Frequently Asked Questions

On this page, we will be providing you with the answers to interns most frequently asked questions. The page will be updated regularly to include any new common queries you guys encounter as you progress through your virtual internship.

Please skim through these QnA’s to see if we have already put up an answer to your question – consider using the find function (ctrl + f) to search keywords and get your answers faster!

If you can’t find the answer you are looking for on this page, you could try asking a fellow intern on Slack or you can pop it in our question box. Questions posted in this box will be answered in the next QnA, this happens at 10am BST on a Wednesday (but will be recorded and uploaded to the questions and answers Slack channel).

This page will be divided into:

• General Queries
• Action Project Queries
• Internship Field Queries

Do all the sessions get recorded and where do they get uploaded?

Yes, we record live content (with the exception of live workshops & group mentor calls) these will then be uploaded to Slack. We will try our best to upload it straight away but there might sometimes be a slight delay between the live session and the upload. You can use the search function on Slack to find the recording you are looking for.  

When will we know what’s happening this week?

Live content is all accessible through your Google Calendar.  You can access Zoom links and event descriptions on your calendar, so do check them regularly to plan the events you would like to attend or catch up on! 

 

When will we get access to the skills series? 

The series will be released in week 2. We are staggering the realise of the skills series (like with the action projects) so you have a chance to explore the discovery stage & our partners before giving you additional material to get stuck into! The skills series has been created to support you with information that you may require to complete your AP (which you will not be starting till week 2-5 depending on internship length)

 

What is the reflective journal?

The reflective journal is a resource we have created for you to help you constructively reflect on your internship stage by stage. Filling this out will help you get the most out of your virtual internship and will help you in the future, for example, when updating your LinkedIn, applying for jobs as well as in interview, because you will have a better awareness and understanding of what you learnt during your internship. The reflective journal can be found on the discovery page at the end of Module 2 – The Mindset for Success. 

How do we contact our mentors?

Please try to stick to contacting your mentor on Slack. Before contacting your mentor directly, please try to checking if your question has already been answered in Slack or by posting your question in the relevant channel so you can utilise your peer support network.

Tips:

• Your mentor is quite busy, so for faster responses try reaching out to other interns!
• Remember to use tags so the relevant people are notified about your message e.g. @channel for everyone @’insertmentorsname’.

How do I know where I should be in my internship?

Check out the Step by Step guide to success in your welcome guide to understand the 5 D Process. This sets out key learnings and key tasks to be completed during each stage of your internship as well as which week this corresponds to for both 4 weekers, 8 weekers & 12 weekers. 

What do I hand in at the end of my internship?

The main document/documents from your project alongside a recording of your project summary presentation. 

Will we have access to the portal and all of the resources once our internship has finished?

The portal remains open for 12 weeks from your project start date. We will be adding you to a members Facebook group after your internship finishes to keep you updated on our partner organisations, the projects you have supported with the TPF and so you can stay connected with us and your fellow interns! To keep up to date with your partner organisation & Think Pacific you can also follow our main social media accounts! 

When will we get to see the action projects? 

Action projects will be released on the Friday of week 1 of your virtual internship after the action project briefing. We are staggering this realise so you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the discovery phase and culture series, these are really important to work through before you get caught up in reading about our amazing partners and exciting projects. For interns on longer program lengths you might not start browsing these for a couple of weeks so don’t worry about jumping in as soon as they are released. 

Can I choose 3 action projects from different fields? 

Yes, it is fine to choose action projects in a different field to the one you originally expressed interest in, and it is also fine to submit choices from a range of different fields (e.g. environment, NGO management, and International Development). Just speak to your mentor about it in your next meeting. 

Do we complete action projects individually or in groups?

Action projects are designed to be completed individually. We do encourage you to collaborate with fellow interns over a ‘virtual coffee’ to share ideas, share useful insights and resources and to give feedback. Feel free to network as widely as possible!

Are multiple people carrying out the same action projects?

Yes, there are multiple interns working on certain projects. This is great as interns tackle each project from a different angle, generating a wider variety of ideas that our partners could implement. The more ideas we submit to our Fijian partners the more value we can add to their organisation! 

What will happen if I don’t get allocated the action project I choose?

If when you submit your action projects you have a clear favourite that you are very keen to do we are very happy to let you work on this project. We ask for 3 choices so you can talk over your choices with your mentor, which gives you to the opportunity to ensure you understand what each project entails to check it is the right one for you. It is also useful for interns who are torn between numerous projects have a chance to discuss this with mentors. 

When will we know which Action Project we can do, after submitting our choices?

Your second mentor meeting is an opportunity to discuss your 3 choices with your mentor to see which is the best fit for you. At the end of this meeting, your mentor will confirm your action project for you.  

Roughly how long should our action projects be? What format should they be in? 

Both the length of your project and the format of your documents is up to you – use your initiative to decide what works best for your individual project/organisation. Some action projects will benefit from being more detailed, but others might be more valuable if they are clear and concise.

When do we find out about presenting our projects?

At the end of your internship, we are asking you to submit a virtual presentation (recording) alongside your main document/s. This will be about 5 minutes in length and will summarise your project for our partners as well as adding personality to your submission. There will be a webinar in the final week of your internship about how to present this and how to submit your action project. 

Do you have any advice for people torn between 2 organisations when choosing their action projects? 

A couple of things that you can think about are: 

• Which action project aligns with my goals for the internship best?
• Which action project do I feel more passionate about? 
• Do I want to gain new skills or develop the skills I already have? Which AP allows me to achieve this? 
• Which organisation interests me most?
• Plan out what you would do for each action project in more detail, does this help you narrow it down to one?
• If you are still torn you could ask your mentor if either of the projects has less/no interns on.

Can I swap from International development to NGO management?

Swapping from the internship field you originally expressed interest in is fine. Just let your mentor know which fields interest you and why so they can support you in choosing and completing your action project.  

 

Do our goals have to be specific to our field of interest?

No, not necessarily, your goals will be very personal to you so it completely depends what you want to get out of the virtual internship. Your goals can be more general e.g. a soft skill you want to develop, a networking goal… or they could be more specific to your field of interest e.g. to develop an in-depth understanding of mental health climate in Fiji. Just remember to think your goals through and make them SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely)

Example – I want to improve my communication and networking skills, I will achieve this by joining and being active in at least 1 group chat, by attending at least 1 virtual coffee and by sharing my LinkedIn profile with at least 3 other interns. 

 

Do all the action projects choices have to be from the same sector, or can we branch into multiple sectors?

It is fine to submit action projects from a range of sectors if you are passionate about the projects and they still align with what you want to achieve during your internship. Just make sure to talk this over with your mentor to clarify why you have chosen each action project!