The Unpaid Intern Compensation Fund

Donations to The Unpaid Intern Compensation Fund benefits disadvantaged youth by affording them opportunities to gain work experience at non-profit organizations through service learning.

RATIONALE

Unpaid internships promote inequality.  Who among America’s youth can afford work for free and live in internship hubs like Manhattan, Los Angeles or Washington, DC.?   As such, they further separate the ‘haves’ from the ‘have not’s’ to create socioeconomic disparities among an increasing number of America’s youth. This injustice goes to the very heart of equal opportunity employment and career development.

The one exception in which unpaid internships should remain acceptable are those performed “at will” in the traditional spirit of volunteer community service. These may be characterized as service learning experiences through non-profit civic engagement. And while it is acceptable for non-profit organizations to retain a compensation exemption, this exception also limits the accessibility for disadvantaged youth to pursue careers in public service.  As such, it represents the greatest intersection of need and opportunity for UICF donations to be most beneficial.

In addition to the public donations made to the UICF,  10% of gross proceeds from the online student training and career preparation certification course at www.InternshipSuccess.com will be donated.