get is a reward in itself. The research I have been able to do on key personal matters as well as the research to aid me in my studies and to get an understanding of how politics works on a national level has been awesome. However I would also like to make a note of the extra post work life that working in the Assembly allowed. As well as developing skills about political life and governance, it always allows for a development of life skills by the notion that it is a real full time job which offers more personal life freedoms than at any other point in your life. Like many others, political work did not stop as you walked out of the office. I was able to take part in extra work outside the office and developed a great social network by going out with a few members of the office to get to know their story as well as catching up with some old Aber Students I had known from 1 st and 2 nd years. In short, the Parliamentary placement process is a great experience that no one should miss. 3

5 Student name: Jonjo Robb Rt Hon Stephen Crabb Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire and Secretary of State for Wales, UK Parliament For three weeks in September, I worked in the Parliamentary office of Stephen Crabb, the Member of Parliament for Preseli Pembrokeshire and Secretary of State for Wales. It was fascinating and eye-opening experience. What I enjoyed the most about my placement was just how diverse the work was. During my time there I had to deal with a wide range of issues. This included producing a daily briefing on the Scottish independence referendum, co-ordinating with a school about a visit to Parliament and drafting a speech for a Conservative Party event. On my first day, I was told that I had come at the office s busiest time, and there never was a dull moment. The run up to the Scottish referendum was particularly interesting, especially as the polls indicated a possible Yes vote during my time in Westminster. One reason I applied to take part in this scheme was to witness first-hand what an MP does for his/her constituents, something that you can t really see on BBC Parliament. As part of this, I had to deal with the constituency office in Haverfordwest, and in some cases, with the constituents themselves. Not only would I receive phone calls but also process any written or ed correspondence. Thanks to this work I became more aware of the casework side of an MP s job. As well as working in the office, I experienced a number of other activities related to the work of an MP. I attended a Transport Select Committee on rail investment in the north of England and an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) meeting on Rail in Wales. Though I couldn t make it, I was also offered the opportunity to campaign in Clacton in the run up to the by-election there. Finally, the experience of working in the Palace of Westminster was fascinating in itself. I went on a full tour during my time there and so was able to visit both the Commons and Lords chambers as well as other important parts of the historic building. It was also quite surreal walking around the corridors and seeing many famous MP s and cabinet members of past and present. All in all, it was a brilliant experience and I am sure that the skills I have learnt from it will help me to progress into a political career in the future. 4

6 Name: Ekos Erze Simon Thomas, Plaid Cymru AM, Mid and West Wales, National Assembly for Wales At the beginning of the Summer of 2014, I had the opportunity to work as a research assistant to Assembly Member Simon Thomas at the National Assembly for Wales.. While the placement offered many great experiences that are all well worth writing about, I will discuss the most practical and valuable aspects that best describe my time at the National Assembly for Wales. First of all, the availability of flexible starting and ending dates made organising the placement scheme a lot easier. As the office of Simon Thomas was generously accommodating, I had the opportunity to start working quite early in the Summer, spend a significant amount of time in Cardiff, and still have the rest of the Summer holiday free for other projects. As a result, merely five days after I took my exams on the 15th of May, I was already working hard at the office. I spent four weeks at the office working on multiple projects simultaneously, while also assisting Mr Thomas and members of the support staff in different tasks. Even though research was my main duty, not a day went by without something exciting happening. After taking the morning train to Cardiff Bay, I usually began my day at the office by browsing through the s I had received since the previous day. I quickly realised that paying attention to these s was actually well worth my time as most of them contained either interesting news on recent political developments at the Assembly, or exciting opportunities like open committee meetings, talks and presentations that were open to staff members. After that, it was time to get started with my real job: doing research and writing reports. My main projects for the four weeks were compiling a comprehensive all-source report and analysis on Wales's 2012 PISA results and the consequent reforms in Welsh education policy; and looking into the impact of the Horizon 2020 programme on universities in Wales. Needless to say, these projects required me to conduct research that culminated in writing a report on my findings in a form that was easy to read and digest, containing only the most significant pieces of information. While writing these tasks were hard work, I completed them knowing that my efforts at the office are going to be bear fruit. For example, hearing the result of your research being used in a live debate between the Assembly Member you are working for and another AM on live TV is an incredibly rewarding experience. I also had other things to do besides these projects. For instance, I had the opportunity to observe a press conference held by Mr Thomas and the preparatory discussion with the support staff. Additionally, I also attended an event sponsored by Mr Thomas that drew attention to the seriousness and impact of epilepsy on the every-day life of the Welsh people. I think it is clear that utilising the full benefits of the parliamentary placement scheme is an absolute must. My time in Cardiff expanded the scope of my knowledge on education in Wales and the various political processes that shape it. I further familiarised myself with the workings of the Welsh government and the parties that pursue their goals with incredible passion at the Assembly each and 5

