Internships offer young people a smooth transition into the workforce and an introduction to the unique advantages and challenges of the career path they have chosen. Often, it is during internships that individuals decide whether a certain profession or sector is truly right for them. If you’re seriously considering a career in the nonprofit sector, it would be very beneficial get an internship working for a nonprofit organization. There are numerous nonprofit internship opportunities available. Here are some that might be particularly interesting to aspiring nonprofit professionals.
There are numerous charities geared towards enriching the lives of young people through education. Interns in these types of organizations can sometimes mentor students through workshops, help them with their homework, build students’ leadership skills, evaluate education-related public policy and/or help develop educational programs. There are many underprivileged children whose parents don’t have time to use flashcards to teach them their multiplication tables or brighten their day by helping them practice their handwriting with multicolored pens. If enhancing an organization’s ability to provide for kids sounds rewarding to you, you should consider looking into education-based nonprofit internships.
Scenes of people whose lives have been decimated by natural disasters are sadly a very familiar sight to anyone who regularly watches the news. Victims of disasters require many necessities to care for themselves and their families. Fortunately, there are a large number of nonprofits ready to help. Those who do nonprofit internships for organizations focused on disaster relief could get the chance to not only facilitate efforts to distribute items like sleeping bags, hygiene kits and blankets but to also research responses to past natural disasters to develop effective response protocols, assist in providing mental health services, manage an organization’s digital presence and much more.
The growing problem of homelessness will require energic, ambitious new nonprofit workers and internships are an excellent place for those workers to get their start. Organizations that serve this community want to develop strategies to help people find the shelter, obtain help for substance abuse and mental health issues, ensure that shelters remain stocked with resources such as warm clothing, food, personal protective equipment and prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place. They will need interns to help them reach these goals. Some college students who do internships in this area might eventually get to say that before they graduated, they saw their work help get someone off the street for good.
Fundraising is a crucial activity within the nonprofit space. College students who are pursuing degrees in marketing, communications, public relations, and other similar disciplines may find nonprofit internships focused on fundraising for nonprofits to be quite fulfilling. These types of interns might develop marketing strategies using social media and other tools to draw attention to their organizations’ wishlists. They might research and apply for grants. They also may organize fundraising events where attendees are entertained, asked to donate money, and then sent home with tote bags with the name of a charity on them. Those who are skilled communicators and passionate about helping others may enjoy an internship in this area more than a communications-focused internship for a business.