This article is part one of a two-part series about WYA Internships. Click here for part two: Preparing for Your WYA Internship.
Did you know that WYA added over 86,000 new members in 2014? Or that dozens of new WYA chapters were started around the world in 2014 as well? What about WYA’s new field-tested Human Dignity Curriculum (HDC) that has been taught across different countries?
Each of these endeavors—in fact, virtually every WYA activity—involved the hard work of WYA interns. What WYA does is only possible because of our talented, dedicated, and unrivaled interns around the world who work with our six regional internship programs and our international internship program. We love our interns at WYA. They are hardworking, skilled individuals with a passion for human dignity—what more could you want?
Because every aspect of WYA works closely with interns, each of our staff members including myself assist in the review process for our intern applicants. I want to walk you through the internship process and offer a few suggestions as you complete your WYA internship application:
Deciding to Apply
WYA, like many nonprofit organizations, seeks to attract interns who are not only talented and skilled, but are also passionate about the organization’s mission. Before applying for an internship, be sure to research WYA—does WYA stand for the values in which you believe? If not, what are some of the differences you perceive between your stance and that of WYA, and are they too significant to be overcome?
There are several easy ways to learn more about WYA’s values and vision in order to find out if a WYA Internship is for you. First, check out the WYA Charter and other WYA Declarations to understand our mission. Second, read our White Papers to know more about our policy positions. Third, you can check out the WYA Blog to read about the people and ideas that populate WYA. Lastly, you can visit the News Section of our website to learn about our current and ongoing projects.
Preparing Your Application
Click here to understand application requirements. WYA does not process incomplete applications. Your application should include recommendation letters, essays, and your CV or resume. Let’s go through these one at a time.
Recommendation letters.
These are meant to be a testament to your work ethic and ability. Because we are interested in learning about your performance as objectively as possible, it is best to ask teachers, former supervisors, and bosses to write your recommendation letters. Letters from friends and family will not be considered relevant to your work ability.
Essays.
In the application we ask you to answer several essay questions. We rely on your response to these prompts to assess your ability to write clearly and concisely as well as your understanding of concepts central to WYA such as human dignity and human freedom. WYA staff read lots of applications, and we appreciate people who get right to the point and directly answer the questions succinctly. Take the essays seriously.
Your CV or Résumé
For the CV, let us know what you have accomplished and how it benefitted your company, organization, school, or team. This is also a good place to share any technical skills like design or coding that you may have. Also be sure to include any certifications you may possess here too.
In addition, feel free to send in any writing samples and/or design portfolios if your skills or experiences include these. If you have such materials posted on a blog or website, sending us blogs to find them is acceptable as well.
Preparing for an Interview
Applicants are sometimes invited to perform an in-person or Skype interview to further assess their candidacy. Because this is our chance to get to know you, be ready to expound on projects or positions mentioned in your CV and application. Also, interviews are your chance to learn more about WYA, so bring a list of any questions you may have to your interview. We enjoy answering questions about what we do and why we love it!
To sum it up, WYA Internships offer a great opportunity to learn and develop your skills while promoting human dignity in a positive environment. As such, this guide is meant to help you in your application process so that YOU can become a WYA Intern. If you have any inquiries, remember that all the latest WYA Internship information can be found on our internship page and don’t hesitate to contact us at education@wya.net if you have any additional questions. Good luck!
Desiree Go Venturanza is the Operations and Human Resources Manager for WYA Headquarters in New York City.
