A Nonprofit’s Guide to Ensuring a Great Summer (for Everyone!)
You’ve been making that summer to-do list all winter, with that unique blend of optimism and hesitation that only comes with intern season. Optimism because the added capacity and energy are critical to keeping your mission charging forward but hesitation because, well, let’s be frank: interns are WORK. But this summer’s going to be different. Here’s our time-tested formula for any nonprofit that will professionalize and streamline your summer internship program:
Assign A Manager
Managing a flock of summer volunteers and interns is rewarding, but let’s not sugarcoat it—it’s more work. Prepping roles, tracking progress, and providing feedback can stack up. From hiring to exit interviews, someone must be responsible for the internship program. It might be HR or your education department, but make sure it’s a true part of the job, not just an afterthought. Assume that the workload will increase during the program, but remember that, between recruitment and outreach, a summer internship program is really a year-round commitment.
Treat Your Internship Program Like Summer Camp
Hear us out: your summer interns are looking to help and learn, make connections, and have some new experiences. How disappointing, then, to be handed a 10-week to-do list and shown a cubicle! Take the time to build a proper program. Components should include:
A calendar with key summer moments like internship start and stop dates, a proper orientation session, weekly sessions like brown-bag career lunches, supervisor check-ins, and social events. You don’t need to get fancy, but a schedule will build excitement and set expectations. This is also a great time to imagine and schedule some “unique to you” summer traditions. A silly ice cream party theme? A scavenger hunt? It doesn’t take much to turn this into a summer to remember.
Advanced communication with the details of the summer, their role, and anything they need to for onboarding (an email and a virtual pre-orientation meeting would be ideal!) Remember that this may be an intern’s first professional experience, so the more guidance and information you can provide, the more you’ll put them at ease.
Clear job descriptions, so interns (and their supervisors) know what’s in, and out, of bounds.
Who’s The Boss?
We love assigning a summer intern or volunteer to an employee looking to buff up their resume with some managerial experience. But remember, they’ll need support as they learn the ropes. Help these budding leaders through mentorship programs, regular check-ins, and access to management training. This guidance is vital, especially if they haven’t managed people before. It’s about building confidence and capability—not just throwing them into the fire. Also, keep an eye on your seasoned staff who might be guiding these new managers (it’s work for them too!) Offering them tools and strategies to manage their workload effectively is crucial. Think about setting up internal workshops on delegation, conflict resolution, and feedback techniques.
You Gotta Follow the Rules
Finally, let’s talk compliance—because nobody wants legal woes to rain on their summer parade. It’s crucial to understand the difference between volunteers and interns who may be entitled to compensation. Misclassifying an intern as a volunteer (or vice versa) can lead to some serious issues, so it’s essential to get this straight. Brush up on the Fair Labor Standards Act and maybe touch base with a legal eagle to ensure your program is up to snuff.
With some care an attention, your summer internship program will not only be incredibly valuable to your mission but will also become a flagship opportunity to raise your organization’s profile, create good will, and cultivate the next generation of nonprofit leaders. With, of course, a scoop of ice cream.