Unpaid internships at charities are about more than money

With volunteer interns becoming an inescapable fixture of many offices, a consensus has emerged around the need to offer an intern wage – with increasing focus on those organisations that fail to do so. A recent Guardian poll found just over 60% of respondents believed charities shouldn't offer unpaid internships, while Tanya de Grunwald, writing for Cif, criticised major unnamed charities for offering these internships.

Having been a volunteer intern for a leading UK charity, and now a paid intern for another, I am familiar with internships in the third sector. I fully support those campaigning for an intern wage and I do not wish to see unpaid internships continue among for-profit companies. However, volunteer charity internships are distinctly different, and I am one of a growing number who have benefitted from them.

Charities, by their nature, work for nobler causes than for-profit organisations. They put the interests of the vulnerable at the heart of their work and in difficult economic times they remain as important as ever. As charities face their own financial problems they are increasingly turning to volunteer interns to help continue the work they do. The objective at the heart of a charity's work means that interns are often directly helping to change lives; this is profoundly different to the work interns do elsewhere.

The level of commitment and the reasons why interns feel so strongly about certain causes can be hard to grasp. Nevertheless, undervaluing just how significant a motivation this can be is a mistake. It is a central factor in why they choose to invest their time in a charity internship, confident in the belief that they are not only making a wise career choice, but also making a real difference. Charities recognise the role volunteer interns play in helping to complete vast workloads, and in return offer support to further careers. I received excellent support from my manager who encouraged me to apply for paid positions, offered help in completing applications and practice for interviews.

Concerns that volunteer internships negatively impact on social mobility often lie at the heart of criticisms. Coming from a low-income family I know the difficulties inherent in pursuing certain careers without having the necessary contacts. When it comes to improving social mobility having equal access is as important as any other factor. On this note charities should be commended for running truly open recruitment processes. They offer anyone, from any school, from any university, the same opportunity as the next person.

Of course, being able to afford to undertake an internship is also a critical consideration. However, it is under-reported that volunteer interns can claim state benefits. I claimed jobseeker's allowance and I know of others who claimed housing benefit, but there is a worrying lack of information over what interns are entitled to. As youth unemployment reaches worrying heights we should be pressing to see volunteer internships put on an equal footing with any other welfare-to-work programme.

With all internships the ultimate question is whether they will help gain employment, so the quality of experience gained is crucial. Given the growing strains on resources charities are increasingly offering interns the chance to play key roles in major projects. Only by being involved in challenging work can interns develop the abilities and experience to showcase their skills to potential employers.

There are examples of interns who have worked unpaid for prolonged periods, but equally there are many success stories. Those interns I worked alongside have used their experiences to find paid employment. In light of the difficulties faced by those interning for long periods, as Tanya references, we may be better focusing on why, after interning, they haven't gained enough quality experience to find a permanent position. Internship schemes run by many leading charities should act as a template for others. They offer a consistent level of quality that reassures interns their time will be well spent.

Volunteer internships with charities are being engulfed in an ever narrowing debate, one too focused on the issue of pay. If charities were to end volunteer internships they would lose a vital stepping-stone for those wanting to work in the third sector. Interns, and groups representing them, should give equal attention to how we can improve the quality of internships, such as establishing a code of best practice, to ensure that interns gain the most from their time.

Source: Daniel Breslin, Guardian.co.uk, Sunday 7th August 2011