Donor Stewardship & Special Events Intern Review

The internship was great in numerous ways. To begin with, the introductions, intern support and guidance provided were flawless. The work given to me was both fulfilling and exciting. I was set clear tasks and projects to work on independently. The work environment was fun but professional at the same time. From the beginning I was made to feel fully part of the team.

I felt truly valued by all my colleagues throughout. There was a heavy work load in my team and the interns played a vital role in completing certain tasks. No task given to me was deemed as boring or irrelevant; all were integral to the successful completion of projects.

I was given support whenever I needed. I was made to feel that it was a positive thing to be asking questions. Prior to beginning each task I was thoroughly guided through the process. As a result there was never a moment of doubt in working. I had regular meetings with my line manager and could schedule further meetings with any member of the team whenever I wanted.

I was busy in a pleasurable and not a stressful way. There were always ongoing tasks to be carried out and therefore constantly something to occupy my time. I always had priorities in regard to which tasks needed to be finished first and therefore I was able to manage my work load appropriately.

I felt I was given sufficient responsibility for the position I was in. The tasks I was doing were important and necessary tasks; therefore I did feel a responsibility to conduct each task to the highest quality possible.

I developed a variety of skills throughout that enabled me in securing a full time and paid position at another charity. The experience gained was invaluable and cannot be learnt in an academic environment. I was able to choose certain skills to develop further and maintain skills that I already felt comfortable with. If there is a certain skill you would like to develop, then that can be achieved by informing your line manager. For example that could be communication skills over the telephone or via e-mail, planning and prioritising a work load, database skills, pitching skills, writing skills and more.

The general atmosphere was really good. It was friendly, inclusive and professional. There was a strong comradely between team members. Everyone helped each other out if needed and had a good old chat every now and then.

The internship was set up and organised incredibly well. A full time intern manager provided all interns with an introduction day (consisting of meeting other interns, learning how to make the most of your time, meeting current employees and meeting previous interns), an intern diary and a folder of useful information to know. He was on hand at any time to answer questions throughout. Additionally, there was a mentoring scheme set up to assist in career development.

There was weekly learning sessions offered to all staff on varied topics relating to the charity. These were optional to attend but were hugely engaging and worthwhile to understand the charity holistically.

Future employment prospects within the charity are hugely appealing. As an intern you are encouraged to apply for jobs internally. There is help offered to assist with amending your C.V and the availability is there to shadow another department, if interested in applying for a different job internally.

The social scene was good. Interns would often meet for lunch and share experiences. There was a film club offered and other various employee events.

I live about twenty minutes away from the office. Keeping up with rent was a struggle as I had to work in a bar after work. Vauxhall itself is OK, there was places for lunch which is all I needed.

I’m not sure. I have lived in London for over four years and never been out in Vauxhall. London night life is amazing though and should definitely be utilised.

I think so. I didn’t complete my internship for the whole three months, so possibly more would have cropped up.