Internship jobs in islington, greater london

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Access Interns Programme, a partnership between The Kartik Foundation and Variety, provides disabled young people with meaningful corporate internship opportunities to support their career aspirations. For many disabled young people, accessing work experience can be challenging due to societal barriers, lack of support, and limited opportunities. Access Interns is designed to break down these barriers, ensuring that participants gain valuable work experience, professional skills, and industry connections to help them succeed in their chosen careers.

The Access Interns Programme Manager is responsible for the successful delivery of the ACCESS INTERNS programme, overseeing the internship placement process, employer engagement, and student support. This includes managing the selection process, coordinating placements, ensuring workplace accessibility, and tracking the programme’s impact.

The role also involves working closely with corporate employers to create inclusive work environments, supporting interns throughout their placements, and expanding engagement with schools, employers, and industry leaders to ensure disabled young people have equal access to high-quality career opportunities.

ABOUT VARIETY

In the UK, there are more than 1.3 million disabled children and over 4 million children living in poverty. Variety exists to improve their lives. We believe every child has a right to live their best life and reach their full potential, whoever they are. We fund and deliver life-changing programmes that enhance their quality of life and give children and young people across the UK a better future.

Over the past 75 years we have supported over one million children by funding almost 6,000 Sunshine Coaches, almost the same number of wheelchairs, and giving thousands of grants to individual children, schools, youth clubs and other organisations for specialist equipment.

In addition, each year thousands of children take part in day trips, special events and educational activities as part of our Variety Great Days Out programme and every single day we are improving more young lives. We do it with practical, tangible help, that makes a real and immediate difference.

 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme Management

· Managing the Access Interns Programme, ensuring it is delivered to a high standard and in line with Variety’s policies and procedures

· Working with the Chief Executive Officer to set annual internship placement targets, manage the Access Interns budget and develop the Access Interns Programme.

· Overseeing the end-to-end process of the programme, from student recruitment and employer engagement to placement coordination and post-internship evaluation.

· Adhering to Variety’s Safeguarding policies and procedures and working with the Head of Programmes, by recognising that interns are vulnerable adults, and taking responsibility for their safety, welfare, and well-being throughout the programme.

· Identifying opportunities to expand and enhance the programme, ensuring it remains impactful, sustainable, and aligned with Variety’s strategic goals.

· Developing guidance materials, training sessions, and workshops to prepare students for internships and support their professional growth

· Working with the Programme’s team to input & manage programme data and reporting.

· Tracking and reporting on Programme Impact and analysing data to ensure continuous improvement.

Logistics and Coordination

· Coordinating interview schedule, employer meeting, and onboarding sessions to facilitate successful placements.

· Managing communication with interns, employers, schools, and other stakeholders, ensuring all parties are well-informed and supported.

· Organising online disability awareness training for corporate employers as part of the onboarding process, ensuring employers understand best practices for supporting disabled interns and creating accessible workplaces.

· Ensuring all necessary documentation, contracts and agreements are completed and maintained in line with Variety’s Policies and Compliance standards.

Budget and Income Generation

· Managing the Access Interns Programme budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and cost control.

· Generating income from the programme, including securing corporate partnerships and funding opportunities to sustain and expand Access Interns.

· Working closely with the fundraising team to assist in converting Access Intern partners into Corporate Donors for Variety’s wider work.

· Working with the Chief Executive Officer to set financial targets and explore additional funding streams.

· Monitoring expenditure, tracking income, and providing financial reports on programme performance.

Student Outreach & Support

· Manage the application and selection process, ensuring fair and transparent recruitment.

· Working closely with students to support their career development, including

- CV writing and cover letter workshops

- Interview preparation sessions

- Professional skills training (e.g. workplace etiquette, communication skills, and confidence-building)

- One-on-one mentoring and guidance

· Provide guidance and support to interns throughout their journey, from pre-placement preparation to post-internship follow-up.

· Responsible for marketing to schools and colleges to increase awareness and participation.

· Ensuring students understand their rights and workplace accommodations, advocating for inclusive and accessible internships.

· Visiting schools and colleges to promote the programme, engage with students, and increase participation from disabled young people.

Employer Outreach & Support

· Building and maintaining strong relationships with corporate employers to ensure a positive and productive experience for employers participating in the programme.

· Acting as the primary point of contact for employers, providing guidance and support throughout the internship process.

· Working with employers to develop meaningful internship opportunities, ensuring placements align with both business needs and student development goals

· Addressing any challenges or concerns that arise during placements, acting as a mediator where necessary.

