Luminary Internship Programme

Alfanar launched its Luminary Internship Programme in 2021 with the generous support of a private philanthropist. The programme provides an opportunity for high school students across the world to learn about social enterprise, grassroots economic development, venture philanthropy and impact investment in the Middle East and North Africa. 

We offer a select number of motivated and dependable high-school students with full time internships, typically for 4-8 weeks. Internships are in-person for individuals based in London, or remote for those in different geographies – with a preference for students with Arabic language skills and/or experience in the region. 

Interns can hold a variety of positions spanning social media content creation and marketing, research, and investment evaluation. In addition to attending a one-day induction, they attend monthly team meetings, weekly catch-ups, and commit to one outreach initiative each. This can be organising an event with their school, developing a short film for social media, or drafting a blog post about a subject of interest related to our work. 

High school internships provide an opportunity for students to bridge academic learning and real-world application. Before selecting to pursue higher education, students can immerse themselves in a professional environment and learn new skills – helping them on their future career path. 

Studies at the college level show that internships can dramatically increase employment potential for students. A 2019 survey of internship programs by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that 70% of interns received a subsequent job offer.

At the high school level, interning is quickly catching on. 89% of employers surveyed by Internships.com in 2023 said that students with a high school internship will have a competitive advantage when looking for a college internship or full-time job. Beyond increasing career prospects, high school internships provide a first look at industries of interest while helping students increase their confidence, develop networking skills, and gain practical skills oustide of the classroom. 

Empowering youth is one of the cornerstones of our work at Alfanar, whether that be through investing in social enterprises focused on youth employment, or providing internships to high-school students around the world who are going to become leaders of the enterprises of tomorrow.