7 every day. I also gained valuable insight into the working life of Assembly Members and their staff; making me appreciate their dedication and work all the more. The placement scheme also offered me a chance to further expand and develop my set of transferable skills in research, writing, organising and time-management; skills that will be invaluable once the time comes for me to start searching for jobs after completing my degree. As if this had not been enough already, I spent all this time at Cardiff Bay, a pleasant and relaxing area in a beautiful and exciting city. I wholeheartedly recommend applying to the programme, it is an experience you should not miss out on! Student: Jonny Haseldine Byron Davies, Welsh Conservatives AM for South Wales West, National Assembly for Wales I spent three weeks in the office of Byron Davies AM, who is a Conservative member representing the South West Wales region as well as the Shadow Minister for Transport, European Affairs and Regeneration. My role during the placement was divided into two parts. I spent the first week doing constituency casework and the final two weeks working on research projects. The research projects gave me the opportunity to explore two extremely interesting areas tourism and rail regeneration. By pure coincidence one of the Assembly committees was in the middle of hearing evidence on tourism in Wales, which gave me the opportunity to sit on various committees and listen to the evidence first-hand. The research on rail regeneration was of particular relevance because it focused on the potential reopening of the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth railway line. In my last week in Cardiff Bay I was given the opportunity to represent Byron at a meeting with Network Rail and Traws Link Cymru (the campaign to re-open the line). This was a particular highlight because it allowed me to voice my own opinion on the subject and then report back to the team. The most valuable part of the placement was simply being able to work in a political office for three weeks and to see how the National Assembly functions (or doesn t). I was also in a somewhat lucky position that both Byron and his assistant Craig are running for seats in the 2015 General Election, giving me a, very brief, glimpse into the inner workings of a political campaign. I would definitely recommend the Parliamentary Placement Scheme to anyone it was a fantastic experience and Cardiff Bay was a brilliant place to work. 6

8 Student: Alex Williams Ann Jones, Labour AM for the Vale of Clwyd, National Assembly for Wales Easily one of the best opportunities the Department offers! Earlier this summer I was one of the lucky few who were able to work in either the House of Commons or the Welsh Assembly for an MP or AM through the Department s Parliamentary Placement Scheme. Having just returned from 5 weeks working in the Welsh Assembly in terms of hands on political work, the placement takes some beating. I was sent with but a suitcase and several suits to where devolution has prospered in the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff to work for a Labour AM, Ann Jones. I will be honest, I did have visions of having to work the photocopier machine or chasing up coffee orders at lunchtime. However after the first few days those visions were no longer feared. On my first day, I was greeted by the Special Advisor who worked in Ann s Cardiff Office who was also an Aber alumni and was given a guided tour of the Assembly from the main chamber, to the committee rooms and to the dark corridors of the Welsh civil service, I was given a thorough guide to all things Welsh politics. Whether it was writing up and sending out press releases, constructing speeches and debates or ensuring that questions were ready for First Ministers Questions, there was always something productive to be done day to day. Personally, I felt more of an equal in the Assembly Member s office rather than an intern as she would rely on me to write her speeches and questions and do her research on debates. It boosts your own confidence and makes your work feel valued which makes it all the more a rewarding experience. It is a fantastic setting to network with first hand political operators. As well as the work and goings on in the Assembly, I was able to door some door to door campaigning with the local Labour Parliamentary candidate several times seeing first-hand the issues that the electorate, put rather bluntly and frankly in some cases, had with the economy and cost of living to name but two. It also gave an insight into electoral politics and how it really is a 24 hour job in the run up to the General Election next year. Overall, the experience is an invaluable one as it boosts your existing skills and in my case developed some new ones. Furthermore, you learn a great deal about the tribal style of party politics and develop of Welsh politics and what devolution has allowed Wales to achieve over the past decade. More to the point it has certainly confirmed the type of work I wish to pursue on completing my university degree. I d easily recommend to anyone as it really is one of the best opportunities the department has to offer to anyone with even the faintest interest of pursuing a career in politics. 7

