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Internships: all you need to know

This page includes information on:

• Getting a job as an Intern

• Advice on how to find Interns and how to look after them

• Website for Interns by Interns

Getting an Internship

This page has been written primarily to help MPs’ offices work out if they need an intern and how to get one. If, however, you want some work experience with an MP, these are the things you should think about: 

• Would you prefer to work for an MP from a particular political party?

• How much time can you give? How many days per week and over what period of time?

• What hours are convenient for you? You might have regular classes or other engagements or you might want to travel after 9.30am to avoid paying peak fares.

• What money do you need? You might be able to support yourself or you might require an allowance for travel or even lunch.

• What particular skills do you have? Can you type? Do you have casework or research experience? Are you able to update websites? Do you have document production or design skills? Etc…

• Do you have any disabilities, either physical or mental, which may have an effect on your ability to do the job?

Having got this information together, write to those MPs for whom you would like to work. If you are not sure which MPs you might want to work for, do some research on individual MPs at this website:  www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm.  The postal address is: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA; tel. no. 020 7219 3000. You are probably best advised to contact your local MP first as s/he may be better disposed to employing you.  Alternatively, check the job section on this site regularly and apply for the internships that are posted there from time to time. Don’t contact the agencies below as they provide placements for specific universities and programmes and do not generally place individuals who approach them.

Have a look at our Guide on Looking for a job working for an MP.  Lots of job search information there.

The Guardian article "The politician's apprentice" 22 July 2004.  Why you should be a Westminster Intern and how to go about it.

Considering an intern

If you are considering getting the help of an intern there are some things you should consider…

• Can you support an intern? It takes some staff time to organise and supervise an intern’s workload. Is there any staff time available for this?

• What work will you get your intern to do? Will they be photocopying and filing or will you give them a single project to complete in a certain timescale? Try to pitch the tasks at the appropriate level. Don’t demand too much but don’t expect too little.

• Remember that an intern is coming to work for you, usually for free. How can you make the role fulfilling? What are they hoping to get out of the experience? Can they accompany the Member to any meetings, receptions or other events?

• You don’t know how much ability or initiative an intern has before you take them on. What are your minimum requirements? What if things go wrong? Under what circumstances would you ask an intern to leave before completing the internship?  

• Can you accommodate an intern with a disability and have you considered the Health and Safety implications, including a risk assessment?

Step by step

1. Check that you have enough space in your office for an intern. Will they need a computer or other facilities?

2. Consider the amount of time you want an intern for each week and the length of the internship. Most programmes offer interns for four days each week and you may not be able to choose the day on which they are unavailable.

3. Decide which member of staff is responsible for supervising the intern. Consider how the appointment of an intern will affect other members of staff?

4. Decide what time you want an intern to arrive each morning. Consider that they might not have a key or security pass and may need to be escorted by other members of staff.

5. Are you going to offer to pay the intern’s travel, lunch or other expenses?

6. Contact one of the agencies below. They will probably have a form to fill in and want to visit your office to fulfil health & safety obligations.

7. The agency will contact you with the details of an intern. They will usually want to make an appointment for you – and if possible, the MP – to meet the intern at this time.

8. In advance of meeting the prospective intern for the first time, decide what questions to ask and what work you are likely to ask them to do in case they query you on this at that time.

9. If for any reason you don’t wish to take on that specific intern, let the agency know as quickly as possible to give them time to find another placement.

10. Final preparations. Ensure the intern’s workload is organised in advance. The agency will normally organise the security pass application although you will need to have a spare allocation.

What kinds of tasks can you give to an intern?

You never really know the abilities and initiative an intern has until they start working for you. Whatever tasks you give an intern, try to make sure you are not giving them things to do that will increase your workload or that of your colleagues. You can train interns to perform a number of routine tasks, allowing them to manage their own workload.

• Preparing PQs

• Tabling PQs

• Mailing, photocopying, filing and general admin.

• Answering telephones

• Typing up press releases, casework responses etc.

• Information retrieval – from library/internet etc

• Identifying contentious points in consultation documents

• Arranging appointments

• Note-taking at meetings

The Data Protection implications

If interns are going to deal with constituency casework, or other kinds of personal information, then Members should ask them to sign an agreement which authorises them to handle personal information on the Member's behalf.  Otherwise, because they are not employees, they will not have the legal authority.  There's a sample agreement on p12 of the Data Protection booklet, which is on the intranet. (Advice for Members' Offices: Personal Information about constituents and others.)  The website address is http://cfinw01/fanda/hpandg/dataprot/mpdataguide/membersguide.pdf and here's a copy of the confidentiality agreement:

What can you do for an intern?

Try to make the experience as fulfilling as possible for an intern. This enhances the reputation of your office. Here are some suggestions of things you can do.

• Try to arrange a meeting of the intern with the office staff in advance of their first day – perhaps over a drink?

• Make sure the first day’s work is prepared in advance

• Arrange ticket for PMQs

• If they have been helping prepare a speech – try to get them into the Gallery when it is given.

• Is the MP available to be shadowed by the intern for a day or so?

• Think about how you are helping them to integrate with the social life at Westminster.

• Is the range of tasks broad and interesting?

• Is the intern preparing any coursework with which you can help?

• How will you say thank you when the intern leaves?

• Will you keep in touch when they have gone?

• How will you feed back to the intern you assessment of their performance before they leave?

• Try to prepare a reference before you are asked for one.

Numbers

We asked the Serjeant at Arms Department for clarification about numbers of interns.  Here is their guidance (revised 2 March 2006):

“No Member is entitled to Palace of Westminster photo-identity passes for more than three individual members of their personal staff. A total of 150 passes in any calendar year, and up to 50 at any one time may be issued to Members temporary research assistants from overseas whose period of employment is expected to be less than four months and who are sponsored by an approved institution of higher education. Members are permitted to have one temporary overseas student working for them at a time (but they must use one of their three allocated passes mentioned above) to ensure that as many Members as possible are able to take advantage of this opportunity. This does not affect the right of Members to employ foreign nationals as secretaries, or as research assistants, on a longer-term basis.”

Where can I get an intern?

Here are some suggestions of places to start looking; this is by no means a comprehensive list.  You will need to satisfy yourself that the conditions of internships arranged with these organisations are suitable for your situation.  

If you have other useful information on this topic please tell us, using the website’s Feedback Form.

Interns' Network website

There's now a website run by Interns for Interns:  Interns' Network.    It's full of useful information.  Their url is: http://www.internsnetwork.org.uk/ 

Click here to go to the Interns' Network own page on w4mp

Look at our short guide for foreign nationals wishing to work for an MP

Final word

We've done our best to provide reliable up-to-date information here.  If you spot any mistakes of know of useful additions please let us know, using the website’s Feedback Form.

Last updated: 

12 April 2005

• Interns' Network page on w4mp

16 October 2004

• Correct new website address for Interns' Network

29 September 2004

• Ethical Internships

24 September 2004

• New URL for LSE Internships

17 August 2004

• Three more internship providers added

27 July 2004

• Guide for foreign nationals wishing to work for an MP

22 July 2004  

• Interesting article in The Guardian on the value of Internships

• Our Guide to Looking for a Job has been updated

21 November 2003 

• New internship provider added

13 November 2003 

• Data Protection advice added

• Look at our other guides

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