Presentation by Irene Connolly Third Sector Interships Scotland - stats and background info.

1. Employability in Scotland
• Learning to Work 2 (Scottish Funding Council)
– Specifically to address work experience/work-based learning
– Making students more employable through practical experience.
– 4 projects awarded funding addressing different needs in HE and FE
– Other projects also exploring placements and internships.
• TSIS addresses third sector only and offers paid internships.
– Target of 200-300 placements over 4 years (project commenced 1/9/10)
• Overall Aim:
– To promote internships as a sustainable model for student engagement in the
Third Sector.

2. Third Sector Internships Scotland
• Core Partners: The Open University, Queen Margaret University, SCVO
• Develop and fund a diversity of types and formats of internships in
organisations that do not currently have internships.
• Facilitate reflective learning for interns.
• Develop a comprehensive support package for Third Sector hosts.
• Provide a ‘hub’ for collaboration between Scottish universities and the Third
Sector.
• Develop robust programme of research on internships.

3. What is a TSIS internship?
• Short term position offering on-the-job development for a student in
the delivery of a specific piece of work or project for the host
organisation.
• Can be up to 10 weeks’ full-time-equivalent i.e. 350 hours of total
internship time(duration will depend on the piece of work/project)
• Can be part-time, full-time, flexible, working from home
• Paid at £7.20 per hour (living wage)
• Student becomes an employee of the host organisation during the
period of internship (host organisation provides contract of
employment and processes pay)
• Open to all current students attending a Scottish university

4. TSIS Support
• Organisations support
• Sliding scale of financial support to organisations.
100% Salary + employers NIC for first intern. Sliding scale for additional
interns e.g. 50% for 2nd: 25% for 3rd
• Start-up, on-internship and follow-up support.
help develop internship “idea”
support and advice on drawing up job description and person specification
advice and guidance on employment contracts, HMRC registration
• help with work plans, support and supervision, reflective learning tools
recruitment support – advertising, short listing, interviewing
• Intern support
• Help with applications forms, interview preparation
• Advice, guidance and support to enable students to reflect on their learning

5. The Headlines
• 113 organisations have provided
• 122 internship opportunities
• Average internship is 293 hours
• 3,141 applications received from students
• 90% of host organisations are SMEs (˂ 50 employees)
• 55% of host organisations have less than 10 employees

6. Types of internships

7. Locations of Internship
• Isle of Lewis Aberdeen
• South Uist Elgin
• Inverness Forres
• Islay Dundee
• Gigha Fife
• Greenock Falkirk
• Glasgow Grangemouth
• Ayr Stirling
• Cumnock Edinburgh
• Livingston Dumfries
• Hamilton Hawick
• Aviemore Cowdenbeath

8. Links with Third Sector Interfaces
• Promoting internships and HE links to members.
– Local and national links with universities.
• Hosting internships
- TSIS and member organisations.
• Broader opportunities for collaboration and
TS-HE engagement.

9. • Currently seeking expressions of interest for Winter
round (closing date for EOI is 10th Aug 2012)
• Approved opportunities will be advertised 8th Oct. 12
• Interviews take place Nov. 12
• Start dates Jan – March 2013
Irene.connelly@scvo.org.uk
Tel 0141 559 5027
M: 0779 497 3826
Website: www.3rdsectorintern.org.uk Follow us on Twitter @ 3rdSectorIntern