News / Innovation
First ‘innovation internship’ to help seek solutions to Bristol’s biggest challenges
A unique internship scheme is putting a focus on innovation to help overcome some of the major challenges facing Bristol.
The collaboration between the Bristol Innovators’ Group (BIG), the University of Bristol, and Bristol City Office has provided paid placements for people to work with sector leaders to research best practices on a global scale.
With funding provided by the university, the city’s first innovation internship scheme has seen six young participants join Bluegreen Learning, Agileering, and the Bristol Housing Festival.
Through researching new technologies, as well as social and policy trends around the world, the interns are able to offer new solutions in areas such as green transport, mental health in young people and community integration.
Sustainable transport is among the challenges that need to be addressed in Bristol – photo: Ellie Pipe
“Ultimately, we need innovation to thrive in Bristol if we are to achieve the ambitions we have as a city,” says James Snelgrove, coordinator at BIG.
“This internship scheme is the first of its kind and provides much-needed additional innovation capacity that will help to promote collaboration between innovators, businesses, and the city itself.”
Valentina Garcia Delgado is a Bristol University student who recently undertook an innovation internship and says policy-making now seems like a viable career path.
“As a migrant myself, I feel deeply linked to my topic, moreover it is something I have always read about and studied,” says Valentina.
“I am sure future generations of interns will find this opportunity as insightful and fulfilling as I have.”
Sarah Lynch, operations and stakeholder engagement manager at Bristol City Office, adds: “We’re focused on supporting partnership working across Bristol and leading collaborative ways to tackle systemic challenges that will help make Bristol a fairer, healthier and more sustainable place to live.
“It’s great to work with multiple city partners on this scheme and to learn from leading edge innovation.”
The internships are running throughout the summer and interns are engaging with a variety of groups and stakeholders, including writing research reports and hosting challenge-led innovation roundtables.
Each intern is also paired with a mentor from the BIG network.
The internship will conclude at the end of September when the resulting research and findings will be shared.
Main photo: Mario Klassen (Unsplash)/ Bristol Innovators’ Group
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