The Cheshire International Internship Programme (CHIIPS)
The Cheshire International Internship Programme (CHIIPS) is a scheme set up by Leonard Cheshire Disability, based in the UK, to foster the international understanding of disability and development among young graduates and professionals through the provision of internship placements in Leonard Cheshire services across the world. The scheme offers placements for UK graduates and professionals to be based in services outside of the UK, and for international persons with disabilities to work for Leonard Cheshire Disability services worldwide.
The Philippine Council of Cheshire Homes for the Disabled (PhilCOCHED) is the Cheshire service operating in the Philippines receiving interns from the Leonard Cheshire network worldwide. During these placements, the organisation hosts therapeutic and development professionals for a period of 6 months in which they will work in their area of expertise in close collaboration with other PhilCOCHED programme and operational staff. The scheme allows the intern to gain a greater understanding of inclusive international development in the Philippines and gain practical work experience, and the host organisation has the opportunity to learn from the skills and experiences that the intern brings from their respective discipline. Overall the scheme gives each party the opportunity to share and exchange good practice and compare the situation of persons with disabilities, and inclusive development between Northern and Southern countries.
Since it began operating the CHIIPS program in 2008, PhilCOCHED has hosted three interns, one Physical Therapist, one Occupational Therapist and one Communications and Fundraising Officer. The two therapists have been responsible for setting up the Inclusive (ICARE program) and the Communications and Fundraising Officer assisted with developing the PhilCOCHED website amongst other communications and fundraising strategies.
To read more information about the interns that PhilCOCHED has hosted please click here
To find out more about the ICARE project, set up by the Therapeutic interns, in collaboration with PhilCOCHED staff please click here