Stepping Out

a student's guide to education beyond the classroom

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GUIDE FOR
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How do I Know if a Program is "Good"?

There is no way to guarantee if a program is "good". However, there are some things you can do to get a better idea of the legitimacy of a certain organization.

Also, decide what it is you need to feel good about a program. Do you want a contact person who will be checking in with you? What are your expectations? If it is an internship, do you want to be given a lot of responsibility? Or would you prefer an easier job where you learn by watching?

The "goodness" of a program depends on your own expectations. While one person may prefer an organization where she has to take the initiative, planning and implementing what she will be doing, someone else may prefer a more structured environment. What is good will differ for these two individuals.

That being said, the tips below will help you learn more about the organization you are interested in working with.

Tips for Verifying Programs:

Find out how long it has been around. This is not to say that newer programs are not legitimate. However, if an organization has been around for awhile (and specifically if they normally work with students or people in situations similar to yours) they have had more time to figure out the glitches and may be more organized.

Ask if you can contact anyone who has worked with the program before. This is a great way to get more information on an organization from someone who knows them from the inside, but is not necessarily trying to "sell" their program. Granted, many programs will put you in contact with someone who had a positive experience with them, but this is still another opinion. If an organization is unwilling to let you contact any past participants, ask them why.

Find out how the program is funded. Are they a non-profit? Government sponsored? Who are their donors? Figuring out how an organization is funded can give you a better idea about their motives, connections, values, and their legitimacy.

Find out how many volunteers/interns/students the program has had in the past. Are you one of the first students they have worked with? This tip goes along with finding out how long they have been around. However, you could find a well established business that just opened up their internship program. This does not necessarily mean it is bad, but just that it may be less organized or you may have a more active part in deciding your role while there.

Ask about procedures and policies surrounding safety and/or evacuation, especially if you are headed to an "unstable" area. Find out if the organization has plans in case of natural disasters, civil unrest, etc.

Clarify if and who your contacts are. This is good to know if you are headed to another country (or even city). If the organization you are working with is based out of the U.S., do they also have people working for them where you are headed? Do these people check up on you? What is their role?

If there is a fee to participate, find out where it goes. Does some money go into the community you are working for? Is it all for "overhead" costs? Is it a non-profit or for-profit organization? Finding out where the money goes can give you a better sense of the organization.

Ask people you know to recommend organizations. This is a good screening process for finding neat programs. Ask around--do you have any friends or friends of friends who had a really great experience with a certain organization? Or a not-so-great one? Find out the details and use them to help you assess whether you would be happy in that program.

Remember there are no guarantees. Even if someone recommends an organization to you, it does not mean that your experience will be good. Always have a back-up plan!