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Ethical Internships
Added 1 October 2004
On 16 September 2004, Sue Doughty MP tabled EDM 1682 : INTERNS' NETWORK BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES
"That this House recognises and appreciates the essential contribution made by volunteer interns in Westminster; notes the establishment of the Interns' Network to work towards fair and transparent internships; and understands that there are real access and diversity issues to be addressed and endorses the Interns' Network Best Practice Guidelines, available at www.internsnetwork.org.uk, for both employers and interns."
Her
office has also prepared a 'Good Practice for Employers' guide :
Maximising value and productivity
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Interns should be made to feel welcome and valued in the working environment; they should have adequate workspace, resources and contact time with line-managers and other staff.
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Interns should be offered all possible opportunities to learn about the workplace; be allowed to read publications and other materials, ask questions and attend meetings where appropriate.
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Employers should try and ensure that interns gain valuable experience and skills; work should include some challenging and stimulating tasks.
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Interns should have an exit interview, with an appraisal of their performance and work and an opportunity to give feedback on their experience.
Working transparently
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Employers should be up-front about forthcoming employment opportunities and should take care not to raise false hopes.
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Interns should be given a clear idea of their responsibilities and possible tasks, within which both employer and intern can work flexibly.
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Interns should be recruited through openly advertised competition; positions should not simply be offered to contacts. Specific adverts should be placed for interns, or employers should state clearly on their websites that they consider ad-hoc applications.
Being fair
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Interns should receive reasonable expenses and employers should make efforts to ensure that internships are available to all, irrespective of background or ability to support oneself.
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Employers should be sensitive to the pressures of working for free; where possible, they should allow part-time working and should not expect interns to continue unpaid for extended periods. Where suitable, internal work which is usually outsourced (eg. dictation, temping and data-entry) should be offered to interns as a means to earn extra cash.
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Employers should offer interns’ advice on how to pursue their careers. Where appropriate, they should share their contacts and experience to help interns find paid work. They should offer tips on writing CVs, covering letters and conducting interviews.
