The internship:

Innovation plays an essential role in nature conservation. WWF-NL considers it a key pillar in its new 5-year strategy and has launched several initiatives, such as the INNO student challenge and the Youth Advisory Council (YAC).

The INNO student challenge is a bi-yearly competition offering awards to students with innovative ideas in the fields of nature protection, climate, and sustainability. The challenge has recently completed its fourth edition and is seen as successful, but it is time for an evaluation and strategic improvement. The program operates fairly independently and may benefit from alignment with similar initiatives both within and outside the WWF network. In parallel, WWF-NL is developing the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), a platform to engage with youth (ages 18–30) and ensure their perspectives are embedded in WWF’s work.

During this internship the student starts with evaluating the earlier editions of the INNO student challenge, and investigate how it can better fit into a broader innovative approach. Moreover, the student will do a research on YAC related initiatives at other organizations. Although the research partly entails an evaluation of the INNO student challenge and the YAC, the intern will collaborate with a larger innovation team and gets involved in improving the broader innovation strategy.

The research question can be: how can current innovation projects such as INNO and YAC become more efficiently and effectively integrated in the current WWF-NL strategy, all leading to more conservation impact?

Sub-questions can be:

• What are the results of the earlier INNO student challenge editions?
• What similar innovation projects or opportunities exist in other organizations and what are lessons learned?
• How can WWF-NL better align with other existing initiatives (inside and outside the WWF network) and improve its outreach on innovation?

Methodology: literature research, interviews with old INNO winners and other NGO’s. 

Activities of the internship: 

• Evaluating the results and experiences of previous editions of the Inno Student Challenge.
• Investigate how the Inno program can be better embedded in the wider innovation approach of WWF-NL.
• Mapping and analyzing comparable innovation and youth initiatives at other organizations (NGOs, institutions, etc.).
• Interviewing former Inno winners and other relevant stakeholders.
• Identifying lessons and opportunities for cooperation or coordination with other initiatives.
• Supporting the WWF innovation team in developing strategic recommendations for better integration of youth participation and innovation.
• Contributing to the improvement of the general innovation and youth strategy of WWF-NL.

Profile of the student: 

• Master student with a background or strong interest in nature conservation, sustainability, and innovation. 
• Able to work independently and take initiative. 
• Excellent communication and analytical skills. 
• Fluent in English (Dutch is an advantage). 
• Available to work at least 2 days per week in the WWF office in Zeist. 

Period: starting September 2025, for a duration of 4-8 months (flexible depending on university requirements). 

Allowance: € 550 per month on a full-time basis (including travel and other expenses). 

Interested? Please send your cv and motivation letter before July 3rd to Jorn Dallinga (jdallinga@wwf.nl) and Natascha Zwaal (nzwaal@wwf.nl).