About Movement in Refuge (MiR)
MiR is an international organisation promoting physical and mental health through sport and movement training to create safe, structured opportunities for conflict-affected communities. We started in the Rohingya refugee camps along the Bangladesh Myanmar border, home to one of the world’s largest refugee settlements, since 2017.
Our work is grounded in the conviction that sports and movement are beneficial to everyone and that people who have suffered enormous trauma and upheaval would greatly benefit from healthy movement, play and sport.
Chess is a core part of what MiR delivers. In environments where physical space is limited (especially for women and girls) chess offers something uniquely valuable: focused engagement, mental stimulation, a sense of agency, and the quiet dignity of a game taken seriously. Together with our Bangladeshi partner NGO Sports for Hope and Independence (SHI) alongside endorsement from the International Chess Federation (FIDE), we are building a chess programme that is structured, inclusive, and connected to the wider global chess community.
The Role
As Chess Programmes Intern, you will help grow and strengthen MiR's chess programme. You will use your connection to the chess community to build relationships with clubs, platforms, federations, and individual players who can support, amplify, or contribute to what MiR is doing.
At the same time, you will contribute to the programme itself - helping develop coaching resources, structure sessions, and ensure the chess programme we deliver is thoughtful, progressive, and adapted to the communities it serves. This is a role that combines outreach, programme development, and a genuine love of the game.
Key Responsibilities
Build and maintain relationships with chess clubs, national federations, and international bodies such as FIDE on MiR's behalf.
Reach out to online chess platforms and communities such as Chess.com, Lichess, and others to raise awareness of MiR's work and identify partnership opportunities.
Pursue equipment donations, sponsorship, and fundraising opportunities within the chess community.
Help organise online chess events or fundraising tournaments to generate awareness and support for MiR.
Contribute to communications and social media content related to chess, helping tell the story of the programme to a wider audience.
Represent MiR at chess events, tournaments, and community gatherings where appropriate.
Keep MiR leadership regularly updated on outreach activity, partnerships, and opportunities within the chess world.
What You Will Gain
Being part of the MiR internship programme means joining a lean, fast-moving international development organisation at a pivotal moment in its growth. You will gain:
The rare experience of connecting a game you care about to humanitarian work with genuine global reach and impact.
Hands-on experience in programme development, community outreach, and partnership building within an international NGO context.
A meaningful role in growing one of the few structured chess programmes operating inside a refugee settlement.
Real responsibility and visibility within both MiR and the broader chess community.
A formal reference letter from MiR leadership upon successful completion.
Access to MiR's growing network of academic, UN, and civil society partners.
Mentorship from practitioners with decades of field experience across the UN system and international NGOs.
Time Commitment
5–20 hours per week over a minimum of 4 months. This is a remote, unpaid internship. Hours are flexible and can be arranged around your academic commitments, with scope to increase your contribution during holidays or free periods if that suits you.
How you will be supported
MiR is small but structured. Every intern is assigned a direct point of contact within our team who will oversee your work and provide regular feedback. You will receive a structured onboarding covering MiR's mission, values, safeguarding framework, and current priorities - including the full context of our chess programme and the communities it serves. We hold regular team check-ins and will not leave you to figure things out alone.
We take your development seriously. We want you to leave having built something tangible - relationships, resources, and a deeper understanding of how chess, played in the right environment, can genuinely change lives.
Eligibility
If you are a chess player or enthusiast with a genuine interest in MiR's mission: using sport and movement to improve lives in some of the world's most challenging humanitarian settings. You need a real connection to the chess world, the ability to communicate why the game matters, and the initiative to open doors within a community you already understand. Experience with outreach, coaching, event organisation, or programme development is an advantage. If you have existing relationships with chess clubs, platforms, or federations, we would love to hear about them.