THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

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THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND BEST PRACTICE GUIDE

Transcript of THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

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THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLANDBEST PRACTICE GUIDE

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BEST PRACTICE GUIDE

ContentsDESIGNING YOUR INTERNSHIPGuidelines: Things to Consider When Planning an Internship........ 1

Review: Organisation Checklist: Are You Ready to Employ an Intern?... 3

Review: Internship Planning Flowchart.............................................. 5

Guidelines: Job Description and Person Specification......................... 7

Template: Job Description and Person Specification........................... 9

RECRUITMENTTemplate: Application Form................................................................................... 11

Template: Shortlisting Matrix............................................................................... 13

Template: Interview Arrangements.................................................................. 15

Guidelines: Presentations and Interview Questions (for Applicants).. 17

Guidelines: Interview Questions........................................................................ 19

Template: Interview Question Matrix............................................................ 21

Guidelines: Interview Protocol............................................................................ 23

Templates: Interview Feedback......................................................................... 25

PRE-INTERNSHIPTemplate: Reference Request.............................................................................. 27

Guidelines: Pre-Employment Checks............................................................... 29

Guidelines: Preparing Employment Documents...................................... 31

Template: Written Offer of Internship........................................................... 33

Guidelines: Pro-Rata Leave.................................................................................... 35

Guidelines: Pre-Internship Employer Questions....................................... 37

WHEN THE INTERNSHIP STARTSTemplate: Induction Checklist............................................................................ 39

Template: Work Plan and Work Plan Review............................................. 41

Template: Timesheet............................................................................................... 43

Review: Intern Reflection: Getting Started.................................................. 45

Review: Internship Checklist................................................................................ 47

DURING THE INTERNSHIPGuidelines: Support and Supervision............................................................. 49

Template: Support and Supervision................................................................ 51

Template: Review Meeting.................................................................................... 53

Review: Intern Reflection: On the Internship............................................... 55

Review: Employer Reflection: On the Internship........................................ 57

END OF/POST-INTERNSHIPGuidelines: Exit Interviews..................................................................................... 59

Review: Intern Reflection: Post-Internship............................................... 61

Review: Post-Internship Employer Questions......................................... 63

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DESIGNING YOURINTERNSHIP

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(Guidelines: Things to Consider W

hen Planning an Internship)

When an organisation first begins to consider creating an internship, it is important to answer each of the following questions. This process will help you to decide whether this is the right option or the right time to offer an opportunity.

Why are you interested in offering an internship?It is important that you know why you want to offer an internship and what you hope to achieve (for both the intern and your organisation) before you start to design an opportunity.

Describe the work you envisage the intern carrying out. Is this a discrete piece of work with a specific focus, rather than a more general role?It is best practice that an intern be given a distinct and discrete piece of work which they can take responsibility for, and which generates demonstrable outputs. This is not the same as having an individual shadow or assist existing staff, or complete ongoing routine/core business tasks. If you cannot easily define the specific piece of work then the opportunity you have to offer might not be an internship – it might be better described as a ‘job’, ‘work experience’ or a ‘volunteering opportunity’.

What level of mentoring and support will you be able to provide?While you may employ an intern who is more ‘expert’ than you in the area of work they are doing, all interns will require a level of mentoring and support – especially as for many it will be their first time in a professional work/office environment. Interns need to be allocated a designated line manager who can offer informal and formal support and supervision. You also need to consider whether the intern will require any specific training or development in order to complete their project. As a minimum, interns should receive monthly supervision meetings, however, on a time limited project it is often advisable to have weekly meetings to ensure the project delivers on time.

Where will this internship fit in to the organisation’s strategy? For example, how do you anticipate the intern’s role differing from a volunteer or permanent employee role?Unlike permanent or ongoing roles, an internship is a time-limited increase in capacity that can assist an organisation to do new or different things. The success of the internship in the long-run will rely on how well you plan and use this intervention to fit in with the organisation’s aims and objectives. Vital to this is understanding what happens when the intern finishes. Ask yourself – what legacy will they leave? Is there sufficient staffing to take up the new work they have started once they are no longer there? What will be required to sustain/build on their success in the future? What other opportunities could we create in the future to further develop this work?

What support, if any, will the organisation need to host an intern?You need to consider if you will need to source and arrange any external support, either:

• For you as an organisation? (e.g. payroll provision if you are employing someone for the first time) or

• For the intern? (e.g. an external specialist in the work they are doing for technical/advisory support)

If this kind of external support will be required, it is advisable that you cost and source that provision before committing to going ahead with the internship.

Who will lead the recruitment of the intern? Will this be the same person who will manage the intern?The success of the internship will often rely on choosing the right candidate for the position through an open and fair recruitment process. Consider who in your organisation is best placed to do this – who has the most experience of short-listing and interviewing? Who best understands the purpose of the opportunity and what skills will be required? These may not be the same people, and it is advisable to have more than one person involved in the decision making (e.g. HR Manager and Intern Line Manager or Line Manager and Senior/Project Manager).

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THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING AN INTERNSHIP

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How many hours of work do you expect the internship to cover? Will this be full-time or part-time? If you are offering a student internship, you must consider that the intern will need to fit in their work around their university commitments. This may mean they are only able to work part-time (during term time) and may need a flexible or non-traditional work pattern (e.g. working one full day and two half days, rather than two full days per week). Most students will not be able to work full-time unless it is holiday time. It is also important to be aware of restrictions that can affect international students. As much as possible it is best to find the right candidate for your internship first, and then negotiate a mutually agreeable work pattern.

When do you envisage the internship starting? What impact will this have on day-to-day operations?It is important to consider the availability of both potential interns and colleagues with whom they will be working. For example, a student may only be able to complete a full-time internship during the summer months, but this can mean that they will not have adequate support due to staff holidays. Likewise external contacts may have reduced availability in summer. If the internship starts in spring the intern may have to juggle their responsibilities with exams and coursework deadlines. A winter internship may be affected by a student having to return home for the extended Christmas break. In addition to this, bear in mind that if the project the intern is working on is time critical, the internship will need to start in plenty of time to achieve the necessary deadlines. All of these challenges can be managed, if they are considered and anticipated in advance.

How will you advertise the internship? For example do you have a specific contact at a university careers service; social media; through the local Third Sector Interface?If you are looking to reach students when advertising your opportunity, you need to be aware of where they look for opportunities. Each university has its own Careers Service which is often the best ‘first port of call’. Staff can offer you support and guidance as well as the potential interns. Once the opportunity is being advertised, it is good practice to use social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to reach as many potential applicants as possible.

