Internship - U MATTER

Because u matter.

Leading Tanzania's Kindness Revolution

Transforming lives, inspiring change.

The goal of the Tanzanian internship programme is to enhance interns’ intercultural competence and broaden their global perspectives. This is achieved through activities that promote mental health and psycho-social wellbeing by encouraging acts of kindness and helping everyone feel that they matter.

UMatter-Tanzania is currently the only NGO in Tanzania that takes a strength- or asset-based approach to wellbeing to address social work challenges. Instead of focusing on illness, UMatter-Tz amplifies what local people want more of in their lives—happiness, joy, pride, success, and security—rather than focusing on less of worry, stress, depression, anxiety, and vulnerability.

The programme prepares a personal intern portfolio with important information to onboard all interns prior to travel. It emphasizes staying safe and healthy while developing an appreciative gaze toward the community and experiences.

Interns from Norway and Tanzania collaborate closely throughout the internship, learning from each other and building strong intercultural bonds.

Intern Intended Learning Outcomes

Develop Self-Knowledge
Learn about personal strengths and growth areas, reflect constructively on experiences, and develop understanding on how to lead a meaningful life.
Appreciate Inter-Cultural Competence and Human Connection
Learn to live and work together with others through supporting, listening, sharing, and learning.
Understand Community-Based Holistic Social Work
Gain immersive experience in challenging, diverse, and often complex environments such as severely under-privileged slum communities. This requires curiosity and courage and often provokes reflection and inspiration.

Programme Details

UMatter-Tz offers a variety of supported internship programmes lasting between 4 and 24 weeks. Each programme is customized to meet the needs of the student or university, supported by a designated UMatter-Tz staff member. Accommodation is available at the UMatter-Tz Centre if required.

Interns have opportunities to work with various groups in community contexts, including:

Children (up to 16 years)
Youth (17–30 years)
Single mothers
Indigenous families
Elders

Themes of the Internship

Interns can choose to spend between 1 and 4 weeks experiencing any of the following nine themes. All are linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of good health and wellbeing, quality education, poverty reduction, food security, gender equality, and financial security.

Risk and Recovery
Kind Leadership
Positive Parenting
Community Development
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Peace & Justice
Kind Schools
Intergenerational Learning
Sport for Peace

Each theme is linked with a social community-benefit project (see examples below).

Intern Reflective Learning

Interns are required to keep a reflective e-journal and share their reflections during ‘conversations-that-matter’ with UMatter staff. These conversations occur both one-on-one and in group settings and support deeper learning from the internship experience.