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While volunteers support organizations in an unpaid capacity, they are not “interns.” An unpaid internship is not a volunteer engagement.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, an intern is someone who receives training from an employer in a skill that is used by other employees. The intern doesn’t replace volunteers or employees, but instead benefits from their internship by learning skills. An intern is also legally considered an employee.

The key takeaway is that internships benefit the intern themselves and NOT the organization. Volunteering benefits the organization and its clients/community members. While the volunteer themselves may benefit as well, it's not the sole focus of their involvement.

As an additional note, people involved in a student placement, practicum, or unpaid work experience program through a college, university or secondary school are NOT interns. While they may be learning skills, they're completing a separate requirement or expectation of their program.

If you're wondering whether a role should be called an “unpaid internship,” consider these questions:

1. Does the internship benefit the intern more than the organization?
2. Is the organization equipped to provide a solid learning experience for the intern to gain specific skills?
3. Is the intern supporting existing staff and volunteers instead of replacing a paid position?

If you answered no to any or all of these questions, then the role is not an internship. If you want someone to share their time in a way that is meaningful to them, engage a volunteer in a role with reasonable expectations. Don't ask volunteers to work full-time hours in an unpaid role and call it an internship.

Check out our opinion editorial article in The Philanthropist Journal to learn more about Volunteer Toronto’s approach to talking about unpaid labour.

If you have any questions, please reach out to info@volunteertoronto.ca.