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(Review: O

rganisation Checklist: A

re You Ready to Employ an Intern?)

ORGANISATION CHECKLIST: ARE YOU READY TO EMPLOY AN INTERN?Before embarking on recruitment, it is important to consider whether your organisation has the necessary policies and procedures in place to support an intern appointment.You can use the following checklist to consider how ready you are as an organisation to employ an intern.

Remember: employers have legal responsibilities to all their employees, including interns. We recommend you regularly refer to websites such as www.gov.uk and www.acas.org.uk to remain abreast of your responsibilities under current employment law.

Yes No

Are you registered with HMRC as an employer?

Do you have your own payroll arrangements – either processed in-house or through a third party?

Do you have appropriate employers’ liability insurance cover? When is it due to expire?

Do you have the following written policies and procedures?

a) Health & Safety policy

b) Equal Opportunities policy

c) Grievance/complaints procedure

d) Disciplinary procedure

e) Dismissal procedure

f) Absence/Sickness procedure

g) Risk Assessments procedure

Can you provide the intern with a full induction?

Can you provide an intern with an employment contract and written terms and conditions that meets all current legal requirements?

Do you have the appropriate space and equipment for the intern?

Are the premises where the intern will be based accessible to people of all abilities?

Will you have support, supervision and review mechanisms for the intern?

Will you be able to develop a work plan with the intern?

Have you discussed the potential impact of employing an intern with other colleagues?

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(Review: O

rganisation Checklist: A

re You Ready to Employ an Intern?)

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(Review: Internship Planning Flow

chart)

INTERNSHIP PLANNING

Job Description

Feedback

Monitoring andEvaluation

Case Studies

and Publications

Reports

Salary Payments

Equipment, location

Employm

ent Contract

Disclosure/PV

G issues

Insurance Cover

Strategic Context

Internship roledevelopm

ent

Organisation

Ready forinternship?

Re-examine

Support andSupervision

Resourcing

Strategic Planning:H

ow could

internships fitin our future?

Legalities

Not Yet

Internship Occurs

Look at other organisations’

experiences /em

ployer guides

Inform future

InternshipD

evelopment

Yes

Learning andD

evelopment

Learning andD

evelopment

Mentor

Mentor

Line Manager

Line Manager

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(Review: Internship Planning Flow

chart)

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(Guidelines: Job D

escription and Person Specification)

Writing a job description and person specification for the internship post will provide a means of objectively assessing the attributes of candidates and aids effective recruitment. The job description should set out the main tasks that are involved in the post and the person specification sets out the skills and attributes required to carry them out.

Job description

The job description should include:

• The job title

• The hours and duration

• The location of the job

• A description of the role, its scope and objectives, linking it to the wider aims of your organisation

• A list of the main duties and tasks of the job

• Details of the support that will be given to the intern including the name and the job title of the person to whom the employee will report

• Details of the skills, experience and knowledge that the intern will be able to develop from this opportunity.

Person specification

The person specification allows you to profile the ‘ideal person’ to fill your job. The skills, aptitudes, experience you include in your specification should be related precisely to the needs of the job. You should separate them into those that are essential for the job and those that are desirable.

Factors to consider when you are preparing a person specification include:

• Skills, knowledge and aptitudes related directly to the job

• The type of experience necessary

• The competencies necessary

• Any criteria relating to personal qualities or circumstances must be essential and directly related to the job, and must be applied equally to all groups irrespective of age, gender, race, nationality, religion or belief, disability, membership or non-membership of a trade union. To do otherwise is potentially discriminatory.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

When reviewing the skills and experience included in the person specification, you should consider whether your recruitment process will enable you accurately to discern if an applicant does or does not meet each of the criteria. Characteristics that are subjective, such as ‘a positive attitude’ or ‘a good sense of humour’ are best avoided.

Care should be taken to ensure that the job description and person specification are not discriminatory. A good reason for not setting unreasonable requirements in a job specification is to avoid any possibility of discrimination against particular groups of applicants. The process of writing a job description and person specification should help employers to develop and implement a policy of equal opportunity in the recruitment and selection of employees.

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escription and Person Specification)

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escription and Person Specification)

JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

Insert relevant salary (remember to insert pro-rata if appropriate).

Insert details of hours, duration, expected working pattern e.g.

• The internship is for a fixed term of 350 hours to be worked flexibly over a 3-month period. As a guide we anticipate no more than 14 hours per week.

• The internship is for a 6-month period, working 35 hours per week.

• The internship is for a 9-month period, working 15 hours per week.

Insert place of work and / or home working (please ensure you have checked whether home working is appropriate for the role).

Add in here if a Disclosure Check or PVG check is required.

• Give an overview of what the internship will entail and its context.

• Relate it to your organisation’s overall aims and say how this internship will support the achievement of those aims.

• You should also include the expected outputs and outcomes to ensure the scope of the internship is focussed and achievable in the timeframe.

Insert bullet points of specific duties that the intern will be required to carry out to fulfil the role e.g.

• Conducting interviews, in person and by telephone, with customers to establish x, y, z.

• Analysing performance figures to establish …….

• Researching possible sources of funding via journals, internet, etc.

• Compiling a detailed report on the findings of research.

• Presenting the findings to board members via a power point presentation.

• Developing a questionnaire for use in research interviews.

What personal qualities, skills, experience and knowledge are you looking for from applicants? Be precise in the description, as this will help applicants to demonstrate their suitability for the role.

• Use bullet points and highlight essential and desirable criteria.

• The requirements should be in line with the role and specific duties.

• The criteria here should be used to shortlist interview candidates.

Salary:

Hours and duration:

Location:

Role:

Specific duties:

Person specification:

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escription and Person Specification)

Give details of the skills, experience and knowledge the intern will have the opportunity to develop through this internship.

It is important that organisations hosting internships have the structures and practices to support the intern, to enable them to complete the internship successfully and to provide the learning and development that the internship offers.

You can state here what support systems you have in place and how these will be used to support the intern e.g. induction, support and supervision – method and frequency, work planning, training and development plan, review, mentoring.

Learning and development:

Support:

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

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RECRUITMENT

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First name:

Surname:

Address:

Email:

Main contact telephone number:

Are you a part-time or full-time student:

Are you paying international fees?

TSIS Recru

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pplication Form)

APPLICATION FORM

Please give examples of previous employment or volunteering:

Name of employer organisation

Job title/Voluntary position title

Dates of employment

Whether the position was paid/unpaid

Whether the position was full-time/part-time

Brief description of your duties

Part-time

Yes* No

Full-time

*(If yes, you MUST abide by the requirements of your visa i.e. you must have a stamp that shows you can work up to 20 hours per week in term-time).

