Social Internship, Amsterdam

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Personally tailor your social internship working with Amsterdam’s biggest volunteering movement!

This Social Internship is an exciting and unique opportunity. Working with the multi-faceted, global movement of volunteers, Serve the City, you’ll have the chance to involve yourself with a wide array of social work, project coordination, and volunteer management.

This internship places you right at the center of a vast network of volunteer initiatives. You’ll contribute to on-going projects, regular events, constant marketing and recruitment campaigns, and get involved with volunteer programs too. This could be anything from refugee soup kitchens to haircuts for the homeless to cake-baking fundraisers to litter picks.

You’ll also have the chance to bring your own ideas to the table and even start your own project. So if you’re proactive, forward-thinking and looking to bring something of your own to an organization, this program offers interns huge scope to show enterprise.

Oh and you’ll get to live and work in the beautiful, bustling, canal-filled city of Amsterdam!

INTERNSHIP LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Explore a variety of aspects within the nonprofit and voluntary service industries
  • Gain practical experience in recruitment, marketing, volunteer coordination and event management
  • Get the chance to conceive, develop, and run your own volunteer action day or project
  • Come to understand the potential impact of a galvanized workforce of volunteers and local communities

ORGANIZATION

Serve the City Amsterdam is part of a global movement of volunteers with the uniting goal to show kindness and caring to people across the world. Their Amsterdam branch is the city’s largest initiative of volunteer programs. With links to homeless shelters, refugee centers, orphanages, urban-greening efforts, and hostels for victims of abuse, they work in part to supply and coordinate a workforce of volunteers to goodwill projects, and in part to provide a connecting nexus between like-minded volunteers throughout the city.

TASKS & REQUIreMENTS

There’s a lot to get involved with during this internship, and a lot of different ways to get involved too. With a number of roles and positions available to interns, this program can be tailored to suit your personal strengths and interests. You could choose one area to focus on or a mix of different tasks. This organization has a long history of working with interns and a talent for finding where each individual can contribute most valuably. Come with specific goals and ideas for your internship and Serve the City can cater to them.

Responsibilities

Interns get involved in a variety of focus areas during their internship, which will give you a good understanding of running this organization. Tasks can include:

  • Project Coordination and Development: develop ideas for action days and events, planning event logistics and facilitating events, managing WhatsApp group chats
  • Volunteer community: assisting with volunteer recruitment, communicating with and coordinating volunteers for events (feedback collection, thank you emails and newsletters), utilizing social platforms to connect volunteers and manage community
  • Digital Marketing and Communication: producing sign-up forms for events, presentations for training programs, event marketing (mainly online), social media content creation, writing blogs (f.e. volunteer interviews and recent events), strategizing for online marketing campaigns, and collaborate with IT team on website and graphic designs
  • Social work: attending and participating volunteer events
  • Assisting with general management tasks for HR and Recruitment, IT administration and data analysis

Requirements

  • A passion for project coordination, nonprofit management, and voluntary service
  • Versatility and positivity in approaching a variety of tasks – and resilience when things go awry
  • Flexibility regarding work hours and willingness to attend occasional weekend events and action days
  • Ability to show initiative working independently but also to work cooperatively as part of a team
  • Familiarity with software such as Excel, Canva, WordPress, and Mailchimp is a bonus
  • Your own laptop

DATES & RATES

Fee Breakdown

Internship start and end dates are flexible and will be discussed with your during the selection process.

What you’ll pay (2025 rates)

Placement fee USD 700

Inclusions

  • Careful matchmaking. It takes time to find the right internship for each person, and we take this process very seriously
  • Initial interview with one of our team to gauge your skills, interests, and desired learning outcomes
  • An academic internship eligible for university credit. Check with your university to confirm if this internship qualifies for credit or alternatively we can assist you with purchasing transfer credits
  • An orientation program with your supervisor
  • Supervision and support during your internship
  • Regular check-ins during your internship with your supervisor
  • Troubleshooting if needed
  • A reference letter at the end of your internship

Exclusions

  • Flights
  • Accommodation
  • Visa, medical and travel insurance costs for the duration of your placement – must include cover for repatriation
  • Drinks, snacks, and items of personal nature (f.e. curios, gifts, clothing)
  • Costs for additional excursions or activities
SCHOLARSHIP & FUNDING

FAQs

Some of our most commonly asked questions for programs in Netherlands.

What can I expect from an internship in the Netherlands?

You can expect to gain hands-on experience in various aspects of social work, depending on your preferred internship. The Dutch emphasis on work-life balance will provide you with a supportive and inclusive work culture. Also, your time in the Netherlands will allow you to explore charming cities, historic sites, and efficient public transportation systems, enhancing your understanding of European culture and broadening your international perspective.

Will my lodging be arranged for the internship?

No, you’ll be responsible for your accommodation during your internship. We can offer suggestions, but we are not able to guarantee any housing arrangements.

Am I able to get university credit for an internship in the Netherlands?

Yes, but your university supervisor must approve this prior to your offer acceptance. You can purchase transfer credits if you’d like to supplement your internship experience.

Will I have time to explore the country during my internship?

Yes, you’ll be able to travel by train (a bonus of interning in Europe) to explore the country and those surrounding! Just make sure you request time off before embarking on any trips.

QUICK FACTS

LOCATION: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
PROGRAM FOCUS: Social NGO
TASK FOCUS: Social work, Project coordination, Digital Marketing
LENGTH: Min. 3 months
COST: USD 700

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Live and work in Amsterdam, only minutes from the city center
  • Gain extensive insight into the voluntary service and nonprofit sector
  • Get involved with an expansive range of goodwill projects, community events, and do-good initiatives
  • Choose from a varied range of tasks and duties with the option to specialize in different fields
  • Tailor your internship experience to your personal interests and strengths
ENQUIREAPPLY NOW

HOW TO APPLY

If you’re ready to apply for this internship, here’s what to do:

APPLY

Fill in the application form (it will show in a new screen) which includes sharing your CV to us.

GET STARTED

SPEAK WITH AN ADVISOR

We’ll set up a call with you to go through your application.

INTERNSHIP MATCHING

If we feel it’s a good match, we’ll set up a call between you and the supervisor for this internship.

PAYMENT

If everyone’s happy, we’ll provisionally confirm your placement! We’ll then send you the invoice for the deposit, getting started with the booking process and all the info you need.

CONFIRMATION

Only once we receive payment of the deposit your placement will be confirmed.

NEED TO MAKE AN ENQUIRY FIRST?

Or if you’d just like to ask us some questions about this internship first, just fill in the contact form below. We’ll be happy to assist!

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