Tips from my online internship - what you need to know to succeed!

Aug 29, 2025 • Lucy

Tips from my online internship - what you need to know to succeed!, Intern Abroad HQ

Lucy is a high school student who aspires to one day take on a leadership role in a non-profit or NGO. She sought experience to understand how these organizations operate behind the scenes, how meaningful change is created, and to gain insight into the impact they make and the challenges they face. Read on to learn about Lucy’s remote Social Work & NGO Support internship!

Hi Lucy! Tell us, what was it like starting your remote internship?

My first week of the online internship was definitely action-packed! I was assigned to two major tasks with tight deadlines, which made for an intense but exciting start.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect going into this experience. However, as I became more familiar with the organization and my responsibilities, I realized that flexibility and self-direction were essential. This helped me become more confident in taking initiative and finding clarity by asking clarifying questions when things felt unclear.

The most memorable part was my first meeting with my online internship supervisor. I learned a lot about India, the host organization’s mission, local languages, and just overall cultural norms. It was an insight into a world I didn’t know much about before!

What were your responsibilities as a remote intern?

As a remote Social Work & NGO Support intern, I contributed to social media strategy, digital content creation, and impact reporting for a NGO, based in India, which is focused on education, gender equity, and community development in underserved communities.

Some of my key responsibilities included:

Designing and scheduling social media content (reels, carousels, photo posts) to raise awareness about key social issues such as hygiene, access to education, and gender equity.
Creating a month-long content calendar to increase engagement and visibility across platforms.
Developing the organization’s 2023–2024 Annual Report, including writing, visual design, and narrative framing to communicate program impact to donors and stakeholders.
Created and edited a comprehensive video highlighting a project aimed at raising awareness and encouraging donations through a clear call to action.
Collaborating closely with my supervisor via weekly Zoom meetings, while managing tasks independently across time zones.
Researching social issues and adapting real stories into accessible, awareness-driven content.

How did you navigate the challenges you encountered while interning remotely?

One barrier I experienced was the time difference, as it meant that most of our communication happened late at night for me, which sometimes made it harder to stay engaged or feel fully present.

Another challenge was adjusting to fast-paced expectations without much time for settling in. However, to address this, I asked questions, clarified expectations, and shared openly about what was helpful for me as a remote intern that would support both my learning and contribution.

One more challenge I encountered during my remote internship was keeping up with the high volume of messages in the large team group chat. Because the host organization uses a specific group chat for constant communication, there were times when I logged in and saw over 150 notifications, which felt overwhelming and made it difficult to identify which messages were relevant to me specifically.

This taught me the importance of filtering and prioritizing information, especially in fast-paced online environments. One strategy I started using was checking for messages from my supervisor first, then skimming the rest of the chat to stay informed without getting bogged down. I also found that keeping a separate checklist of my weekly tasks (based on what we discussed in Zoom meetings) helped me stay focused, even when the chat felt chaotic.

To manage my time effectively, I started by breaking down larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks with clear deadlines. I prioritized urgent or time-sensitive assignments first, such as preparing social media posts for upcoming events, while scheduling more in-depth work, like report writing, during blocks of uninterrupted time. Regular communication with my supervisor through weekly Zoom meetings allowed me to clarify priorities and adjust my workload as needed.

Overall, these challenges helped me build stronger organizational habits. I’ve also learned to be more proactive about asking for clarification if I was unsure whether something applied to me.

What was the most rewarding part of your internship?

The most rewarding part of the internship was seeing the aftermath of creating the video for the project that I was involved in. It was the moment everything really clicked for me. Seeing how my work could directly support a real cause and potentially drive donations and awareness for something so meaningful. It wasn’t just about editing footage; it was about using footage and telling a story that mattered. That experience reminded me how powerful media can be in nonprofit work, and it solidified my passion for combining creativity with purpose.

Were there any anticipated situations that still contributed to your growth in meaningful ways?

One unexpected situation I encountered during my internship was realizing just how fluid and unstructured some of the tasks would be—particularly when working on the video editing and social media content. I originally expected to be given very specific, step-by-step instructions for each project. Instead, I was often given general goals or themes and trusted to shape the content myself.

At first, this challenged my initial expectations of following a clear plan and checklist. So, I had to shift into a more creative/independent mindset. The outcome was stronger than I expected, and I gained a lot of confidence in my ability to lead and shape a project from start to finish. What felt uncertain at first ended up becoming one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

Have you developed any specific skills that you believe will benefit your future career?

This internship has played a super meaningful role in shaping my long-term goals, particularly because I’m passionate about education equity, nonprofit work, and using media to support social change. Through my role, I’ve developed both creative and professional skills that I know will carry into future opportunities.

Working remotely with an international team taught me how to collaborate across time zones, manage my schedule independently, and communicate clearly and professionally in a virtual environment. These are all skills that align with the kind of mission-driven work I hope to do in the future—whether it’s in nonprofit media, education initiatives, or global development.

How do you feel more empowered to succeed in your chosen career path?

This internship has empowered me to be successful in my field as it gave me the chance to apply my creative and communication skills to real-world, meaningful projects. Contributing to reports, managing social media, and creating an awareness video for the project gave me a deeper understanding of how nonprofit organizations function and how my work can have a true impact.

Overall, I feel more confident in my ability to work independently, communicate thoughtfully, and contribute to long-term goals in education and social justice—especially within a nonprofit or global development context (even cross- culturally and online).

How I contributed toward NGO Support as a High School student, with Intern Abroad HQ

The advice I would give is; don’t be afraid to ask questions early on, and trust your ability to figure things out as you go.

I learned, remote work (especially in a cross-cultural setting) can feel overwhelming at first, but being proactive, open to feedback, and willing to adapt makes a big difference.

Learn to manage your time and be self-motivated: Managing tasks independently helped me build discipline, prioritize work, and balance multiple projects while interning remotely.

Be adaptable and apply your problem-solving skills: Being given creative freedom encouraged me to take initiative and find solutions on my own, which improved my confidence and project management skills.

What are your future plans from here?

After completing this internship, I’m motivated to continue developing both personally and professionally by building on the skills and experiences I’ve gained.

Specifically, I plan to:

Deepen my expertise in nonprofit communications and social impact storytelling by seeking opportunities to work on similar projects, whether through internships, volunteer work, or further coursework.
Pursue networking and mentorship opportunities within the nonprofit and global development sectors to learn from experienced professionals and stay informed about best practices.

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