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TSIS Recru

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pplication Form)

Main questions

Demonstrate how you meet the person specification for this internship

What is your motivation in applying for this internship?

What skills and knowledge would you hope to develop as a result of undertaking the internship?

Academic/Employer referee

Please give the name and contact details for someone from your university or former employer who will be able to provide you with a reference.

Are there any restrictions to your residence in the UK that might affect your right to take up employment in the UK? If you don’t know, please refer to www.gov.uk/search?q=student+visas

If you are eligible to work in the UK, please provide your National Insurance number below:

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

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SHORTLISTING MATRIX

4= Fully Meets

Criteria

3 2 0= Satisfactorily Meets Criteria

= Partly MeetsCriteria

= Does Not MeetCriteria

Scoring:

Person Specification Criteria

Essential (E) or Desirable (D)

Candidate Ref No:

Candidate Ref No:

Candidate Ref No:

Candidate Ref No:

Candidate Ref No:

Candidate Ref No:

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Score

It is important to shortlist anonymously to avoid the possibility of discriminating against applicants.

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atrix)

Shortlisting carried out by:

Date:

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

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TSIS Recru

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atrix)

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INTERVIEW ARRANGEMENTS

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TSIS Recru

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Arrangem

ents)

Interview date:

Internship position:

Employer organisation:

Organisation contact: Name:

Job title:

Email/Phone:

Members of staff on interview panel:

Name:

Position:

Name:

Position:

Interview format: (in addition to Q&A session with the panel)Do you want to include an additional interview task? If yes, please see some suggestions below:

Candidates to give short verbal presentation on a given topic.

Candidates to give a short presentation on a given topic using PowerPoint/flipchart etc. or of candidate’s own choosing.

Candidates to bring along and discuss a piece of their own work (does this need to be specifically related to the role?).

Research required in advance of the interview and present/discuss findings at interview (are you sending material for the candidate to read? Ensure you attach this to your invitation to interview).

A task to be done on the day with no preparation.

Other

Location of interview (full address):

(Include details of how to access the building, i.e. buzzers etc. and also whether there are any issues for accessibility)

Travel costs: Are you willing to pay travel costs for candidates to attend interview?

(How much, do you need receipts? Ensure you include details in your invitation to interview)

Accessibility to Interview venue:

Are there any limitations to accessibility that candidates could face?

(Ensure that candidates are aware of any issues in your invitation to interview)

Yes

Yes

No

No

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TSIS Recru

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Arrangem

ents)

Presentation: Duration of presentation? (normally no longer than 10 mins)

Internship position: Subject/Question/Topic of presentation:

Presentation facilities available (if required):

Additional documentation for candidates to provide:

Will you require any additional documentation to be shown other than Right to Work?

In the event the candidate cannot physically attend the interview, would you be willing to offer interviews via skype or phone? (Ensure you ask for details in your invitation to interview)

Skype:

Laptop Projector Flipchart

Yes No

Notes:

Interview TimesPlease remember to schedule in:

• 20 – 30 minutes before the commencement of the first interview for the panel to meet

• Coffee/ tea breaks and lunch break

• Time after the final interview for panel discussion

For example:

9.00am Panel Meet

9.30am Candidate 1

10.15am Candidate 2

11.00am Panel Break

11.15am Candidate 3

12.00pm Candidate 4

12.45pm Lunch

1.30pm Candidate 5

2.15pm Panel discussion

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

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TSIS Recru

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Questions (for A

pplicants))

Presentations

Many interviews include a presentation, which can be a daunting prospect at the start of an interview. You can help to overcome or deal with nerves, knowing that you are about to deliver a well-prepared and rehearsed presentation. It is essential to practise the presentation within the time you have been given as the panel will stop you if you go over time.

Employers look for confident and well-structured presentations that have addressed the question clearly and succinctly. It is important to consider HOW you present and WHAT you present.

Positive feedback from the TSIS project included comments such as:

• An engaging presentation demonstrating the candidate’s understanding of the organisation and the context of the project.

• The presentation covered a number of relevant issues which were delivered in a confident manner.

Developmental feedback included:

• The candidate was reading word for word from notes and did not maintain eye contact with the panel.

• The candidate may wish to consider using brief notes for future presentations as, at times, it was difficult to follow the argument presented.

• While the ideas presented were interesting, it was difficult to follow the presentation as there was too much text on the slides; a few points or headings would have helped the panel to follow the key issues.

• It appeared that the candidate had not carried out any significant research on the organisation and the context of the internship which meant some of the ideas presented were not relevant for this role.

• The candidate provided some interesting ideas but without any consideration as to how these ideas could be realistically implemented within the organisation.

• The candidate presented a ‘text-book’ answer to the presentation question. The panel was looking for the candidate’s own ideas.

Dealing with interview questions: a few hints and tips

• You may have some great ideas in response to a question but have you considered how these would be put into practice especially in the context of the sector you will be working in e.g. public, private, third sector?

• Have you taken into account the size of the organisation and their resources – are your ideas realistic?

• You need to provide specific details when responding to questions, particularly in terms of explaining what contribution you made to a team project or to the development of an initiative. A simple question to ask yourself is, what did YOU do? Not just what did WE do?

• Candidates often give short answers and do not make the most of the experience/examples provided in your application form (which will have helped to get you to the interview).

PRESENTATIONS AND INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (FOR APPLICANTS)

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TSIS Recru

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Questions (for A

pplicants))

• Do not expect the panel to know everything about you; yes, they have read the application form but you must remind them of your skills and experience in your answers.

• If you are answering a technical question, are you able to explain your answer for a non-technical member of the panel?

• Some candidates struggle with the balance between being enthusiastic versus rushing answers/speaking too quickly - practising can help.

• Many employers recommend interview practice (you can request a practice interview with your university’s Careers Service).

• It’s very important to research the organisation you are being interviewed by. It is obvious when candidates have not researched the organisation/sector or try to ‘blag’ their way through their response. This can be particularly important for certain types of organisations where ethics and empathy with their ethos is crucial.

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Questions)

The following questions can be adapted to suit the specific requirements of the post. It is recommended to prepare your questions in advance of the interview and not just as the panel meet. You need to consider the number and range of questions so they accurately represent the job description.

It is also very important to ensure that all questions are asked to all candidates.

Introductory questions

• Tell us a little bit about yourself and what attracted you to the internship and this organisation.

• Tell us how you prepared for this interview.

• How would you apply your previous experience to this role?

Problem-solving

• Can you give an example of a time where you used your creativity to provide a solution to an issue?

