Experiential learning and civic engagement are popular buzzwords in the industry today. As leaders in the field, it is important to create opportunities to train up and guide our future professionals: the students. We learn from our successes and our failures, and internships provide the perfect outlet. The following quote, attributed to Confucius, expresses that experiential learning is effective: “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.”
Others have cited Sophocles from 400 B.C.: “One must learn by doing the thing, for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try.”
Hosting an intern can be hard yet very rewarding work. In order for the internship to be a successful experience for you and the intern, you must do your homework before beginning the hiring process.
Find the right person: During hiring interviews, provide real-life examples of both large and day-to-day problems your agency faces, particularly issues your intern may come across in his or her work. By giving your potential interns a chance to respond to these problems, they will have a better idea of what their internship will involve, and you can help determine who is right for the position and how their ideas can aid the organization.
Identify clear job responsibilities and duties: These must involve planning, programming, and managing in some manner. Folding towels in the gym, answering phones, and making copies as main responsibilities is a disservice to our field.
Create an intern orientation plan (tours, interviews, etc.): Give interns the opportunity to see the agency’s big picture by allowing them to see how different roles fit in with the entire organization.
Identify a major project: Have guidelines, deadlines, and details.
Communicate their progress regularly and clearly: Encourage them to get feedback, and provide regular reports assessing their performance. It is important that feedback allows them to grow and develop as a professional.
Seek other universities that have published their criteria, expectations, and requirements for interns, and use their guidelines to help create your intern program. In efforts to recruit quality interns, inform the students about your specific opportunities and commitment to creating quality learning experiences. Send regular correspondence to the intern coordinators, career centers, and/or academic advisors, because they are relying on you to help in the learning process and can encourage their students to make needed changes.
During interviews, treat potential interns the same as you would any other professional applicant. As with any other applicant, it is important to only hire individuals that you feel will be a good fit for your agency because they may at some point represent you and your organization.
Once they are hired, you need to “let go” and let them do the duties you have assigned. Do not micromanage. Create a regular communication plan with them so you can be their guide on the side and really allow them to learn the ropes. This will give them the opportunity to grow, and give you the opportunity to work on other responsibilities. It is important to not let supervising an intern consume your time. They are there to complete certain tasks and assist you in growing your programs and organization. Too much time spent micromanaging will damage the learning process and efficiency of the internship and its purpose.
You will impact the person you hire. Will it be an experience that they positively recall and work to mirror as they grow professionally? Or will it be an experience that they wish they never had? It is up to you. As in your everyday work, if you are prepared, plan, and communicate, you will personally succeed and plant the seeds for growing future successful professionals. It is worth your time and theirs.
LoriKay Paden, CPRP, is an academic advisor in the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at the University of Illinois. She also has more than 20 years of experience as a park and recreation professional and is the past president of the Illinois Park and Recreation Association.