Social & Community Development Internships in Sydney
If you are looking to generate an impact while gaining practical experience to build upon your theoretical knowledge, this internship offers the opportunity to learn from professionals in Australia’s most populous city, who work to empower, support and understand the needs of communities and diverse clients.
Internship Highlights:
- Develop a deeper understanding of diverse challenges affecting people and their communities.
- Reflect on the actions and strategies that generate the most impact for driving change.
- Assist professionals to promote health and wellbeing, through campaigns, resource development, mentorship, education, and other channels.
- Gain a diverse cultural perspective and insight into the Australian spirit of good humor and camaraderie.
Type of host organizations:
- Non-profit organizations and charities
- Youth support groups
- Disability support groups
- Social work agencies
- Academic institutions
Internship details
Give your resume a boost with incredible practical experience, by contributing to support individuals and their communities, where it’s needed most. Social & Community Development interns in Sydney learn and hone their skills alongside experienced professionals, working to advocate for wellbeing and generate important social changes.
This is an in-country internship, with accommodation and select meals included. You can explore remote Psychology & Social Work internships, if you are looking for an internship program that you can undertake from home.
Social & Community Development is a broad field that encompasses a wide variety of issues, so there is a range of potential placements available for interns who are interested in this career path. Such organizations have common values, dedicated to helping diverse clients and community groups, ranging in age, background, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and more.
Individual internship experiences vary, as the specific placement that you’re assigned will depend on review of your resume and your current level of studies and experience. Therefore, if you’re at a more introductory level, you should reasonably expect a more introductory internship. Likewise, if you’re interning for a shorter duration, you will have a different experience from someone who is interning for a longer duration. Placement preferences are considered but always subject to availability.
Interns should be prepared to interact with diverse cultures and demographics, and to be involved in tasks such as creating educational material and resources, assisting with programs focused on people’s wellbeing, supporting fundraising efforts, and shadowing professionals in responding to situations as they arise. In situations where counseling may take place, interns may have scope to shadow/assist local staff, provided that permission is granted by the client. Interns should not expect to be directly responsible for the care, diagnosis, or treatment of a client. Supervision may be handled by a range of staff, as teams can often be multidisciplinary.
In all cases, the first week of your experience will focus on settling in and gaining some introductory knowledge, as you will not “hit the ground running”. Rather, you should start with learning about the placement to gain an understanding of what you can build upon, develop, learn, and contribute. Ensure that you ask questions and provide feedback during the introductory period, so that your supervisor understands how you’re progressing. This will help them to better understand important details, such as how quickly you learn, what you find challenging, what you find interesting, etc.
Typical Schedule
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Approx. Monday to Friday, 6-8 hours. Part time hours may be available.
Career Benefits
Social & Community Development interns learn from a qualified and experienced supervisor, and can be involved in:
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Assisting with programs that encompass social, emotional and physical development.
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Community outreach, campaigning and collecting demographic data.
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Developing strategies designed to obtain grants and funding.
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Contributing to the creation of educational and promotional materials (letters, flyers, certificates, proposals, etc).
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Assisting with database collection and reporting.
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Hands-on delivery of support direct to those in need.
Professional development opportunities:
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Gain a deeper understanding of complex issues that affect people in need.
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Learn how to best support vulnerable communities.
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Acquire hands-on experience while helping to improve people’s quality of life.
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Increase your cross-cultural understanding and relationship-building skills.
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Help raise awareness of social issues.
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Gain practical skills and boost your employability, with guidance from Intern Abroad HQ’s Experiential Learning Curriculum to support your learning and cultural intelligence.
Are you eligible for this internship?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
Not sure which program to join?
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Academic credit available for all internships
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing an internship abroad or remote internship program with Intern Abroad HQ.
Learn about course creditProgram fees
It’s free to apply for this internship. Once we have reviewed your suitability and accepted you onto this program, you’ll need to pay a deposit of US$499 to confirm your place. The remaining balance of your Program Fee (less your initial US$499 deposit payment) will be due no less than 90 days before your internship start date.