• Describe a situation where you saw a problem and took action to correct it rather than wait for someone else to solve the problem.

Marketing/Social media

• Can you tell us about your current use of social media/digital media? What do you use and why do you use those tools?

• Do you see any problems with working with social media platforms/tools?

• How would you maximize the usage of social media for our organisation?

• Can you give any examples of previous marketing/promotional materials you have written/designed? What was the result for yourself or the organisation of using these materials?

• What do you think a communication strategy/ marketing strategy should include?

• Tell us about a brand that you think is an example of good marketing.

Team/project experience

• Can you give an example of a successful project in which you were involved?

What was your role? What made it a success? How did you measure your and the project’s success?

• What makes a successful team? Give an example from a team with which you are familiar.

• Can you give an example of a team situation where you had to take the lead?

Communication

• Please give an example of where you have had to communicate a complicated idea to someone who may not have understood your proposal/suggestion.

• A requirement of this post is to conduct interviews, in person and by telephone. Can you share any experience you may have in carrying out interviews for case studies or research?

• What do you think are the key elements of a successful presentation?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

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Questions)

IT/website related

• Can you highlight computer packages and software with which you are familiar and experienced in using, specifically in relation to this post?

• Tell us about your website design experience.

• Can you give an example of where you have worked mainly on your own/ with a team to design and deliver a website?

• If you are successful today, you will have a lot more experience than your colleagues in working with IT packages. Can you give an example of where you have had to explain a tool/technique/package to a friend or colleague who is not an expert?

Planning/organisation

• How will you approach the implementation of this project?

• What do you consider to be the key stages of this project?

• Can you give an example of where you have had to juggle several projects/assignments/tasks at the same time? Were you successful in meeting the deadlines?

Research

• Tell us about a piece of research you have carried out. What process did you go through and how were the findings used?

• What is your preferred research type and why? For example, focus groups, questionnaires, analysing statistics.

• What do you consider to be the differences between academic research and research in a non-academic setting?

• Given the remit and context of this role, do you anticipate any problems in carrying out the research project?

Rounding off the interview

• What do you consider to be your development needs with regards to the internship and what support would you require?

• What are your expectations of this internship and what would you like to achieve?

• I am going to give you a minute on my watch – can you tell me in that time why you think that you are the right candidate for this post?

• This job requires you to work here for (insert hours, days). How will you balance the needs of your studying, or other activities, with this job?

• Is there anything you would like to say to support your application, that the panel has not had the opportunity to ask you?

• The panel has asked several questions, do you have anything you would like to ask the panel?

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Please take notes on the candidate’s presentation if appropriate:

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INTERVIEW QUESTION MATRIXCandidate name: Time:

Organisation/addressing the title:

Tone of delivery/understanding of the audience

Use of visual aids (if applicable)

General comments

Question Comments

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Is there anything else you would like to tell us in support of your application?

Are there any questions you would like to ask the panel?

If successful, when could you start?

What hours/days can you do?

For the panel: Have you checked Right to Work documentation or any other requirements?

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

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Protocol)

A few hints and tips to support your interview process

Try to meet as a panel about half an hour prior to the first scheduled interview. Check through your interview questions and agree what role each panel member is playing e.g. chair, meet and greet etc.

If the interview includes a presentation, ensure that all the equipment has been set up and is working.

Check the documents provided by the candidates as evidence of their identity and Right to Work. The photocopy for the successful candidate is retained by you for your HR files as evidence that you have complied with immigration legislation.

If you are interviewing students, you need to be aware of restrictions on NON-EU INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS; please check their visa in their passport to ensure that they can work in the UK.

Non-EU international students can only work a maximum of 20 hours per week during term-time (as at summer 2015). They can work full-time in the summer as long as they are not postgraduate students, writing up a dissertation; in this case, the normal part-time hours apply.

Please also check for a NI number – some candidates may not have this or may have said in their application that this is “in progress”. Check the status of their application.

If a Disclosure Check/PVG check has been specified on the job description, ensure the candidate is aware of this and the time involved to obtain the PVG.

During the interview, ensure that all panel members are abiding by Equal Opportunities guidelines. For example, all candidates must be asked the same set of questions.

At the end of the interviews, during the decision-making process, again, ensure that the panel is abiding by Equal Opportunities guidelines. For example, candidates must primarily be assessed against the criteria laid out in the job description and person specification.

If possible, provide individual feedback to all candidates who attend the interview (for some suggestions for written feedback, see template page 25).

If you have concerns about employing international students under the correct regulations, any university international office will be able to help you with enquiries. You can also check the following website: www.ukcisa.org.uk

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

INTERVIEW PROTOCOL

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TSIS Recru

itmen

t (Guidelines: Interview

Protocol)

Page 29: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 25

TSIS Recru

itmen

t (Templates – Interview

Feedback)

Introduction

The panel would like to thank ....................... for attending the interview and his/her interest in ....................... . Unfortunately, we are not able to offer him/her the internship on this occasion, but would like to provide the following feedback which we hope is helpful for future interviews.

Presentations

• ....................... covered a number of relevant issues in her/his presentation which she/he gave in a confident manner.

• ....................... gave a well-researched and thoroughly prepared presentation.

• ....................... may wish to consider using some brief notes for future presentations so he/she can ensure he/she gets over his/her key points.

• It would be helpful for ....................... to slow down his/her delivery so the panel can follow the key points.

General points

Positive points from the interview were:

• ....................... was very enthusiastic about the opportunity and engaged well with the panel.

• ....................... showed a genuine interest in how the internship could benefit the clients of ....................... .

• ....................... gave a good answer to how he/she would approach the internship and was able to talk through the steps he/she would take which demonstrated his/her structured approach to tasks.

• ....................... impressed the panel with his/her calm demeanour and considered answers throughout the interview.

• ....................... was very well presented and showed honesty and integrity in his/her answers.

Points to work on for future interviews:

• In some answers, however, ....................... needed to provide more detail as to how his/her knowledge and experience could specifically be applied to the role. His/her response to the question on ....................... was a little vague.

• In many examples, ....................... spoke about how ‘we’ had completed tasks e.g. in his/ her work with ....................... , but did not give details as to his/her specific role.

• ....................... , although very nervous, did provide a range of answers including some interesting examples from his/her work but needed to give a lot more detail in his/her responses.

• ....................... demonstrated a clear interest in ....................... and ....................... issues but the panel would have liked to hear why he/she would like to work for ....................... specifically.

• Although ....................... did not have as much specific ....................... experience as other candidates, he/she was able to relate his/her experience appropriately to the role.