9 Student: Trayana Vladimirova Dan Jarvis, Labour MP for Barnsley Central, UK Parliament On 29 th May 2014 I headed off for the most existing experience of my university time so far my parliamentary placement with Dan Jarvis MP and his team. At that moment, I was wondering whether I was ready for the job and whether the two years spent at university had equipped me with the skills to work in a place like Parliament. It sounds somewhat too big and too ambitious. I was so prepared and confident for it though at the interview for the placement and now I was nervous and doubting myself. Was I ready? First days in Parliament On 30 th May I was introduced to the job and explained the long term projects we d be working on. Dan was in charge of the WWI commemorations for the Labour Party, at the time he was writing a book Why vote Labour. On top of that, Dan is a Shadow Justice Minister with responsibility for youth justice. It seemed like my time in Parliament would be very busy exactly what I wanted, so that I could make the most out of it. As soon as I was told what was lying ahead, the uncertainty I had was gone and the determination that I could do it came back. Moreover, I was again sure that Aberystwyth had equipped me with the skills needed for the job. I m studying Law as a minor at uni and I was very much familiar with WWI as I won a best essay award in an International Politics module with an essay on WWI. The first few days were a bit quiet as Westminster was expecting the State Opening on 4 th June, which was perfect for a new-comer. But these were the only quiet days. Day-to-day jobs Apart from the abovementioned major projects we were working on as a team, I had day-to-day jobs such as the opening of the tons of post that we were receiving every day. Then I was drafting responses to the letters that needed one. I was managing Dan s packed diary, answering the phone, which was ringing on average every ten minutes. Furthermore, all team members had access to Dan s inbox where we were receiving all sorts of s requiring responses from invitations to different events to constituency matters. I drafted several congratulation letters to newly elected Labour council members and youth organisation leaders. I even managed Dan s office twice on my own! Tasks we completed as a team Dan had a speech at Battersea on WWI. I was given the task to summarise the information about the participation of Battersea in WWI. His speech based on my summary was remarkably successful. Then we had visit to the National Memorial Arboretum for MPs relating to the WWI commemorations, which his team had started organising before I started my placement. While his team went along with him, I was managing his office in Westminster on my own. We had another speech at the Labour History Group which I was privileged to visit. Further on, we had a few youth justice speeches to write and organise. Our big day though was the WWI debate, which Dan was in charge of for the Labour Party. I was in the chamber while the debate was running and got a copy of the Parliamentary Hansard personally signed by Dan. Later on, Dan suggested that to commemorate the role of women in WWI, Edith Cavel a nurse who participated in WWI, should be put on the two-pound coin alongside with Lord Kitchener. The Master of the Mint and the Chancellor of Exchequer George Osborne accepted the idea and now it s official. 8