Duration |
Program Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| 6 weeks | $3,473 Equivalent to $82 /day |
| 8 weeks | $4,015 Equivalent to $71 /day |
| 10 weeks | $4,607 Equivalent to $65 /day |
| 12 weeks | $5,149 Equivalent to $61 /day |
| 16 weeks | $6,282 Equivalent to $56 /day |
| 20 weeks | $7,416 Equivalent to $52 /day |
| 24 weeks | $8,550 Equivalent to $50 /day |
- Airport pick-up
- Daily breakfast and dinner (lunches on weekends only)
- Accommodation
- 24/7 in-country support
- Program orientation
- Dedicated support before, during, and after your internship
- In-country guidance for social and tourist activities
- Sourcing and securing your internship placement
- Personalization of your internship plan
- Coaching from your supervisor
- Documented portfolio of your experiential learnings
- Academic credit facilitation
- International reference letter
- Certificate of Internship Completion
- Lunches during the week
- All in-country transportation
- Visa (if required), flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check
- Transfer back to the airport at the end of your internship program
- Personal spending money for snacks, drinks, public transport, laundry, and leisure activities during your free time.
- A deposit of $499 (approximately 499) is required to secure your internship
- Balance of your Program Fee is due 90 days before your internship start date. The Program Fee payment can also be completed in installments through our Zero-Fee Payment Plan. Learn more.
- All payments attract a 5% transaction fee to cover international banking fees and currency charges.
- Terms and Conditions apply.
Free-time experiences & tours in Sydney
Take your internship to the next level with Intern Abroad HQ's affordable activity and tour add-ons in Sydney! Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto an internship program.
Get to experience waterfalls, koalas, kangaroos, spectacular views, Aboriginal culture, bush walks in the World Heritage National Park within the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.
Explore Jervis Bay by boat, spot playful bottlenose dolphins, walk on white sand, go for a swim, and discover the incredible views from Mt Bulli Lookout.
Visit Australia’s incredible capital city and see unique architecture, museums, galleries and more!
Arrival and Orientation
Internships in Sydney, Australia, begin every Monday of the year. Exceptions may be made to this when start dates are shifted to avoid public/school holiday disruptions or closed when the program has already reached capacity. Interns may choose to spend a minimum of 6 weeks, up to a maximum of 24 weeks. Airport pick up, accommodation, and select meals are included in the Program Fee.
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The accommodation is covered from the Sunday night before the Monday start date - interns are required to arrive no later than the Sunday before their Monday start date, as all orientations are held on Mondays.
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The typical port of entry is the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD). Pick up from this airport is included in the cost of the internship Program Fee. Upon arrival, interns will be met, greeted, and transferred to the accommodation. (If you are planning to spend time independently in Sydney prior to the internship and will not require an airport pick up, we can discuss alternative arrival logistics).
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Orientations will be scheduled virtually. The online orientation covers important details for your internship, including introductions, information about culture, customs, rules, expectations, safety, language lessons, cultural excursions, and more. Your specific internship placement orientation will follow the general orientation, as you’ll be provided guidance on how to travel to and from your internship and be introduced to the team you’ll be joining.
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The last night of the accommodation is the Friday night of the final week, leaving interns free to depart on Saturday. Extra nights of accommodation can be arranged in advance, if requested, and are subject to availability. Return transportation to the airport is not included in the internship program fee but local coordinators can assist you to make arrangements, upon request. As a guide only, expect to budget approximately US$20 - US$30 for the AirportLink system, or US$60 - US$70 for a taxi. Extra nights of accommodation can be arranged in advance, if requested, and are subject to availability.
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Please note that all participants are advised not to book flights until they have first registered to confirm their internship placement.
Check what’s required to visit Australia
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Accommodation and WiFi
All interns in Sydney are hosted in various homestay accommodations. These are rarely located in the downtown area, but rather in the outer suburbs of Sydney, in middle-class neighborhoods, with convenient access to public transportation routes, and near to a variety of shopping and entertainment districts.