• In general, ....................... did not really ‘sell’ his/her skills and experience in his/her responses. The panel would have liked to have heard more detail about how his/her ....................... skills could have been applied to this position.

• ....................... did not appear to have a full grasp of what the role entailed i.e. who was the intended target group and issues to consider in the context of ....................... e.g. .......................

INTERVIEW FEEDBACKThe following sentences can be adapted as appropriate, to suit the feedback.

Page 30: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Recru

itmen

t (Templates – Interview

Feedback)

To finish off:

• There was a high calibre of candidate for this role and ....................... should take confidence from reaching the interview stage. We wish him/her well in his/her studies and future career.

• ....................... may find it useful to contact his/her university’s Careers Service who can provide guidance on how best to articulate his/her skills and experience and can also offer a practice interview.

• ....................... did have a lot to offer an employer but on this occasion other candidates were able to demonstrate their ....................... skills which were applicable to the role. The panel wishes ....................... well for the rest of his/her studies and future career.

• ....................... was an engaging candidate who brought energy and enthusiasm to the interview.

• We would encourage him/her to keep applying for internships and wish him/her well for his/her future studies and career.

• ....................... was a strong candidate who demonstrated a genuine interest in the role and how this could benefit its clients. It was a difficult decision for the panel and ....................... should take confidence from reaching the interview stage.

• ....................... gave a very good performance at interview and was clearly able to take on many of the tasks required in the job description. It was a difficult choice for the panel given a high calibre of candidate and ....................... narrowly missed out on the opportunity from which we hope he/she will take confidence for future interviews.

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

Page 31: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

PRE-INTERNSHIP

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www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 27

TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Template: Reference Request)

REFERENCE REQUEST Name:

Course:

Year:

University:

Intern’s employer and job title:

Please comment on the student’s:

Academic abilities:

Suitability for the internship:

Any other comments:

Reference supplied by

Name:

Position:

Date:

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

Page 33: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Template: Reference Request)

Page 34: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 29

TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Guidelines: Pre-Em

ployment C

hecks)

Once you have completed the initial selection process and chosen a potential new employee, there are some checks that you may want to make or may be required to make before making an unconditional job offer.Some checks, whilst advisable, are optional e.g. checking qualifications or references. Other checks are a legal requirement e.g. you are required to ensure that all your workers are entitled to be in the UK and take up the job in question.

For other job roles, such as those involving work with vulnerable individuals or within the security industry you are required by law to obtain a PVG Scheme membership and or Disclosure Scotland check on the potential employee.

This guide covers essential pre-employment checks that must be carried out for both British and foreign nationals.

Checking a prospective intern’s entitlement to work in the UK

Some people are automatically entitled to work in the UK. Others may have restrictions on how long they can stay, whether they can work or the type of work they can do.

Under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 all employers in the UK have a responsibility to prevent illegal migrant working. You must therefore check the entitlement of everyone you plan to employ to work in the UK.

If you fail to do this, you may be liable to pay a fine (known as a ‘civil penalty’). If you knowingly employ an illegal migrant worker, you may face criminal prosecution, which could result in an unlimited fine and/or a maximum two-year prison sentence.

You should ask potential employees to provide the original documents before they start work, e.g. you could ask:

• Shortlisted candidates to bring the appropriate original document(s) when they come for an interview

• The successful candidate to provide the appropriate original document(s) before you make them an unconditional job offer.

Once the employee has presented you with the necessary original document(s), you must:

• Satisfy yourself that the original document(s) are valid and genuine, and have not been tampered with

• Check that any photographs and birth dates on the documents match the applicant’s appearance

• Check information in the job application against the documents to ensure the details match up

• Check that the document(s) allow the worker to do the work on offer.

You are not expected to be an expert on forged documents. All you need to do is conduct simple - but careful - visual checks without the need for training or technological aids, to satisfy yourself that the document(s) presented are genuine, and relate to the person presenting them.

You should then keep a record of every document you have copied. The copies of the documents should be kept securely for the duration of the person’s employment and for a further two years after they stop working for you.

The UK Government has an online tool to help you check if someone is eligible to work. This can be accessed at www.gov.uk/legal-right-work-uk

PRE-EMPLOYMENT CHECKS

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TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Guidelines: Pre-Em

ployment C

hecks)

Applying for a criminal records check

Certain jobs will require candidates to apply for a disclosure and/or Protecting Vulnerable Group (PVG) Scheme membership from Disclosure Scotland. This is usually required when people are working with children or vulnerable adults.

PVG Scheme membership/Disclosures should not be requested until a job offer is made, but you should make it clear that the job offer is conditional upon providing a suitable check.

You must be registered with Disclosure Scotland or use the services of an ‘umbrella body’ if you want to obtain Disclosure Scotland checks.

If you think you may need to carry out PVG scheme membership or Disclosure Checks for your intern, but are unsure of anything relating to this, please contact Disclosure Scotland for further advice: www.disclosurescotland.co.uk/contact

Page 36: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 31

TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Guidelines: Preparing Em

ployment D

ocuments)

Contract of employment

A paid intern will have an employer/employee relationship with your organisation, and will therefore require a contract of employment. Ideally the Contract of Employment should be issued with the written offer of employment, so the intern can review the document in full before finally accepting the position. However, legally the contract can be issued at any time in the first two months of employment.

A contract of employment is an agreement between an employer and employee which sets out what is expected from each of them. The following should be included in the written contract:

• The business’s name

• The employee’s name, job title or a description of work and start date

• If a previous job counts towards a period of continuous employment, the date the period started

• How much and how often an employee will get paid

• Hours of work (and if employees will have to work Sundays, nights or overtime)

• Holiday entitlement (and if that includes public holidays)

• Where an employee will be working and whether they might have to relocate

• If an employee works in different places, where these will be and what the employer’s address is.

As well as the principal statement, a written statement must also contain information about:

• How long a temporary job is expected to last

• The end date of a fixed-term contract

• Notice periods

• Collective agreements

• Pensions

• Who to go to with a grievance

• How to complain about how a grievance is handled

• How to complain about a disciplinary or dismissal decision.

PREPARING EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENTS

Page 37: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Guidelines: Preparing Em

ployment D

ocuments)

It is best practice that a paid intern be subject to the same terms and conditions as your other members of staff. You should give your intern access to a copy of your written terms and conditions, or staff handbook if that is how you describe it, at their induction. This is in addition to the Employment Contract.

The Terms and Conditions document should cover, as a minimum, the following:

• Sick pay and procedures

• Disciplinary rules and disciplinary or dismissal procedures

• Further steps (such as the appeal procedures) under the disciplinary, dismissal or grievance procedures

• Health and Safety at work

• Holiday entitlement calculations.

