INTERNSHIPS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCETHIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND SEPTEMBER 2015

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk info@3rdsectorintern.org.uk

@3rdsectorintern

BACKGROUNDThird Sector Internships Scotland offered students from all Scottish universities the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations through completing paid, supported internships.

Project focus

The focus of the project was developmental and exploratory:

• To determine the demand from students and employers for such a scheme;

• To gauge the merits of paid opportunities in the third sector;• To explore how a sector-wide / nationwide internships programme

could be operationalised; • To deliver a programme with national coverage and clear local impact; • To enable students from all Scottish universities to apply for posts

with organisations across the country; • To develop materials and resources to support students, employers

and university staff to gain maximum benefit from the project;• To provide a quality internship experience for students and employers;• To promote the enhancement of student employability through

the sharing of experience and insights into students’ practice in the context of a ‘real world’ application process;

• To explore options for sustained engagement between universities and the third sector;

• To research, monitor and evaluate the project, to share learning and experience with HE and third sector stakeholders.

KEY FACTS AND FIGURES KEY ACHIEVEMENTSCreating opportunities

TSIS delivered a total of 349 internships. These opportunities were targeted at organisations that did not currently host student interns, opening up new collaborations between universities and third sector employers.

Demand has consistently outstripped the available internships. Over 8300 applications were made for the 349 internships. Over 500 formal expressions of interest were submitted by employers. Links were made with a significantly larger group via direct contacts, intermediary groups such as third sector interfaces, and via conferences and events.

Quality internships for students

TSIS is recognised by employers, students, careers services and external bodies as offering high quality internship experiences. Comprehensive support was provided for applicants from first contact to post-internship guidance.

• Real jobs, with real responsibilities, that have made a real difference to students, employers and the communities they support.

• Developed systems and structure to ensure a high quality internship experience for students, including robust web resources, recruitment infrastructure and off-line support.

• Reflective learning opportunities were built into the internship framework.

• Students have been able to link the internship experience to their studies, directly via dissertations and projects and indirectly via skills development and application.

• TSIS has developed a strong and well respected ‘brand identity’ amongst students, university staff, and employers.

8,314applications

1,275interviews &

feedback

349internships

94%SME hosts

Interns are paid the ‘living wage’

‘Real world’ competitive application process

Applications from every higher education institution in Scotland

Students gain enhanced skills and confidence

Bespoke support for host organisations

Employers appreciate fresh ideas and successful

project delivery

Comprehensive research package

Strong partnerships between universities & the third sectora

Estimated direct monetary benefit to host organisations and interns

provided by the Scottish Funding Council

£4.7 – £7.2 MILLIONRETURN ON INVESTMENT £2.50 – £3.80 for every £1

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS• Enhanced understanding of student employability needs.• Direct insights into how students respond to a ‘real world’ recruitment process.• Feedback and support to applicants.• Enhanced understanding of, and interest in, the third sector by the HE sector.• Recruitment and management support for host employers.• Enhanced skills and experience of third sector hosts.• Short and longer term community benefits, unique to each internship.

Supporting student employability

• Benefits have accrued to students who have applied to TSIS (not just to interns) through individual feedback to each interview candidate, dialogue with careers staff, and sharing learning and experience with the third sector and university staff.

• Collaboration with careers services and other university staff to promote internships and to ensure students were encouraged to access the most appropriate internship opportunities and the broader careers and employability support available to them.

• Broader benefits to students through the learning the project has shared with the HE sector and through the direct links made between the project and careers and other university staff.

Employer engagement and support

• Effective approach to workforce development and support for third sector hosts around job development, recruitment and intern management.

• Bespoke support and guidance from initial expression of interest through to post internship follow-up.

• Initial funding for intern salary costs to enable hosts to increase their confidence and capacity to host internships.

• A number of employers have taken multiple interns and supported salary costs.

• The TSIS experience has enhanced organisations’ capacity, confidence and skills to recruit and support staff.

• TSIS has opened up new opportunities for third sector–university collaboration, while providing a tangible focus for initial interaction.

Work experience that makes a difference

• Clear benefits to groups across Scotland, with individual internships making a real difference to organisations and the communities they support.

• Indications are that the overwhelming majority of TSIS alumni are in positive destinations – work or further study.

• Internships are consistently ranked as of ‘high value’ by students and employers. The majority of interns and employers feel they make a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ profit from the experience.

• The perceived direct value of internships to interns and to organisations is estimated at at least £4.7 million. This represents a return on investment of at least £2.50 for every £1 invested by the Scottish Funding Council.

New models for collaborative working

• TSIS has developed a model for working at national scale, securing effective partnerships between universities and with employers.

• TSIS has become part of the suite of employability support offered to students by Scottish universities.

• The TSIS model has proved particularly effective in engaging small and micro employers and organisations that did not previously have connections with the university sector.

• The project effectively harnessed social media to promote opportunities, support shared learning, and initiate new collaborations.

Establishing new pathways into third sector careers

• Active promotion of the third sector as a career destination of choice, with careers services and students reporting enhanced awareness and understanding of the third sector.

• Paid internships are clearly identified as different and distinct from ‘volunteering’ by employers and students, with significant benefits for host and intern. TSIS has provided a supported route into a professional career in a sector which has traditionally lacked such an entry pathway.

• TSIS has established a clear and distinct role in the spectrum of employability support, providing supported opportunities for students (of all ages and from all universities) to enhance their skills and experience.

Supporting research and learning

TSIS has supported key learning across the HE sector. Areas of insight include: models for working across institutions / working effectively with small and micro employers / supporting employers to develop meaningful opportunities for students / ensuring a high quality, meaningful internship experience / making internships work for a diverse range of students.

The data set developed through TSIS is extensive and of value to the sector as a whole. We have worked to maximise the impact and learning from this unique insight into student employability needs and skills articulation / application.

Full data update and past reports available on the TSIS website. www.3rdsectorintern.com/about/research-and-learning

CASE STUDYAnna Carr, National Event Coordinator Intern Children’s Parliament, Edinburgh

Anna coordinated the first National Sitting of the Children’s Parliament, comprising of 75 Members. of Children’s Parliament (MCPs), 12 Youth Ambassadors and 75 adults, including Fiona McLeod, Minister for Children and Young People and Sir Harry Burns.

This event was an opportunity for children and adults to explore what children need to be healthy, happy and safe at home, in school and in their communities and to exhibit the work of Children’s Parliament. Chelsea Stinson, Children’s Voices Programme Manager, was delighted to take part in the TSIS project for a second time, “We knew we had support from the TSIS team to lead us through the whole process. This enabled us to provide first-hand experience for a student intern to deliver a high-profile event and ensure children’s voices are heard in the social and political landscape of Scotland.” Anna benefited from being given a significant level of responsibility and feeling highly valued as part of a team. Anna had previously considered progressing to a conversion course in Law when she graduates but her internship has persuaded her to now pursue a career in the Third Sector.

CASE STUDYCaroline Ullerup, Social Research Intern Instant Neighbour, Aberdeen

Caroline’s internship involved researching and drawing together the 30 year history of Instant Neighbour, producing a booklet, a video and an audio collection of stories culminating in an exhibition.

As a result of the internship, Caroline has developed her research skills through interviewing Instant Neighbour’s clients which provided a rich and rewarding experience. Daniel Meakin, Business Process Manager, comments that “Caroline’s input to the organisation has helped Instant Neighbour to develop better ways of working and has contributed to a lasting legacy for the community in the North East of Scotland.” Caroline will return to her academic studies with increased confidence in her research and organisational skills and a valuable insight into issues affecting third sector organisations in an increasingly challenging environment.

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