Olivia Dunphy, a third year English Literature student has spent the summer working on a community project; the Lune Valley Community Society, in which inhabitants of a village in the Lune Valley have come together to reopen the local village pool. Olivia was working for them as a Community Engagement & Project Development Intern, which has involved a lot of marketing support as well as research into their client base.
Why did you choose to undertake an internship?
I want to work in the Charity Sector after my degree so I thought it was wise to get all the work experience possible. I wanted to be set apart from other people who are applying at the same time as me, and to gain the skills that paid work can provide that voluntary work cannot. I thought it was important to gain employer feedback and training that is unavailable from the society and campus work that I have done within university.
Please briefly describe your internship role.
My main duty has been to create a social media marketing plan for the refurbished community swimming pool. I have ran social media competitions that have tripled the engagements on our page and exposed more members of the community to our services. I worked closely with local businesses to create voucher schemes which will hopefully lead to lasting collaborative relationships.
I have worked closely within the community to ascertain what the pool visitors want – as it is a community-owned organisation this has been key. I have created the pool’s first website which allows visitors to Lune Valley to see what else is available, from holiday homes to restaurants. The feature of the website that I am most proud of is the ‘Our Story’ section as it features comments from a variety of community members about why their swimming pool matters to them.
How would you summarise your internship experience?
In one word I would say that my internship has been affirming. It has allowed me to realise how far I have come during university and how many worthwhile skills I have to offer employers. The experience has allowed me to grow in confidence and realise that I can take on new challenges and achieve.
What did you like most about your internship?
My favourite thing about my internship was the amount of responsibility I was given. I was given basic briefs when taking on tasks, meaning that I could use my own ideas and creativity to create something that I felt proud of. Knowing that I had sole responsibility could sometimes be nerve-wracking but on the whole, it has taught me that I can take on challenges and perform well under pressure.
Has this internship helped you decide on the next steps of your career?
The whole experience has made me learn about what kind of worker I want to be and what kind of organisation I want to work for. I have decided that I want to have a lot of responsibility in my future career and that I want to be able to make a lot of my own decisions.
I already knew that I wanted to apply to graduate schemes within the charity sector but this goal has been further affirmed by my internship experience. I know that I want to work in an organisation that directly affects peoples lives, but that can also provide me with a worthwhile work/life balance with opportunities for training and promotions.
Were you supported by the FASS Placements and Internships team or the Careers team before gaining this internship?
Yes, I received a lot of support from Charlotte Britton of the FASS Placements and Internships team in particular. She helped me decide to apply for the internship and supported me throughout the application process and the internship itself. I really could not have done it without her support and help!
Although I did not get help from the Careers Service about this internship, in particular, their assistance in the past with my CV and Interview Skills has undoubtedly helped. I also went to London with the careers service through the Capital Connections scheme, this experience allowed me to grow in confidence and network with other students and alumni in a way that has enhanced my work ethic and confidence in a professional setting.