As Contracts of Employment and Terms and Conditions of Employment are subject to legal requirements we suggest you look for up-to-date information on your obligations at regular intervals. This can be found by searching ‘Contract of Employment’ at:

• www.gov.uk

• www.acas.org.uk

Terms and conditions of employment

Page 38: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

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TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Template: W

ritten Offer of Internship)

(PRINT ON YOUR ORGANISATION’S HEADED PAPER)

Date:

Dear

(Insert Internship Title)

Following on from our telephone conversation on xxx, I am very pleased to offer you formally the position

of (insert internship job title).

Your employment is for a fixed term of xx hours/days/weeks with a salary of £xx per hour, paid weekly/monthly in arrears. Your internship will commence on (insert start date) and on this date you should report to (insert location) at (insert time). You should bring with you your (insert as appropriate: P45, National Insurance Number, Passport, details of the bank account you wish your salary to be paid into).

Your employment contract is being prepared and will be issued to you in the next few days. OR Your employment contract is included, please review it and return a signed copy to (insert Name and Address) as soon as possible.

I very much look forward to working with you and please do not hesitate to get in touch should you have any questions or would like any further information before starting with us.

Yours sincerely,

WRITTEN OFFER OF INTERNSHIP

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

Page 39: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Template: W

ritten Offer of Internship)

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www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 35

TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Guidelines: Pro-Rata Leave)

All employees are entitled to at least 5.6 weeks annual leave per year. This example is intended to help you work out how much paid leave your intern is entitled to during their internship.The following example uses 5.6 weeks and bases this on a 5-day week. You will need to change this to reflect your own organisation’s leave entitlement e.g. 6 weeks per year.

Example 1 - working 35 hours per week for 10 weeks

Example 2 - working 14 hours per week for 25 weeks

Then take:

PRO-RATA LEAVE

5.6

5.6

13.46

28

28

14

5

5

35

10

25

52

52

÷

XX

X X

÷

÷=

=

X

weeks

weeks

days full time hours

weeks

weeks

weeks

weeks

days

days

hours

= 5.38 DAYS DUE

= 13.46 DAYS DUE

= 5.38 DAYS DUE

for a full-time employee

number of hours to be worked in a week

Page 41: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Guidelines: Pro-Rata Leave)

This means the annual leave entitlement is equivalent to 12.07% of the hours worked. For example, if the intern has worked 175 hours and requests annual leave, the calculation is:

Example 3 - where the number of hours worked per week varies, you can calculate the annual leave based on the hours worked, therefore, the calculation is:

5.6 10046.4÷ Xweeks weeks

= 12.07%

this is 52 weeks less 5.6 weeks leave

175

60

21.12

7.24

12.07%

12.07%

7

7

X

X

÷

÷

=

=

hours

hours

hoursper day

hours

hours

= 3.01 DAYS

= 1.03 DAYS

Subsequent leave calculations are based on the hours worked in addition to the above. For example, the intern then works another 60 hours and requests annual leave. The calculation is:

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TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Guidelines: Pre-Internship Em

ployer Questions)

PRE-INTERNSHIP EMPLOYER QUESTIONS What are your expectations, as an organisation, of recruiting a paid intern?

What outcomes will the intern achieve for the organisation?

Is there anything that needs to be prepared in advance of the intern starting e.g. internal processes such as payroll?

Do you need to put any arrangements in place before the intern arrives e.g. meeting dates, contacts with interviewees for a research project?

How will you measure the impact the internship has on your organisation?

How will this differ from your measurement of other roles within the organisation?

1

2

3

4

5

6

Page 43: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Pre-intern

ship

(Guidelines: Pre-Internship Em

ployer Questions)

How will you measure the progress of your intern in relation to their learning and development?

How will this differ from your measurement of other staff?

How will the intern be managed/supervised? Have you considered formal/informal methods, frequency?

Will this differ from the management/supervision of other staff?

7

8

9

10

Page 44: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

WHEN THE

STARTSINTERNSHIP

Page 45: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 39

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Tem

plate: Induction Checklist)

INDUCTION CHECKLISTName of employee:

Job title: Dept:

Location: Line manager:

Start date:

All items on the Induction checklist should be completed with your Line Manager by (insert date).

Part 1 - Details about your role and place of work

Action Date and Initial Comments (tick when completed)

The work of the department

Basic description of duties

Relation of the new member of staff’s job to the department as a whole

The chain of command and appropriate introductions to colleagues in the department

Identification of personal work area and the general work area

Location of staff facilities e.g. staff room, toilets

Arrangements for tea and lunch breaks

Other general facilities including car parking etc

Who to raise queries with

Initial steps in job training requirement e.g. phones, fax, photocopier

I.T. system including password if necessary

Explanation of probation period and probation period review (if applicable)

Explanation of support & supervision sessions, reviews etc

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

Page 46: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Tem

plate: Induction Checklist)

Part 2 - Details about the Terms and Conditions of Employment

Action Date and Initial Comments (tick when completed)

Relevant conditions of service – check receipt of job offer letter, contract and terms and conditions

Equal Opportunities policy

Trade Union membership details (if appropriate)

Issue of Human Resources forms

Method and dates of payment of salaries

Details of relevant allowances e.g. travel subsidies, toil, and explanation of how to claim these back

How and where to query pay details

Leave entitlement – notification of number of days and who holds records

Other leave of absence

Absence/Sickness reporting procedure

Disciplinary & grievance procedures

Part 3 - Health and Safety at work

Action Date and Initial Comments (tick when completed)

Employee’s responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act

Specific regulations for safe use of equipment. (Covers the cleaning and maintenance of your own workspace equipment as well as office and kitchen equipment)

Special risks (includes risks pertinent to own office, security of building)

Fire appliances, escape routes, assembly points

Accident book – Use location and procedures

Procedure when taken ill at work and First Aid arrangements

Induction checklist acknowledgement

Please sign and return your completed checklist to:

I confirm that all points listed in the Induction checklist have been discussed and understood.

Signed (Employee) Date:

Signed (Employer) Date:

Page 47: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 41

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Tem

plate: Work Plan and W

ork Plan Review)

WORK PLANIntern:

Internship start date:

Reporting to:

Week Ending Planned Activities/Tasks Support/Resources Required

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

Page 48: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Tem

plate: Work Plan and W

ork Plan Review)

WORK PLAN REVIEWIntern:

Internship start date:

Reporting to:

Week Ending Planned Activities/Tasks Comments (Achieved/not achieved/exceeded expectations/difficulties?)

