If you came to law partly because you want to work on rights, justice or issues you care about, NGO and human rights internships can be a good way to explore that interest through practical work.
These internships are often accessible to students who are still building experience and can involve substantive research, writing, advocacy and sometimes fieldwork. They are also sometimes dismissed as less valuable for a legal career. The reality is more nuanced. Here is what these internships involve, their career value and who they can suit.
Quick Answer
NGO and human rights internships can involve legal and policy research, drafting briefs and reports, supporting advocacy work and, depending on the organisation, participating in fieldwork or community-facing activities.
They can provide practical experience while helping students develop research, writing and analytical skills. They can be particularly relevant for students interested in public interest law, human rights, policy or social-impact work, but the skills can be useful in other legal careers as well.
To find one, identify organisations whose work genuinely interests you and approach them with a focused application that explains your interest in their work.
What Will You Actually Do?
The work varies considerably between organisations, but an NGO or human rights internship may involve:
- Conducting legal and policy research.
- Researching human rights or social justice issues.
- Drafting briefs, reports, submissions or advocacy material.
- Assisting with campaigns and awareness initiatives.
- Tracking legal and policy developments.
- Supporting research or documentation projects.
- Participating in fieldwork or community-facing work, where relevant.
The experience can be substantive, particularly where interns are involved in ongoing research, advocacy or documentation projects.
It also gives you an opportunity to understand how legal issues affect people and communities outside the courtroom. For students interested in rights and social justice, that practical perspective can be particularly valuable.
Are NGO Internships Valuable for Your Career?
Yes, but the value depends partly on the career you are considering.
NGO and human rights internships can help you develop research, writing, analytical and issue-specific knowledge. These skills can be useful across different areas of legal work.
They can be particularly relevant if you are considering:
- Public interest law.
- Human rights practice.
- Policy and advocacy.
- Academia and research.
- Social-impact organisations.
If you are specifically targeting a corporate legal career, an NGO internship may not be the most directly relevant experience compared with a corporate law internship. However, it can still demonstrate research ability, substantive legal work and exposure to issues outside traditional commercial practice.
The important thing is to understand what the internship adds to your profile and how it fits into the direction you want to explore.
How to Get an NGO or Human Rights Internship
1. Identify Organisations You Actually Care About
Start with organisations working on issues that genuinely interest you. This could include human rights, environmental protection, access to justice, education, gender justice or another area you care about.
2. Apply Directly
Many organisations accept applications directly. Send a focused application explaining why you are interested in their work and what you would like to contribute.
3. Use Academic and Professional Connections
Professors, alumni and lawyers working in public interest or human rights practice may know organisations that accept interns and can sometimes provide useful introductions.
4. Show Genuine Interest
Read about the organisation before applying. Understanding its work and being able to explain why you want to contribute will make your application much stronger than a generic internship request.
YLCC ACTION STEP: Identify three organisations doing work you genuinely care about. Read about their current work and send each a specific application explaining why their mission interests you and how you could contribute.
PLEASE DON’T DO THIS: Please don’t dismiss NGO or human rights internships as less serious than firm internships. They can provide substantive experience and valuable skills. At the same time, don’t pretend to care about a cause simply because you think it will strengthen your CV. Apply to organisations whose work genuinely interests you.
Who Are These Internships Suited For?
NGO and human rights internships can suit students who:
- Are interested in social impact, rights or justice.
- Enjoy research and writing.
- Want to understand how legal issues affect communities.
- Are considering public interest, policy or human rights careers.
- Want to explore a legal career outside traditional firms and chambers.
They can also be a useful first or exploratory internship for students who are still figuring out which area of law interests them.
If you are genuinely curious about a particular social or legal issue, an NGO internship can give you a practical way to explore that interest while developing useful legal skills.
FAQs
- What do you do in an NGO or human rights internship? You may conduct legal and policy research, draft briefs and reports, support advocacy work and, depending on the organisation, assist with fieldwork or community-facing projects.
- Are NGO internships good for my career? Yes. They can build research, writing and analytical skills and are particularly relevant to public interest, human rights, policy and research careers.
- How do I get an NGO or human rights internship? Identify organisations whose work genuinely interests you and approach them with a focused application explaining your interest and what you can contribute. Academic and professional referrals can also help.
- Are NGO internships only useful for public-interest careers? No. The research, writing and analytical skills developed through an NGO internship can be useful in many legal careers, although the experience is most directly relevant to public interest, human rights and policy work.
- Are NGO internships good as a first internship? They can be. Many organisations provide students with substantive research and writing work, making them a useful way to gain initial legal experience and explore an area of interest.
Thank you for reading!
If you found this article helpful, explore more resources from YLCC and continue your legal learning journey.