· Delivering pre-placement briefings for employers, setting expectations and promoting inclusive hiring practices

· Gathering feedback from employers to continuously refine and improve the programme.

Customer Service and Administration

· Working with Operations Team and external partners to devise and deploy scalable on-boarding and internship management systems.

· Providing excellent customer service to applicants and prospective applicants, giving advice and guidance over the phone, in person and via email.

· Collecting and collating impact and monitoring data.

· Providing administrative support for other Programmes depending on workload, capacity and department demand.

Other Duties and Partner Support

· Assisting with events, reporting, and stakeholder engagement related to Variety’s wider mission and partner organisations.

· Collaborating with internal and external teams to support strategic initiatives that align with the goals of the Access Interns Programme.

General Responsibilities

· Negotiate placements and work collaboratively with employers to ensure meaningful learning experiences for interns.

· Applying knowledge of disabilities, relevant laws (e.g. Equality Act 2010), and reasonable adjustments to ensure that both interns and employers receive the necessary support for a successful and inclusive internship experience

· Expand the programme’s employer network, targeting organisations in corporate sectors to enhance placement opportunities.

· To work cross functionally with other departments, regions and countries.

· To achieve the highest standards of safeguarding for the young people who complete a corporate internship by Variety by complying with all appropriate Policies and Procedures.

· Working within Variety’s Data Protection policies at all times.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Essential:

• Proven experience in managing programmes or projects, including planning, delivery, and evaluation.

• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders (e.g., employers, schools, students).

• Knowledge of disability rights, accessibility requirements, and the Equality Act 2010.

• Understanding of safeguarding principles and experience working with vulnerable adults or young people

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and persuasively.

• Strong ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and priorities effectively.

• Competence in collecting, analysing, and reporting data to measure impact and inform improvements.

• Confident using Microsoft Office and CRM or database systems.

Desirable:

• Delivering or coordinating training sessions for employers or staff.

• Experience managing budgets, monitoring expenditure, and reporting on financial performance.

• Familiarity with employability skills training, CV writing, and interview preparation.

• Experience organising workshops, meetings, or onboarding sessions.

• Ability to promote programmes to schools, colleges, and employers.

• Using impact data to drive continuous improvement.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your CV with a cover letter explaining why you’d make a great candidate for this role. Applications will close on Friday 9th January 2026 at 5pm with interviews taking place week commencing 12th and 19 January 2026.

Please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements or need any adjustments for the interview.

MAIN BENEFITS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Location: Variety HQ, Camden Town, London (hybrid working, 3 days in the office per week)

Hours: 9am to 5pm

25 days holiday (we also normally give between Christmas and New Year off, but this is not contractual). In addition, after one year's continuous service, there will be an extra 2 days annual holiday for every complete year of service, up to a maximum of five days' extra holiday.

Pension 7% ER contribution, Life Assurance 4x annual salary, Company sick pay scheme, medicash benefit.

EQUALITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

 Inclusion is one of our key values and it is our ambition to recruit great people from diverse communities. We welcome and encourage applications from suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment/identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy/maternity and or marriage/civil partnership status, race, religion or belief.

Join the leading UK network for British Muslim-led charities and community organisations! Building on your passion for social justice and sector improvement, support the growing sector, advocate for change for minority communities and the user-led organisations who support them. 

Job role: Junior Policy and Advocacy Officer

Employer: Muslim Charities Forum

Salary: £29,000 –£32,000 per annum

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week (4 days office-based, 1 day hybrid/remote)

Position: Fixed Term Contract, 3 years.

Location: London SE1. Nearest stations: Waterloo, Lambeth North

Closing date for applications:  16th December 2025, 5.00pm or until a suitable candidate is identified. 

About Muslim Charities Forum (MCF)

Muslim Charities Forum (MCF) is the UK’s leading network for Muslim-led charities, strengthening the capacity, voice and impact of nearly 300 organisations. Guided by our pillars of Support, Connect and Represent, we champion excellence, transparency and social justice through resources, capacity-building, research and advocacy.

We work to tackle structural and funding barriers, influence government, policymakers and the wider sector, and build a more sustainable, equitable Muslim-led charitable landscape. Through strategic partnerships and collaborations, we drive systemic change and amplify the contributions of Muslim-led organisations across society.

Role Purpose

The Junior Policy & Advocacy Officer will support the delivery of MCF’s policy, advocacy and research work. Working closely with the Head of Policy & Advocacy, they will contribute to policy monitoring, research projects, member engagement, and influencing activities across government, civil society, and the wider third-sector ecosystem.

