Foresight: climate, geopolitics, democracy
The lab · The Impossible Futures Lab
The Impossible Futures Lab gives young people a space to imagine the world of 2050 and debate it (climate, geopolitics, democracy, crises, everyday life), with scenarios grounded in solid sources.
Discover the labAssignments
- Explore shifts in power and the future of multilateralism, drawing on open sources and established research centres
- Study the geopolitics of resources and minerals, and what it means for producing countries
- Analyse migration and mobility, and their drivers: climate, jobs, conflict, demography
- Follow technology rivalries: artificial intelligence, semiconductors, networks, space
- Identify, with the Foresight Analyst, the drivers and uncertainties that structure the lab’s scenarios
- Ground your analyses in open data: UCDP for conflict, CEPII BACI for trade, official sources for resources
- Write analyses for the editorial board, working with the Foresight and Scenarios Officer, who runs the workshops
Tools to master
- UCDP and CEPII BACI: open data on conflict and trade
- OpenAlex and Google Scholar: academic literature
- Google Workspace: the lab’s shared drive, Docs, Slides for scenarios, and Meet for workshops
- Claude: first summaries of sources, with every result checked by you
What you will deliver
- Geopolitical analyses submitted to the editorial board
- Fact sheets on drivers and uncertainties for the lab’s scenarios
Profile we are looking for
- Studies in international relations, geopolitics, history or political science, in progress or completed, or equivalent experience
- Imagination combined with rigour in sources
- Clear, well-argued writing
- A feel for nuance on sensitive subjects
- Open to adults aged eighteen and over
A volunteer role, open to young people
Every role we offer is fully voluntary. The experience we ask for can come from a course, a student project, an internship, volunteering or a personal project: every skill counts, wherever you gained it. Our roles are designed first and foremost for young people, and we weigh your motivation and potential as carefully as your track record. Want to be part of something big? Apply.
Nice to have
- In-depth knowledge of a region of the world
- Practice of foresight methods or simulation games
- Good English and French
What this role gives you
- Analyses under your name, published once accepted by the editorial board
- Practice in geopolitical foresight, to highlight in institutions, think tanks or research
- Work with young people from several continents who are imagining tomorrow’s world
Applications open until ; a new cycle follows
Applications open in forty-five-day cycles, each followed by the next. YouthShare reserves the right to close this listing as soon as the right person is found. We therefore encourage you to apply now.
The one-year commitment
A non-profit project is built over time. Every volunteer therefore commits for at least one year: time to settle in, carry the assignment through and pass on what they have learned. The weekly time depends on the role and is given in each role description.
How selection works
Online application
You choose a role, present your background and attach your CV. A confirmation email gives you your reference.
Profile review
The Talent team reads every application, matches it with the needs of the role and sends you a first reply by email within three days on average.
Video interview
A conversation to get to know each other and shape the assignment together.
Decision and arrival
You receive our answer by email, followed by a welcome to the team and access to its tools.
Know the right person?
Recommend this role to them: they receive an email from YouthShare that presents it, with your name and the link to apply. You can also share the listing on your networks.