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

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www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 43

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Tem

plate: Timesheet)

TIMESHEETOrganisation:

Staff member:

Hourly rate:

Hours worked Hours worked Hours worked Hours worked

Month Month Month Month

1st 1st 1st 1st

2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd

3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd

4th 4th 4th 4th

5th 5th 5th 5th

6th 6th 6th 6th

7th 7th 7th 7th

8th 8th 8th 8th

9th 9th 9th 9th

10th 10th 10th 10th

11th 11th 11th 11th

12th 12th 12th 12th

13th 13th 13th 13th

14th 14th 14th 14th

15th 15th 15th 15th

16th 16th 16th 16th

17th 17th 17th 17th

18th 18th 18th 18th

19th 19th 19th 19th

20th 20th 20th 20th

21st 21st 21st 21st

22nd 22nd 22nd 22nd

23rd 23rd 23rd 23rd

24th 24th 24th 24th

25th 25th 25th 25th

26th 26th 26th 26th

27th 27th 27th 27th

28th 28th 28th 28th

29th 29th 29th 29th

30th 30th 30th 30th

31st 31st 31st 31st

Total Total Total Total

Signed: Date:

Page 50: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Tem

plate: Timesheet)

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

Page 51: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

How are you feeling about starting the internship?

Is this your first job or are you an ‘old hand’ at starting new projects?

Do you know what you’ll be doing in the internship?

What skills and experience do you have that will be particularly relevant to this internship?

What skills/knowledge would you like to develop further through the internship?

What support/mentoring would you like to help you make the most of the internship?

Have you considered how you could use this work experience in your studies?

Does it directly link to your course? Could it be used as part of a project or dissertation, or do you see it as something ‘separate’ from your studies?

Do you have any clear ideas about your career aspirations? What would you like to do?

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 45

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Review

: Intern Reflection: Getting Started)

INTERN REFLECTION: GETTING STARTEDThe following questions aim to get you thinking about how you’re feeling at the beginning of your internship. They also aim to gather your thoughts on what you’d like to achieve from, and get out of the experience.

Approaching the internship / Preparing for the internship

Thinking about your skills and development

Using the experience

1

2

3

Page 52: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Review

: Intern Reflection: Getting Started)

Page 53: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 47

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Review

–Internship Checklist)

INTERNSHIP CHECKLISTEmployer:

Internship job title:

Total hours:

As you start your internship, this checklist can be used as a reminder for you in your discussions with your employer.

Comments/Notes

Have you received an induction?

Do you have a named line-manager/supervisor?

Have you received an employment contract and terms & conditions?

Have you been made aware of staff policies (equal opportunities, health & safety, grievance & disciplinary)?

Have you been made aware of your attendance pattern?

Have you been made aware of salary arrangements e.g. method of payment, frequency of payment?

Have you been advised of support, supervision and review procedures?

Will your manager develop a work plan with you?

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Page 54: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Wh

en th

e intern

ship

starts (Review

–Internship Checklist)

Page 55: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

DURING THEINTERNSHIP

Page 56: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 49

TSIS Du

ring

the in

ternsh

ip (G

uidelines: Support and Supervision)

SUPPORT AND SUPERVISIONGuidelines

Support and supervision is a two way process which promotes accountability and staff support and development. Both parties should be committed to making the sessions worthwhile, positive, honest, objective and unbiased. The needs of the individual, the project, department and organisation as a whole should all be taken into account. Parties should be fair and open and promote equality and trust.

Supervision should be a positive experience for all and should take place regularly.

Supervision meetings enable the supervisor and supervisee to:

• Check and discuss progress on existing work

• Discuss any new work or tasks required

• Cover each area of work related to the job role

• Recognise achievements

• Discuss any concerns about the project or a task

• Discuss any concerns about performance or conduct

• Discuss any concerns about working relationships

• Discuss any health and safety issues

• Identify training needs

• Build the team

• Action plan together

• Review progress against targets.

Supervision is a two-way process and should:

• Be held individually at regular and agreed periods

• Be planned in advance (and the time not changed)

• Be held at a time and venue agreed by both parties

• Be held in a private space

• Last approximately 1-2 hours

• Have an outline agenda relating to the person’s job description and topics to be discussed

• Be supportive

• Be motivational

• Manage diversity by:

Dealing with personal challenges

Dealing with personality clashes

Dealing with role boundaries

Balancing personal/work related issues

Maintaining fairness and consistency.

Page 57: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS Du

ring

the in

ternsh

ip (G

uidelines: Support and Supervision)

Page 58: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 51

TSIS During the internship (Tem

plate: Support and Supervision)

SUPPORT AND SUPERVISIONName:

Role:

Line manager:

Date of meeting:

Review of work done and progress made since last meeting:

Preview work scheduled for next period:

Feedback from employee on progress to date as well as other relevant issues,e.g. work volume, stress, time management:

Feedback from manager on progress to date as well as other relevant issues,e.g. work volume, stress, time management:

Issues to be addressed:

Personal development and training needs:

1

2

3

4

5

6

Page 59: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS During the internship (Tem

plate: Support and Supervision)

Other areas discussed:

Action points:

7

8

Record of supervision agreed:

Signed (Employee) Date:

Signed (Line manager) Date:

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

Page 60: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk 53

TSIS During the internship (Tem

plate: Review M

eeting)

REVIEW MEETINGIntern:

Internship start date:

Reporting to:

Review period: From: To:

Date of review meeting:

Review carried out by:

Work activities/tasks carried out during period of review

What went well?

What areas caused difficulties?

Areas to work on/develop

What Learning and Development activities have taken place since joining/last review meeting?

What went well?

1

2

3

4

5

6

Page 61: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

TSIS During the internship (Tem

plate: Review M

eeting)

What areas caused difficulties?

Areas to work on/develop

7

8

This document can be downloaded as a word template at: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk and www.scvo.org.uk/TSIS

Page 62: THIRD SECTOR INTERNSHIPS SCOTLAND

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TSIS During the internship (Review

: Intern Reflection: On the Internship)

INTERN REFLECTION: ON THE INTERNSHIP

Is the internship experience what you expected? Why/Why not?

How’s the project going? What work have you been doing?

Has the focus of your work changed or developed since the start of the internship? If so, in what way and why?

What skills have you been developing? How has the internship enhanced these?

What are you enjoying most about the internship? What aspects are least enjoyable?

What support are you getting from the organisation? What support would you like?

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The following questions should be answered around the mid-point of your internship. They aim to get you thinking about how your internship is going. Is it living up to your expectations? Are you learning new skills?Remember there isn’t a right or wrong answer. Use this as a reflective exercise for yourself.

