This document provides information on finding and making the most of volunteering and internship opportunities. It outlines rights to minimum wage for interns and clarifies the differences between unpaid internships, volunteering, and work shadowing. Useful websites are listed for finding advertised and unadvertised internships as well as volunteering positions. Tips are provided for networking and making speculative applications to find unadvertised opportunities. Articles on related topics are also referenced. Contact information is provided at the end.

1. Finding opportunities
Volunteering and
internships
John McMenamin
Careers Consultant
j.mcmenamin@westminster.ac.uk

2. Rights to the National Minimum Wage
An intern is entitled to the National Minimum Wage if they count as a worker.
Employers can’t avoid paying the National Minimum Wage if it’s due by:
• telling you that it doesn’t apply
• Getting you to sign something saying that you are not a worker or that you’re a volunteer
Promise of future work
An intern is classed as a worker and is due the National Minimum Wage if they’re promised a
contract of future work. Many employers string unpaid interns along with promises of future work for
months or even years.
When interns AREN’T due the National Minimum Wage
• Student internships - If your course requires you to do an internship for less than 1 year
• Volunteer – you are providing your services to a charity, voluntary organisation, associated fund
raising body or a statutory body for which you do not get paid other than limited benefits (travel,
lunch etc)
• Work shadowing – if you are watching someone else work, that is not work
• Visit www.gov.uk/employment-rights-for-interns for further clarification and detail of what
constitutes being a “worker”

3. What is the difference between an unpaid
internship and volunteering?
– Does the organisation you are working for stand to profit
from your contribution?
– Volunteering is by its nature charitable – if you are not
working for a charitable organisation, it is unlikely to be
volunteering
– Ultimately – if a profit is being made, you should be
benefiting from it too

4. Finding advertised internships
– Several websites specifically advertise internships
– Be wary of any internship where you are asked to pay
– The best site for finding insights/internships/placements:
ratemyplacement.co.uk
Other sites:
prospects.ac.uk – search for “work experience”
targetjobs.co.uk – click the “internships” section
studentjob.co.uk/internship

5. Finding unadvertised internships
– Networking – talk yourself into an internship – social media,
networking events, family connections
– Make speculative applications
– stress your enthusiasm for the company
– demonstrate a strong awareness for what the company
does and how you might contribute
– What can you offer them?

6. Volunteering
– Win-win situation for you and the organisation
– They get a committed individual fulfilling a need within their organisation
– You get hands-on experience and the opportunity to develop skills in a
work environment which you can sell to great effect on your CV
Options for volunteering:
1) Find your own voluntary opportunity
do-it.org.uk - excellent site for voluntary opportunities
Or target a specific charity or charitable organisation as many have
their own voluntary positions on their site
2) Get some help from the Career Development Centre
westminster.ac.uk/volunteering

7. Interesting articles
Unpaid internships: are they worth it?
targetjobs.co.uk/internships/275017-unpaid-internships-are-they-worth-it
The Benefits of Volunteering
reed.co.uk/career-advice/blog/2012/february/benefits-of-volunteering
Making the most of an internship
jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/careers-advice/2223/making-the-most-of-an-
internship

8. Contact us
Central London
1st Floor, Cavendish House
101 New Cavendish Street
London
W1W 6XH
Harrow
Room EG.15
Maria Hewlett Building
Nearest Tube:
Northwick Park
T 020 7911 5184
E careers@westminster.ac.uk
westminster.ac.uk/careers

9. Thank you
Questions?
View this presentation at:
slideshare.net/cdcwestminster