10 Conclusion My parliamentary placement was the highlight of the past academic year. The practical skills that I acquired were probably more that the ones I gained for two years at university, but working there would be impossible without Aberystwyth. That s why I would like to thank Aberystwyth University for this wonderful opportunity and thank the Department of International Politics for the vote of confidence by choosing me to go to Westminster. It was exciting and truly unforgettable! Student: Shirin Lindseth Mark Williams, Liberal Democrat MP for Ceredigion, UK Parliament The Parliamentary Placement Scheme of the International Politics Department gave me the opportunity to work for an MP in the House of Commons, which was an incredible experience that I definitely recommend to others. The internship opened the doors of British politics from the inside of its ivory tower. It was interesting to see up close the range of matters that are addressed in an MPs office, through communication from constituents to the MP to ministers and back to the constituent again. The letters received as part of the casework differ greatly, from issues such as the location of post boxes in a particular village to worried concerns from constituents fighting with pens and paper against the atrocities in Gaza. What is more, I had the opportunity to go to meetings, hearings and events at various places in the Houses of Parliament. I loved sitting in on Prime Ministers Questions, which I did twice during my month in London. It truly is a marvellous ritual. Another great experience was sitting in on meetings, one of which was a select committee meeting on defence chaired by Rory Stewart, where a former British ambassador and the committee where discussing intervention of a particular country. I am perhaps an even bigger fan of Rory Stewart now than before my placement scheme. The amount of history harboured in the Houses of Parliament is incredible, and I was lucky to have a colleague with a Ph.D. in history. One must not forget however, that they are stories of kings and Queens that are reproduced and they do necessarily reflect the conditions of other parts of society. Similarly, politics today is not an activity reserved for the members of parliament, but an activity that is omnipresent at all times and in all spaces. Nevertheless, my overall impression in retrospect is without doubt that the MP I worked for works for his constituency with great dedication. For some reason, I was quite surprised by this. I had to reconsider my disillusioned idea of politicians as detached from people they represent. My conclusion is therefore that doing this internship can only be highly beneficial and valuable experience. 9

11 Student: Sneda Dawda Dan Rogerson, Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, UK Parliament As well as awe inspiring and overwhelming, my experience at Westminster was surreal. I was working for Dan Rogerson, Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall and Minister of Forestry, Water, Waste Management and Food, within the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). I spent six weeks working for the Minister, which was ultimately very different to working for solely an MP. Even as part of the Parliamentary Team concentrating on constituency matters, there was a lot more control on what could and could not be said. Despite this, it revealed the dynamic that parliamentary researchers and assistants have with their Minister and the Department they work for. In my duties as an intern, replying to constituents, invitations and writing to Ministers on behalf of the constituent was just the beginning of the day. I had to attend events, meetings on behalf of the Minister and produce research briefings the Minister could use as a summary afterwards. As well as this, I attended many Defence and Security Committee meetings on areas of academic interest, one of which was on drones with Lord Alan Sugar! I also had to give many tours to constituents and school groups who had come to the Palace of Westminster for a tour. Therefore, I now know many weird and wonderful facts about the Palace s history. My most trying task was certainly running the office for half a week and acting as the main Parliamentary Assistant! Living in the rush of London and trying to walk around Westminster and Whitehall with the unending amount of tourists is manic but extremely exhilarating. It is something I believe everyone should experience at least once! It was truly weird and wonderful to have lunch of the roof of Parliament and go on an official tour of Big Ben, watch PMQs, sit in the Undergallery of the House of Commons during DEFRA Questions and steal a chaise longue from the Labour offices for our office! There were many perks to the job, some of which included free tickets to the UNA Annual Forum and County days and Liberal Democrat socials which would usually consist of drinking in Sports (the pub in Parliament). I made great friends with the other interns and assistants and did a lot of networking. I would recommend the experience to every Politics student! 10

12 Student: Callum Gaskell Keith Davies, Labour AM for Llanelli, National Assembly for Wales. I was lucky enough to be offered a four-week placement in Cardiff with Keith Davies, a Labour Assembly Member who represents the Llanelli constituency. Despite not being a Labour party member, I was welcomed with open arms to an incredibly friendly office atmosphere. I got the sense from Keith and his team of support staff that they really did value any input that I could offer on the matter at hand; a major blow to the stereotype of the intern who does nothing but make coffee and shred paper. In fact, we tended to take it in turns to make tea and coffee - talk about a future fair for all! So with a little bit of tea-making and clerical duties on the side, the bulk of what I was doing at the Assembly was research. Sometimes, it would be briefing notes for Keith to use in the Assembly's plenary sessions; he tends to prefer using facts and figures as a starting point for an improvised and on-the-spot speech rather than reading from pre-written lines. Other times it was much broader research, not undertaken for any particular debate or event but rather an overview of a policy area that Keith wanted to be as up to date on as possible. Some of the areas in which I conducted research were European Union funding, student finance, tourism initiatives and anti-cold calling measures. A lot of variety! I also had the chance to write a few press releases, go to all of the events that Keith sponsored and attended, and I even went to Llanelli for two days, meeting the constituency staff and seeing the work that AMs do in their local communities. I'd definitely recommend applying to the parliamentary placement scheme - it was a really enjoyable experience for me and was invaluable in introducing me to a fast paced office-based workplace with a political context. 11

