“I didn’t think I would enjoy it.” I was a little surprised by the intern’s remarks, so I asked him to explain his thoughts on the book we were reading. He replied, “I just thought this would be another leadership book that talked about focus and productivity, but this is different.”
The other interns at the table nodded in agreement, and I silently celebrated the feedback in my head. Over the last few months, we’ve been investing in internships at the parish and the results have been positive. The reason is twofold:
Creating an internship program at your parish might seem like an aspirational goal, but it can be a reality, you just need a plan. The work you put into it pays back exponentially. Some of the fruits you will see immediately, but most of them come later down the line. Either way, it’s worth the effort. If you are interested in creating an internship program at your parish, this is what you need to know:
Interns are not free labor; they are an investment. In the first few weeks, months, and years you create an internship program about developing a formation system that helps them grow. While you want to make sure you give them responsibilities and direction, it’s also important to teach and educate them on what you do and why you do it. At the end of the day, you are not just hiring free (or low-cost help); you want to invest in leaders who could be on your staff.
If your parish does not have the budget to pay for an internship, that’s okay. First, some people are looking for work experience, and if they can swing no stipend, they’ll jump on board. However, if you are looking for an incentive, see if they are tied to a local university or high school that offers an internship program. While you cannot offer money, you can offer credits which can be just as good.
Reach out to the guidance counselors or the career centers at these schools and learn what you need to do. Most times, partnering with a school means tracking progress and checking in with a school representative to know the student has a positive experience.
The challenge most people face with interns is knowing how to manage them. Again, it’s easy to assign tasks and ask them to get work done, but you lose the investment if you don’t manage them. Plus, if an intern has a negative experience, word will spread to other potential applicants. As their manager, you want to make sure you show them value through what you teach them and give them to grow.
To manage them effectively, set goals and help them achieve them. Check-in with them regularly to make sure that they have enough direction and work. Share with them resources that could help them grow beyond what they already know.
It was overwhelming trying to create an internship program from scratch, so I had to do a bit of digging. I reached out to churches and ministry organizations that had experience. A simple Google search will help you locate various places where you can reach out to their internship coordinator and even find some literature around what they do.
When starting, you want to start small and build from there. Having 2-3 interns as a starting point is great because you can also create a communal experience. While there are standards you might have to follow (especially when working with a university or high school), be creative and make it a memorable experience.
The ultimate goal of internships is to create more leaders that your parish or other organizations could hire. It’s another way that churches can invest in the next generation of Christian leadership that will impact the local church and other businesses and organizations. You never know your intern could be the next trendsetter or community leader the world needs.
Have you ever organized interns? If so, what have you learned, and what are you still learning?