The Wood Foundation works with the University of Aberdeen to support student employability and create meaningful opportunities within the third sector.
The Wood Foundation’s partnership with the University of Aberdeen is built around a shared interest in purposeful work experience.
Together, the Foundation and the University are helping students access paid opportunities that build confidence, while supporting organisations doing important work in the third sector.
The partnership began with initial funding from The Wood Foundation and is continuing following the success of Interns with Impact.
Interns with Impact places University of Aberdeen students with third-sector organisations during the summer.
Students gain paid professional experience in settings where their work can make a real difference. Host organisations benefit from additional capacity, fresh thinking and practical support for projects they may not otherwise have the resource to progress.
The programme launched in 2023 with six funded internships and has continued to grow each year.
The Wood Foundation is investing £150,000 over three years to support third-sector internships for University of Aberdeen students.
That funding allows students to access paid work experience while removing cost barriers for host organisations. It means charities and community organisations can benefit from student talent, without needing to carry the full financial cost themselves.
This is a practical example of the Foundation’s approach to philanthropy: backing work that creates value for more than one group at a time.
The Wood Foundation’s support has helped Interns with Impact grow from a pilot into a developing programme with increasing reach.
£150,000
invested by The Wood Foundation over three years
35
funded internships supported from 2023-2025
Interns with Impact gives students a route into meaningful work while supporting organisations that are often operating with limited capacity.
For students, the programme offers paid experience, confidence and a stronger understanding of the third sector. For host organisations, it creates space to progress projects that may otherwise be difficult to deliver.
That shared benefit is what makes the partnership valuable. It supports employability in a way that is rooted in real work, while helping the third sector access fresh thinking and practical support.
“Interns with Impact is a brilliant example of what can happen when philanthropy, education and the third sector come together with shared purpose. Although the programme was already underway when I joined The Wood Foundation, I have been struck by how clearly it reflects our values. It gives students meaningful paid experience, while helping organisations deliver work that makes a real difference. I’m excited to help build on that success and support the partnership as it continues to grow.”
Sarah Chew
CEO, The Wood Foundation
The Wood Foundation’s work with the University of Aberdeen sits alongside other major partnerships supporting Scotland’s economy, education and communities.