This role is ideal for an early-career professional with strong analytical skills, a passion for social justice, and an interest in policy, research, and advocacy relating to the Muslim-led voluntary and community sector.

Key Responsibilities

1. Policy Monitoring and Research Support

• Track and summarise relevant UK policy, regulatory, parliamentary and sector developments related to civil society, charity regulation, funding, equity, inclusion and climate-related legislation or sustainability policy, reflecting MCF’s commitment to sector-wide awareness of climate action.

• Assist in drafting policy briefings, consultation responses, evidence submissions, and research summaries.

• Support the Head of Policy & Advocacy in compiling data and insights for reports, position statements and strategic documents. • Conduct desk-based research on thematic issues affecting Muslim-led and minority-led organisations.

• Monitor media commentary relevant to the British Muslim-led Voluntary and Community Sector and contribute to the preparation of responses, in collaboration with the Policy and Communications teams.

2. Advocacy and Influencing Support

• Support engagement with government stakeholders by preparing meeting briefs, background notes, and follow-up materials.

• Help coordinate MCF’s involvement in roundtables, APPG sessions, consultations, and external events.

• Maintain databases of stakeholders including parliamentarians, policymakers, think tanks, regulators and sector partners. • Support public affairs monitoring, including parliamentary questions, debates and committee activity.

• Contribute to MCF’s work on climate action awareness and sustainability by supporting advocacy messaging, stakeholder engagement or policy monitoring relating to sustainable practice across the Muslim charity sector.

3. Engagement with Members and Sector Stakeholders

• Assist in organising policy workshops, training sessions, and capacity-building resources for MCF’s members.

• Help collect insights, feedback and lived experience from member organisations to inform MCF’s policy positions.

• Respond to member enquiries relating to policy, regulation or advocacy support.

• Contribute to resources that help Muslim-led charities navigate regulatory and structural barriers.

• Support member-facing materials and capacity-building related to sustainability, climate awareness, or environmental good practice where required. 4. Communications and Content Support

• Draft accessible summaries of policy developments for newsletters, blogs, briefings or social media (in collaboration with the Communications team).

• Ensure policy messages are communicated consistently and clearly to internal and external audiences.

• Help prepare slides, visuals or short reports for senior-level advocacy engagements.

• Work with the Communications team to cntribute to external messaging that aligns with MCF’s media monitoring, research findings and sector commentary.

5. Administration, Coordination and Reporting

• Provide administrative support for the policy and advocacy workstream, including scheduling, minutes, organisation of meetings and events. • Maintain systems for tracking policy work, research outputs and stakeholder engagement.

• Assist with monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the impact of policy activities.

• Ensure compliance with internal processes and external regulatory requirements (e.g., lobbying regulations).

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience (including internships or volunteering) in policy, research, public affairs, community advocacy or a related area.

• Strong understanding of UK political, charity or social policy landscapes.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to summarise complex information clearly.

• Strong analytical and research skills, with the ability to interpret data and produce evidence-informed insights.

• Good organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.

• Commitment to social justice, equity and strengthening underrepresented communities.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a small, fast-paced team.

• Sensitivity to issues affecting Muslim-led, minority-led or faith-based civil society.

• Awareness of key issues, legislation or trends relating to climate change or sustainability affecting civil society.

• Interest in media monitoring, public messaging or analysing public commentary related to the sector.

Desirable

• Experience working or volunteering within the voluntary sector, community organisations, or advocacy projects.

• Understanding of intersectionality and structural inequalities affecting minority and marginalised communities.

• Experience producing policy briefs, research notes or advocacy materials.

• Familiarity with parliamentary processes or government engagement.

• Lived experience relevant to the communities MCF represents.

Values and Behaviours

• Collaborative, inclusive and respectful approach to diverse stakeholders. Proactive, organised and self-motivated, with willingness to learn.

• Integrity and professionalism when representing MCF.

• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Ability to amplify underrepresented voices with care and accuracy.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to develop skills in policy, research, advocacy and stakeholder engagement.

• Mentorship and learning from experienced senior leaders.

• A supportive and inclusive working environment.

• Chance to contribute to meaningful, systemic change within the UK’s Muslim led charity sector.

Application Information

If you are a change maker who wishes to help us empower the sector, please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role. We reserve the right to withdraw this role once a suitable candidate is identified.

If you have not heard from us concerning your application within 6 weeks, please assume your application has been unsuccessful.

Interviews: Initial online short interview (stage 1), face-to-face in-office interview (stage 2).

No agencies.

UK residents only. Sponsorship is not possible for this post. References will be taken up prior to appointment including relevant ID checks.