Homestay accommodations provide international interns with an extra layer of local support, while also providing a valuable opportunity to become immersed in the Australian way of life, meeting new people and engaging in the lifestyle. Australian accommodation hosts vary and interns are invited to complete a “homestay family preference form” in advance, so that we can do our utmost to accommodate you according to preferences (subject to availability and provision of advance notice and planning).
All homestays have WiFi. To keep connected when out and about, you can also opt to purchase a local SIM card with data (you will need to ensure that your phone is unlocked for international use). The local team can assist you with this at the orientation, if need be. Please note that the internet is for study purposes NOT for downloading music, TV shows, movies or playing games as this may exceed the limit. You are always welcome to purchase your own data to utilize for this type of viewing.
In most cases, individuals will be allocated a private bedroom within the homestay apartment. However, the availability of private rooms cannot be guaranteed, as it’s always subject to availability. In the event that you’re not allocated a private room, you may have your own bed, within a shared room (sharing with one other, of the same gender - usually, this arrangement is made in the case of friends, who are participating on the program together). Bedding and towels are provided, but it is recommended that you bring your own toiletries.
Meals
Internships in Australia include two meals per day, Monday through Friday, provided by the host family (daily breakfast and dinner). During the weekend, lunch is also available. During the week, interns need to budget independently for their own lunches.
Homestays typically provide meals for their guests in the traditional ways of the country. In Australia, you will find that the most common options for breakfast are toast (which Australians love eating with avocado, or Vegemite, which is a thick spread made from yeast); cereal, and porridge. Eggs in various ways, bacon, beans, sausages, tomatoes and mushrooms might also be provided sometimes, as these are also popular breakfast staples. However, the breakfasts provided daily to interns are not frequently cooked, but more likely to be cold, self-serve, continental style.
Lunch is not included through the internship program during the week, so you’ll need to budget for this meal. A light meal such as a sandwich, wrap or salad is typical. Pies, sausage rolls, sushi, noodles and soup are also popular lunch choices.
Dinner is the main meal of the day. It is typically served between 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., usually consisting of meat, a side dish (potatoes are the most common choice), and seasonal vegetables. When the weather is nice, Australians love firing up the barbecue to enjoy grilled sausages and other meats. Many people also enjoy picking up some fish and chips to eat on the beach during the warmer months.
It is important to be aware that vegetarian and other dietary requirements must be communicated in advance. There is an additional weekly surcharge if a gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian or vegan diet is requested. This is in order to provide specialty grocery items, which are often more expensive (e.g. soy milk, gluten free bread/pasta, protein supplements, etc). Once you have confirmed your internship participation, you can book and pay for this weekly surcharge in advance. In all cases, for snacks, treats and extra meals, budget and plan to take care of your own preferences independently.
A weekly budget of approximately US$200 should be more than generous for covering lunches during the week, in addition to any extra snacks and treats, plus costs required for using public transportation. Bear in mind that your weekly spending budget will be determined by your own personal spending habits and lifestyle choices, so please plan accordingly.
Essential country information
| Capital | Canberra |
| Population | 26.8 million |
| Languages | English |
| Currency | Australian dollar |
| Time zone | UTC+11:00 |
Weather and climate:
Australia’s climate is significantly influenced by ocean currents and, due to the size of the Australian continent, you can expect different weather depending on where you are. Northern Australia has a tropical climate and will experience summer rainfall; the south-west has a Mediterranean climate; the southeast can be humid and subtropical; and the interior of the country tends to be arid or semi-arid. If you are planning to travel around different regions of the country, make sure you check the weather forecast!
The summer months in Sydney, where the internship programs are based, are considered to be from late November through till early March. During this season, the average daily high is above 77°F (25°C). By late February or early March, nights start getting cooler. The winter season runs from late May till early September, and brings average highs of 63°F (17°C) and lows of 47°F (8°C).
The highest tourist season in Australia is usually between April to September, when you can find everything open, and a mild and dry weather in most of the country. If you are going during this time, plan for big crowds at popular sites, and make sure you book your plans in advance to avoid disappointment.
