Hosting graduate interns and work experience placements in your organisation

• Hosting an intern in your organisation
• Hosting a work experience placement in your organisation

Hosting an intern in your organisation

Hosting an internship within your organisation can have a number of benefits: it allows you to boost the skills of your organisation whilst providing a recent graduate with a valuable kick-start to their career.

If you are interested in hosting an intern within your organisation, the government’s Graduate Talent Pool service exists to match interns with suitable organisations.

The service has been developed to help match the skills you require with those offered by new and recent graduates. Graduates can apply provided they graduated in 2008 or 2009 with at least a degree or foundation degree.

Visit graduatetalentpool.bis.gov.uk for more information about Graduate Talent Pool.

Checklist for creating a good experience

If you’re considering hosting an internship in your organisation, download the Internship Template (.pdf, 157Kb), which has been specifically created for voluntary and community organisations to ensure it is easy to provide the best possible experience for both the intern and your organisation.

Interested in applying for an internship place?

If you're interested in applying for a place as an intern, Prospects offers information for graduates on how to go about applying for an internship within a charity, and Graduate Talent Pool also has a site for graduates which lists opportunities available in charities.

Hosting a work experience placement in your organisation

NCVO Workforce Development work to encourage voluntary and community sector organisations to run work experience placements for students. Work Experience placements can be an excellent way to introduce students to the possibility of a career in the sector, whilst boosting the skills of your organisation.

Bright Futures: Positive Influence

"Providing placements is good for partnership working as we link into and network with other local organisations. It also raises awareness amongst young people of what it is like to work in the voluntary sector." Sandra Malone, Action for Blind People

Bright Futures, Positive Influence: Creating a successful work experience placement in the third sector is a guide for third sector organisations who are interested in hosting a work experience placement.
 
The guide was produced by the UK Workforce Hub (now NCVO Workforce Development), and looks at the different types of work experience placements available. It aims to help organisations decide if they want to host a placement and what option may be best for them. 
 
The guide then focuses on supporting third sector organisations through the creation of a work placement aimed at key stage 4 school students (14-16 year olds). 
 
It covers the main things to consider when designing a placement such as:

• school liaisons,
• health and safety,
• child protection,
• recruiting students,
• administration and supervision for before, during and after the placement and
• an evaluation of the learning for both the organisation and the student. 

The guide includes four case studies from third sector organisations that currently host work experience placements, and there is also a useful section with sources of further information.
 
The publication is available to download here. You can also purchase a printed copy here.