Hiring youth as interns is one way to utilize youth as a resource for development communications. Students who have expertise with photo/video documentation and social media can be effective storytellers for your organization in the wider community. Here are some steps for creating an internship program:
Decide what your organization needs. Is it hard to find enough people with the time to create content for your organization's blog? Does your organization need some help getting a website or blog created to begin with? Do you need someone who can help document projects with photo or video, run quantitative analyses, translate in the field, make phone calls to potential donors, or assist with needs assessments, surveys, and research? It's important to know what you're looking for in an intern before you create the application form. Have a job description for the internship available online. For example:
"Your primary responsibility will be to help our team review applications against specific criteria. This involves a great deal of web work: you will need zealous attention to detail and a defiant attitude towards repetition. A few skills you can expect to practice or learn: web research, interview skills, fact checking, systems management and the ability to express a succinct opinion that informs decisions. The requirements: You must be able to work in our Manhattan office 10am-6pm, five full days each week. You must be able to quickly learn new processes, and how to use new Mac software. Global mindset/perspective. Multi-lingual preferred but not required. As we anticipate many applications for this position, we will look for a clear, concise statement within your cover letter addressing the following question: what about reviewing event proposals do you find exciting, and why?"
Create an application form. You can use a free service like Google Forms. (You'll need a Google Account to do this.) Go to Google Drive, click the red "New" button on the lefthand side, mouse over "More," and click "Google Forms." Google Forms allows you to create forms with multiple choice, dropdown, checkbox, short text, and paragraph text answers. Keep the application form short and focused. Basic information to collect includes name, email, phone number, year in school, qualifications, and the answer to "Why do you want to apply for this internship?" You may need to add questions beyond that dependent on the role you are hoping the intern will fill.
Note: although internship applicants typically come from the college level, you should also strive to create opportunities for well-qualified high school students. (Just make sure to obtain parental permission for anyone under 18.)
Invite shortlisted candidates from the online application to interview. If the candidates are nearby, invite them for an in-person interview. This will give them a chance to see the workplace and get a sense of whether the environment is a good fit. If the candidates are geographically distant, ask them to interview via Skype or Google Hangouts. If internet access does not allow for a video-conferencing interview, you can interview them by phone. It's a good best practice to inform both the selected and rejected candidates of the outcome of their application in a timely manner. Successful candidates should be given some time to make a decision on whether they will accept the offer.
Agree on deliverables with intern(s) on the first day. For example, "Create a web site for the organization by the end of July," "Write 5 blog posts based on field visits and interviews with colleagues," "Co-author a report with fellow intern on women's self-help groups." These deliverables should be realistically achievable while also challenging. Consider what accomplishing each deliverable will entail: where will the intern need support from the organization (e.g., transportation, a translator, introduction to a partner organization, etc.)?
Ask interns what they expect from you. What are they hoping to gain from the experience? Are they trying to work in the organization later? Are they interested in working in the same field, or looking for learning that they can cross-apply to a different discipline? Is the internship required by their school, taken on for course credit, or for personal enrichment? You should be prepared to offer a letter of evaluation at the end of the internship as some schools require this from students (see template here). The intern may also be hoping to list you as a reference for future job applications after the conclusion of their internship, or to ask you to write a letter of recommendation (template here) for jobs/scholarships.
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