Volunteer Internship Process for Supervisors

Below you will find the unpaid (by Free Geek) intern application and supervising process. If you're coordinating the Internship Program, check out Volunteer Intern Process for Program Coordinators.

Create and Document a Detailed Volunteer Intern Job Description

1. Make the job description.
   • The volunteer program coordinator works with individual staff members to create a detailed job description for a needed internship. Be sure there's enough staff time and desire to support an intern in the position you'd like. The working copy of the job description is posted on the wiki under the "Volunteer Internships" category (link at the bottom of this page).
   • Prioritize your different internships, and let an Internship Program Coordinator know how many interns you can handle at once.
2. Job posted on website.
   • The job description is posted by Internship Program Coordinators on our internships page.
3. Volunteers apply!
   • Those interested in internships at Free Geek will be directed to the internships page, asked to choose which internship interests them, and apply for the internship.
4. Intern is screened.
   • The Internship Prog. Coord.s (IPCs) then makes a screening phone call to the prospective intern to be sure they're a pretty good fit for the internship they've chosen, or direct them towards another internship.
5. Read the application.
   • One of the IPCs then forwards the application to the prospective FG supervisor, who decides whether to interview the prospective intern.
6. Interview is scheduled.
   • If the supervisor would like an interview, the IPC will schedule one.

• If an internship supervisor ever wants to make changes to his/her internship description, make changes on the wiki then be sure to alert an internship program coordinator so she can make changes to the website versions of the job descriptions.

Intern Interview/Processing

1. Interview.
   • During the face-to-face interview with the sponsor and one of the IPCs, the prospective FG supervisor asks some questions to see if the applicant would be appropriate for the position.
2. Decide yes or no for that applicant.
   • Interviewers talk after the interview to accept or deny the applicant. The supervisor might also make the decision before the interview is over and tell the applicant.
3. Let the applicant know the decision.
   • Sponsor or the IPC calls or emails applicant with the outcome. If you let the applicant know your decision before the end of the interview, of course skip this step.
4. Schedule and paperwork.
   • If this wasn't figured out during the interview, you or the IPC will need to make a phone call and/or schedule a meeting to figure these out. The IPC will keep the paperwork up in the Wine Cellar offices.
5. Logistical details. If intern is brought on, their free geek supervisor should:
   • Put the intern's schedule on the Volunteer Intern Schedule page. If you know any info that would be appropriate for the timeline on that page, doing so would be helpful for the IPCs.
   • introduce the intern to everyone on staff, especially any staff that will have regular contact with them.

• The IPC keeps track of paperwork, evaluations, timesheets, etc. and will work to juggle these things, although...
• The onity ultimately lands on the intern him/herself to be sure the evaluations and other paperwork are filled out by their FG supervisor on time.

Intern Training/Maintainence

1. Training.
   • The intern's Free Geek sponsor trains the new intern. Don't forget, training should happen throughout the intern's time here - it's not just a one-time thing.
2. Introduce intern to the community.
   • Once you know your intern is going to keep showing up regularly, let Core know that we have a new intern (and, ideally, point to their new schedule. This will help the intern integrate into our community, and help others accommodate to this new helper.
3. Check in.
   • Once your intern is settled, showing up reliably, and doing a good job, it can be easy to just let them do their job for a long time because, well, they're doing such a great job, and why would you want to change that? We want to keep them engaged, too. Please check in once every month or two. It can be informal, and cover stuff like: what's going right, what's going wrong, is the intern happy where he/she is, or would they like to change their job description?
4. Problems?.
   • If there are discipline problems with the intern, use the Volunteer Discipline Policy. Let an IPC or a member of the HR Committee know about it. If the intern came to us through an outside agency, you or an IPC should get in touch with their case manager-type person at that agency.

Longer-Term

Note: If a sponsor feels like he or she is getting overloaded with too many interns, they should speak to the volunteer program coordinator: we can stop offering internsip positions in that area. Stress levels will most likely vary with how hands-free and helpful the intern is. Sponsors might want to set limits on the number of interns they'd be willing to take on.