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TSIS During the internship (Review

: Intern Reflection: On the Internship)

Do you think you will be able to use the experience from the internship towards your future studies? If so, in what way?

Has your experience to date impacted on your career aspirations? In what way?

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TSIS During the internship (Review

: Employer Reflection: O

n the Internship)

EMPLOYER REFLECTION: ON THE INTERNSHIP

How is the internship progressing?

Is the intern carrying out the job description as advertised?

Are your expectations as an organisation being met?

What are the key things your organisation has gained from the internship so far?

What do you think the intern has gained from the internship so far?

Is the intern’s learning and development progressing as anticipated?

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When the internship reaches its mid-point, it can be helpful to take stock and review progress.

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TSIS During the internship (Review

: Employer Reflection: O

n the Internship)

Are the management/supervision resources you allocated to the intern proving to be adequate? Are you spending more or less time on this than you originally thought?

How does the management of the intern compare with managing another employee or volunteer?

Do you need to make any adjustments to the workplan/intended outcomes and outputs?

Are there any actions you need to take in relation to any of your previous answers?

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END OF / POST-INTERNSHIP

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TSIS End

of/Post-intern

ship

(Guidelines: Exit Interview

s)

It is best practice to conduct an Exit Interview with your intern in their final week at work. The Exit Interview provides a space for both the organisation and intern to reflect on what has been achieved throughout the internship, and offer open and honest feedback to one another. Organisations should look at these interviews as a way to gain valuable feedback on how to improve their practices and procedures, particularly in relation to future internships.

On a practical basis, the Exit Interview also allows a designated space to complete any final paperwork necessary, return any equipment the intern may have been entrusted with and ensure that any loose ends are ‘tied up’.

It may also be appropriate to discuss how a relationship may continue appropriately between the former intern and organisation – e.g. will there be opportunities for the intern to remain involved in the organisation? Could the internship be used as the basis of a future Honours Project? How can the organisation be contacted for a reference by future employers?

To get the most out of the interview you should ensure you:

• Inform the exiting intern that you want to collect information that could help improve future internships.

• Ask if the intern prefers talking with you (if you are the supervisor) or someone else, such as an HR officer or other colleague.

• Tell them that the information will be kept confidential.

Below are some sample exit interview questions. You can choose any combination of the most appropriate questions to make up your own exit interview structure. However, do not attempt to ask all the questions on this list in one interview!

Overall view of organisation/experience

• Did you feel like a part of the team/organisation?

• How do you feel about the organisation?

• What do you most value about the organisation?

• What did you dislike about the organisation?

• What did you like most about your internship?

• What did you dislike about your internship?

• What did you enjoy the most about working for us?

• What did you enjoy the least and why?

• What has been good/enjoyable/satisfying for you in your time with us?

• What has been frustrating/difficult/upsetting to you in your time with us?

Recruitment/Induction

• What did you think about the way we recruited you?

• Did you have clear goals and know what was expected of you in your internship?

• How did the reality differ from your expectations when you first joined us?

• Were you developed/inducted adequately for your role?

• How could your induction training have been improved?

• What training and development did you find most helpful and enjoyable?

• What training would you have liked or needed that you did not get, and what effect would this have had?

EXIT INTERVIEWS

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(Guidelines: Exit Interview

s)

Support and supervision• How well do you think the formal support and supervision procedures worked for you?

• How was your relationship with your manager?

• What could your supervisor do to improve his or her management style and skill?

• Did you receive adequate feedback about your performance day-to-day?

• Do you feel you had the resources and support necessary to accomplish your internship? If not, what was missing?

• How would you have changed the expectations/objectives/aims (or absence of) that were placed on you? ...... And why?

• What things did the organisation or management do to make your internship more easy/difficult/frustrating/productive?

• How could the organisation have enabled you to have made better use of your time?

Organisational feedback• How would you describe the culture or ‘feel’ of the organisation?

• What is your experience of employee morale and motivation in the organisation?

• What would you say about how you were motivated in your role, and how that could have been improved?

• What suggestions or feedback can you share that would make our organisation stronger and more successful?

• What would you recommend to help us create a better workplace environment?

• Would you consider working for this organisation again in the future?

• Would you recommend the organisation as a good place to work to your friends and family?

Reflection and learning

• What would you change about your internship?

• If you had the chance to do this internship again, what do you think you would do differently?

• What have you learned that you can take with you to your next job?

• What are you proud of from your time here?

• What goals did you meet?

• What accomplishments will you be able to take with you?

• What could you have done better or more for us had we given you the opportunity?

• What extra responsibility would you have welcomed that you were not given?

• How could the organisation have enabled you to make fuller use of your capabilities/time and potential?

• Are there any final comments you would like to add about your time with the organisation?

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(Review: Intern Reflection: Post-Internship)

INTERN REFLECTION: POST-INTERNSHIP

Try to write a brief outline of what you have done during your internship.

What do you think you have achieved through your time as an intern?

What skills have you developed? How has the internship helped you enhance these?

What do you think your most significant achievements were (a) for the organisation and (b) your own personal development?

What was the biggest challenge you faced during the internship? How was this resolved (if at all)?

Is there anything that would have improved the internship experience for you?

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As you approach the end of your internship, it is important to reflect on what you have achieved and to consider your next steps. What are your future aspirations? Have your opinions changed since the start of your internship?Remember there isn’t a right or wrong answer. Use this as a reflective exercise for yourself.

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(Review: Intern Reflection: Post-Internship)

What are your plans for the immediate future: further study, work, volunteering?

What are your aspirations for your future career?

What benefits do you think the internship experience will have for your future studies / career?

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(Review: Post-Internship Em

ployer Questions)

POST-INTERNSHIP EMPLOYER QUESTIONS

Did the internship meet your expectations? Why/why not?

What outputs were produced?

What outcomes were achieved?

What difference has the internship made to the intern, the supervisor, the organisation?

Were there any unexpected/unplanned outputs or outcomes (positive/negative)?

In supervising the intern, did you find this to be in line with usual management/supervision practice or did you need to allocate extra time?

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(Review: Post-Internship Em

ployer Questions)

To what extent did the intern achieve the anticipated learning and development goals?

What learning and development has been experienced by the organisation as a result of employing an intern?

What has been the impact of the internship? Monetary/achieving goals/learning and development?

Is there anything you would do differently in the future?

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Third Sector Internships Scotland was delivered by Queen Margaret University, The Open University in Scotland and Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, funded by Scottish Funding Council as part of the Learning to Work 2 initiative.

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