Liberal Democrat MP first to adopt youth-led quality mark

Phil Willis MP was today recognised as an internship pioneer by youth organisation Internocracy, and awarded the I.SIP (Internocracy Star Internship Programme), a youth-focused quality mark. The first parliamentary office to gain such accreditation, Phil Willis’s internship programme allowed for fair recruiting practices and a worthwhile experience for interns. The I.SIP mark will enable young people to identify internship schemes which give them great opportunities and support them in learning about their chosen workplace.

Having called on MPs to review the unfair nature of internships in Parliament, Phil set up the Campaign for fair Parliamentary Internships and supports Nick Clegg’s training allowance for all interns, set at £55 per week. Following Phil’s campaign, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has proposed that all parliamentary interns be paid the minimum wage. It is estimated that parliamentary interns currently spend around 18,000 hours per week doing un- or underpaid work in internships that are not properly resourced or structured. It is a sad fact that, often, parliamentary interns are seen as cheap or free labour, with little attention paid to fair recruiting and working practices.

Becky Heath, Chief Executive of Internocracy, said on awarding the I.SIP:

“Internocracy is delighted to be able to accredit Phil Willis MPs’ internship scheme with the I.SIP as it encapsulates the sort of experience interns should be offered when working in Parliament: a wide-ranging and useful learning opportunity. Phil’s interns, past and present, have all benefited from the thoughtful and structured way in which he has run internships, and have been able to contribute their individual skills and experience to the intern role.

Internocracy’s work is aimed at helping employers to offer good quality experiences to interns, and the I.SIP accreditation mark identifies those who are outstanding in their field.”

Phil Willis MP said:

“I am absolutely delighted to be awarded the I.SIP accreditation. An internship should be a mutually beneficial and rewarding experience, and I am extremely pleased that our interns have enjoyed working in our office as much as I have enjoyed having them.

However, as an office we are among the minority who do pay close attention to the quality of the opportunity we offer, and amongst only 1% of MPs’ offices who actually pay minimum wage. In Parliament we should be setting an example, and I would encourage all other MPs offices to not only pay their interns, but to take part in the I.SIP accreditation process to ensure that they offer an experience that is as valuable for the intern as the service that they provide for us.”

Ends.

Note to Editors:

A survey of parliamentary offices conducted by the Union, Unite found that:

o The estimated number of interns working for MPs is 450

· 44% of these do not receive travel or food expenses

· Only 1% are paid minimum wage

· 2.4% of MPs staff say they have 5 or more interns working in their office

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) launched a consultation paper on a new scheme of Parliamentary Expenses on January 7th. This closed on February 11th and the results of this consultation will be published shortly. http://news.parliament.uk/2010/01/ipsa-launches-consultation-on-mps%E2%8...

The parliamentary branch of Unite has produced an ‘Interns Agreement’ to serve as a contract between MPs and their interns. This was launched with Phil Willis in July and can be viewed here: http://is.gd/8W9FD. Phil Willis tabled EDM 1692 in the 08-09 Parliamentary session in support of the agreement, which has 60 signatories, across all three parties.

The attached photograph shows Phil Willis MP and his Office Manager Helen Undy (responsible for running the internship programme) receiving their I.SIP accreditation from Internocracy’s Chief Executive, Becky Heath.