13 Student: Fred Till Aled Roberts, Liberal Democrat AM, North Wales Region, National Assembly for Wales My internship at the Welsh Assembly was with Liberal Democrat AM Aled Roberts. The six weeks I spent at the Senedd were an intense, but exciting period. My arrival coincided with the beginning of a political scandal that would develop during my placement, ultimately concluding in the forced resignation of a minister in my final week. In fact because I was working in the weeks leading up to the summer recess, I was able to witness a lot of satisfying conclusions to running themes at the end of the stint. Aled sits on the Business Committee, Children, Young People and Education Committee and the powerful Public Accounts Committee, as well as being the Party Whip. Alongside this he is a member nine cross-party groups ranging from the Welsh Language to Justice Unions and is widely recognized by all for his particular commitment to those he represents in North Wales. However, because of all these myriad responsibilities, he and his team have to work exceptionally hard and are usually overstretched. This meant that in the often frenetic atmosphere of the office, I was given responsibility for significant tasks. My tasks were varied: writing press releases (at the beginning under guidance, but this quickly became one of my key responsibilities), preparing briefings for ministerial statements, drafting speeches/questions, and policy analysis. In particular, I was involved in formulating the party position on and proposed amendments to the Financial Education and Inclusion (Wales) Bill. One of the circumstances our team had to react to was the Home Office decision to investigate allegations of mass visa fraud amongst overseas students at Glyndwr University and suspend their license to foreign students, as this was an event both occurring in our region and covering our portfolio area. We found ourselves suddenly plunged into the heart of the lead news story of the day. The placement also opened up many extra-curricular experiences. From sitting in on committee hearings, to attending a party hosted by Airbus, to arranging my own meetings with EU officials at the European Commission office in Cardiff. Some people may be looking for the experience of living independently in London, but don t be disappointed if you get Cardiff. It is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city with plenty to get up to at the weekends and the nightlife is certainly less likely to break your budget! What you lack in sleep, you make up for in fun, experience and contacts in the daily life of politics, as wells as an opportunity to develop your analytical skills, political insight and confidence in professional situations. I thoroughly recommend the Parliamentary Placement Scheme! 12

14 Student: Thomas Shaw Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrats AM for South West Wales, National Assembly for Wales I spent four weeks working in the National Assembly for Wales office of the Peter Black AM. I also interacted and worked in tandem with the Liberal Democrat group office, and the Research Service, on a daily basis. Working in an office with political persuasion gave me a real feel for democracy and most importantly the real world politics that can't be taught as part of a degree. There was never a dull moment in the office. The experience allowed me to gain and develop important skills with regards to the conduct, practices and procedures associated with working a professional environment. The conduct of employees of an office with political persuasion, is an example of this. My responsibilities at the National Assembly for Wales included attending the Liberal Democrat weekly briefings, compiling press releases, conducing political research for the purpose of contributing to bills and scrutinising the Welsh Government, and preparing plenary briefings. I also had smaller day-to-day office responsibilities such as collecting and greeting guests for meeting, and collecting and sorting the office post. Working at the National Assembly for Wales also meant that, as someone who is learning Welsh, I could hugely develop my skills in the language. This leads on to my next point, that there was ample opportunity for me to explore my own interests whilst working at the National Assembly for Wales. Whilst working at the National Assembly for Wales, I had access to a great wealth of relevant and up-to-date resources via the Library, Research Service, Cross Party Groups and other events and meetings that allowed me to conduct research for my dissertation - I was even given the chance to interview Leanne Wood, the leader of the Plaid Cymru. Working for Peter Black AM at the National Assembly for Wales was an experience I will never forget, and I would encourage anyone to do the same. 13