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End Unpaid Internships

Sara Wolcott | Wednesday 11th November 2009

Surely sustainable development is about long term positive changes - about supporting future generations. And surely it is important for young professionals to be engaged in sustainable development. And if we are concerned with sustainable futures for all people, then young people from disadvantaged backgrounds - or just your ordinary middle class young person - should be able to train with and learn from experienced sustainable development practitioners - whether that be NGOS, businesses, governments, But the system doesn't support this - not in the least.

A friend of mine has recently started sending letters to organizations that say, in brief, 'hello, you look like you have a fabulous position, which I am highly qualified for, and I would love to work with you. I would bring tremendous experience to this position. But I will not be applying to it because it is an unpaid position, and I can not afford to live in England without being paid.'

I applaud her efforts (and am considering sending some of those myself.) So many of my friends and colleagues are searching for jobs, and are finding great positions that are unpaid. My friends are not fresh out of University - they often have several years of working experience behind them (though perhaps in a different field) and a MA. Even so, they are not considered experienced enough for many paid positions. And its not just my friends who work in international development - the NGO and even some of the business community is filled with this tendency. The result - the young people who can fill those positions have some kind of financial support (usually parents) who can support them. Which excludes almost all of the bright young people I know from Africa, Asia and South America - not to mention myself, from the USA (and it effects UK citizens as well, though not quite as much, as they often have higher social capital).It also perpetuates a system where hard work and experience is not valued.

Working in England for a few years would be immensely helpful not only for their CV and their future work in the field, but for the organizations that they would work for, who are in desperate need of the ideas and experiences that people who don't look or think like they do would bring.

So the system perpetuates itself. England attracts thousands of overseas students - who pay high fees - and who often have valuable experience to enhance sustainable development of all types, but it does not benefit from that experience in the workforce. While I understand that many NGOs can not afford to hire more staff (especially now), there needs to be some way to address this challenge, else we shall continue to live in a state of hypocrisy.

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Najja Bee 26 November 2009

Sara,

I truly appreciated reading your thoughts on this issue. It completely complements the feelings I have about "working for free". It's actually an oxymoronic statement. The idea of working for free greatly frustrates me. I have always held on to the belief that when someone puts their mind, body, spirit, and complete effort into a project, assignment or otherwise, their work should be monetarily compensated.

And while NGO's and other public sector organizations may have limited financial resources to offer, they should offer some sort of stipend. Especially when you consider how the cost of living has greatly increased all over the globe. If not , how can organizations secure the mental and emotional welfare of an employee who is gaining a lot of quality "work" experience, but is uncertain about whether they will be able to pay rent, bills or buy groceries. As an American I feel it's almost un-American to suggest that someone would work for free in a capitalist system.

KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz 26 November 2009

To finish my last post, of course it is key to 'put your own oxygen mask on before helping your neighbors', but I will personally never regret those many times, now included that I have put myself on the line for something I believe in. In every case the rewards have ultimately been immeasurable. Good luck to you guys, and happy to be in partnership!

KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz 26 November 2009

Hi Kevin -- Thanks for your perspective on this piece. I am fortunate to have seen both the bottom and the top over the course of my 25+ year career, including having served as an SVP of a $1 billion multinational after starting in an entry level role, and now as founder of a purpose driven 'for-profit' business (Sustainable Life Media.com) My observation: For everything there is a season. One does not have the opportunity to work on important, transformational problems, nor reap the rewards that come from taking the risk to step toward what can be, without putting ones self on the line -- and at times (many times in my life) that can mean working for free, or for a fraction of what one's capacity may be valued at in another role.

Cynthia Stringer 14 November 2009

This is a tremendous concept which requires a shift in our fundamental worthiness and economic values. The NGO/Non Profit community in American needs to shift its focus too from a non supportive, non sustainable model of survival to an actual functional, prosperious focus. I'll be writing a blog about sufficiency next week in the responsible career section.

Juan Carlo Pascua 12 November 2009

@Sara: It's real tough out here, I really appreciate this post.

The 1st October cover story of Businessweek was titled "The Lost Generation" referring to our generation, the recently graduated: http://jm.ly/ghP2Cz . The author of the "No A-hole Rule" and Stanford biz prof. Rob Sutton prescribed our generation start companies. Add that to the pile of considerably useless suggestions. He obviously forgets he's from Silicon Valley and for every success, there's 90 failures. My understanding with start-ups is you need to show you're putting in your own money, problematic: exactly who is going to pay for that plane ticket to meet Venture Capitalist? Grrr...

Kevin Long 11 November 2009

I would not be the entrepreneur I am today and would not have the network I have today if I did not work for free. I worked a night shift and weekends, also lived with 4 roommates just to have the flexibility to dive into exciting (free) projects.

Most successful hard work entrepreneurs that I know have worked for free as well (including people I know in India and Kenya) and received new opportunities from it.

Hey and to be fair, it is not just NGOs that currently can not afford to hire more staff. Times are tough which creates great opportunity for everyone - depending how you look at it.

Jeff Mowatt 11 November 2009

Sara, As a "for profit" social enterprise in the UK someone recently suggested an intern volunteer to me in the context of PR.

On the face of, this would be incongruent with our own ideas of making people the central focus of business and economics. No better way to disenfranchise people than not pay them..

On the other hand, were it not for the "internship" that my colleague and founder took up as an honorary member of the Committee to Re-Elect the President, our people-centered approach to more inclusive capitalism would never have been known.

http://jm.ly/DVK096

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