Verkhovna Rada Speaker Volodymr Lytvyn and U.S. Ambassador John Tefft today awarded certificates to 74 graduates of USAID’s 2009-2010 Parliamentary Internship Program. This is the fifteenth year of the Parliamentary Internship Program’s operation in Ukraine.

During the past nine months, students and recent graduates from almost all regions of Ukraine worked in 28 parliamentary committees and departments as well as in the Secretariat of the President and in ministries of Ukraine. During the internship, interns took part in drafting laws, organized public hearings, committee meetings and round-table discussions; they studied subjects like public policy analysis, gender policy, legislative mechanisms and law drafting, rules of procedure. Interns also met with prominent local politicians and decision-makers and foreign experts on a weekly basis. Each year, about one third of Program graduates continue their careers with state bodies, while many join the staff pool of the Verkhovna Rada.

A History of Success: The Parliamentary Internship Program was founded by the United States Association of Former Members of Congress and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 1995 with funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In 2000, the program administration was transferred to Indiana University through the Parliamentary Development Project for Ukraine, and since September 2008 it has been implemented by The Ohio State University through the Parliamentary Development Project II under contract with Indiana University and funded by USAID.

During 15 years of the Parliamentary Internship Program’s operation, 1,011 young specialists have completed their internship with committees and departments of the Verkhovna Rada, and in executive branch offices. Nearly one third of those completing the program continue working for the Verkhovna Rada or other government institutions; another 28 percent are employed by commercial and international organizations, 18 percent are engaged in organizations of civil society (NGOs, think tanks, media and academia), and 16 percent continue their education. The program allows for an injection of fresh personnel to the parliament and opens doors to public administration for young specialists.

To ensure sustainability for the future, in 2009 the Interns League NGO was formed to promote the program and to work with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and executive branch offices. The Interns League has secured Ukrainian sponsorship for up to 12 internships for 2010-2011.

The main goal of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Ukraine (USAID) is to foster the nation’s transfer to a sustainable democratic system with a market economy. Economic growth, democracy and development of local self-government, health care and the social sector are the major aid areas. Since 1992, USAID has provided USD 1.6 billion worth of technical and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Additional information about this and other USAID programs in Ukraine is available at http://ukraine.usaid.gov.

You can read about the 2009-10 internship awards ceremony on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.