Digital Sports Team Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my 3 month internship at Cancer Research UK in their head office in Angel. I was the digital intern in the Sports Team and felt very welcomed into the team. My manager gave me many responsibilities and I felt that my work was valued. The internship allows you to experience working at a charity not only through your role but also many opportunities arise and if you have a 'yes' attitude, you can take on so many additional volunteering opportunities that will develop your CV.

I felt very valued by my colleagues, particularly as Cancer Research UK places a great importance on your development while interning. Every week you have a review meeting with you line manager to discuss your week, what you have coming up and what work you will be doing. It is a great way to discuss the projects you are working on and to set timescales to challenge yourself and set yourself goals to achieve. I attended 'on the day' events with the managers as well as event launches for example, therefore you really get a feel for what it's like to work at a charity. The managers treat you as more than just an intern.

With weekly 121s and a development pack given to us on our induction day, I felt like I was really being looked after. You can also sign up to have a mentor or a buddy, someone to chat to if you have any questions. Cancer Research UK go above and beyond what I was expecting, and I would recommend this internship to everyone.

Every week, I was allocated tasks by my manager, therefore I could work at my own pace. However, you do get allocated other smaller tasks by other managers which may have a deadline, therefore it is essential to prioritise your work and keep organised. I never felt bored or like I had nothing to do. My days would be split between attending meetings, workshops, catch-ups and working on my own tasks.

I was given a lot of responsibility from around week 2, after I had settled in. If you have any skills you want to develop, or tasks you want to achieve during your internship, you are able to ask your manager and work in different departments or shadow other managers so that you get the most from your internship. The focus is really on you and what you want to get out of it, therefore you can take on as many responsibilities as you wish.

I developed many skills during my time at Cancer Research UK, and not only in digital. I got involved in Intern Fundraising, attended special events and many workshops such as the CV, Presentation Skills and Interview workshops, which were really helpful. I strongly believe that I am now in a much better position to get a permanent job role.

I really liked the atmosphere in the office. We worked in circular desks, meaning it wasn't the typical office. People were always chatting and there was a great office vibe with always lots going on. Every day there would be activities going on, whether it would be a cake sale or activities during your lunch break - you could always get involved with other teams. It definitely isn't what you picture when you think head office of a large organisation. Everyone is very approachable, welcoming and lovely!

The internship was extremely well organised. From the first day at the Induction, I knew straight away that the internship was going to be great. You are not thrown in the deep end, you get to meet everyone in your team and learn about their roles and learn about all the different departments and what Cancer Research do. On your first day at the office, we had a tea and coffee morning, a chance to get to know the other interns and your managers and a great informal way to start the day. Then, you have meeting all day and members of staff present to you what they do in their role and who will be helping them out.

Many interns lived in Greater London or further out, such as me. Cancer Research UK reimburse your travel costs weekly and you are also able to get your lunch costs reimbursed (up to £4 a week) - and the canteen is super cheap and does great food so that money can go a long way! Otherwise, there are many supermarkets (Sainsburys, Tesco, Pret, Starbucks, Sushi place) nearby and also every Thursday the interns organise a 'Thirsty Thursday' which is usually always at a bar that people can afford.

There are so many opportunities to get involved in. To name a few, you could help at the Celebrity Sports Quiz for the Bobby Moore Foundation. You could get involved in intern fundraising - raffles, pub quiz, car boot sales etc. Even if your internship role isn't in special events, you are able to help out at the main events as many volunteers are needed. Also, you may have team days or go out for team drinks. During every lunch break or during many days, there would also be activities for fundraising etc. such as Stand Up To Cancer activities.