Internships
Internships at UTurn are a chance for beneficiaries and early-career adults to gain hands-on experience in youth work, community projects and charity operations – while making a real difference to children and young people in Tendring and the wider community within Essex.
Our current internship programme is funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation under their Intern Programme (IP8), helping us provide high-quality, supported opportunities for the next generation of youth and community workers.
Who our internships are for
Our internships are designed for people who:
- Are usually 18+ (for safeguarding reasons)
- Are studying or interested in areas like youth work, social work, social care, psychology, education, criminology, community development or charity management
- Want practical experience alongside their course or career plans
- Care about making a positive difference for children, young people and families
We welcome applications from college students, university students, recent graduates and adults looking to explore a career in the youth or charity sector.
What you can expect from an internship at UTurn
As an intern at UTurn, you’ll be part of the team – not just observing from the side-lines. Depending on your role, you may:
- Support youth sessions at the UTurn Hub
- Help with projects and programmes focused on wellbeing, safety, sport, creativity or resilience
- Assist with planning, delivering and evaluating activities and workshops
- Help create resources, social media content or communications for young people and supporters
- Shadow staff in meetings with schools, partners and other services
- Contribute to monitoring and evaluation (feedback, case studies, data entry)
- Learn about safeguarding, boundaries and professional practice in a real-world setting
We’ll agree a clear internship plan with you at the start, including your focus areas, hours, supervision and learning goals.
What you’ll gain
- Build practical youth work and community engagement experience
- Develop skills in communication, teamwork, planning and problem-solving
- Understand how a local charity operates day-to-day
- Gain insight into safeguarding, multi-agency working and trauma-informed practice
- Reflect on your learning and career goals with support from a named supervisor
- Strengthen your CV, university applications or future job prospects
Safeguarding, training and support
- Complete an application and interview process
- Are required to provide references
- Receive an induction and safeguarding training relevant to their role
- Are supervised by experienced members of staff
- Work within clear boundaries and codes of conduct
Types of internships we offer
- Youth work internships – supporting drop-ins, clubs, groups and project sessions with young people
- Projects and programmes internships – helping with planning, delivery and evaluation of specific projects
- Community and outreach internships – supporting events, street-based work (where appropriate) and community engagement
- Communications and fundraising internships – supporting content creation, social media, events and fundraising activities
- Admin and operations internships – gaining insight into the behind-the-scenes work that keeps a charity running
Time commitment and length of internships
We aim to be flexible and realistic about time commitments. Internships can vary, but typically:
- Run for a set period (for example, a term, a semester or a fixed number of weeks)
- Involve regular weekly hours agreed in advance (for example, 1–3 days per week, or specific session times)
- Include scheduled time for supervision and reflection
We’ll discuss your availability, course requirements (if applicable) and our capacity before confirming any placement.
How to apply for an internship
Other ways to get involved
- Volunteering with youth sessions or events
- Work experience placements for younger learners
- Fundraising activities, like sponsored events or workplace challenges
You can find more information on our Volunteer, Work Experience and Fundraise pages, or by contacting the team.