Helen: FHASS Funded Internship, Creative Communities Assistant, The Dukes
“I was offered a wide range of opportunities and really given a say in the direction of my work.”
Helen studied Global Affairs at Lancaster University and graduated in 2026. In her final year Helen completed a Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (FHASS) Funded Internship with The Dukes theatre and cinema in Lancaster city.
The Dukes creates a sense of place that challenges, enthrals and excites their audiences, through live performance, great cinema and creative community engagement in the heart of Lancaster city. In this internship Helen joined the Creative Communities Team at The Dukes, as Creative Communities Assistant. Over four months in the spring / summer 2026 Helen’s role was focused on supporting The Dukes 60+ Prime Time performance group sessions and rehearsals for the Youth Theatre Show. Significant opportunities were offered to and embraced by Helen:
“One highlight of my internship was the range of experiences I was able to have. I was offered a wide range of opportunities and really given a say in the direction of my work placement. I was encouraged to personally take on as much responsibility for sessions as I wanted which really helped me grow in confidence throughout the experience. I had so much fun working in the community and always came out of work smiling. Towards the end of the placement the theatre groups performed their summer shows. To see the collective work of the whole team come together was definitely another standout moment.”
Helen felt very satisfied with her FHASS Funded Internship and that it was relevant to her career goals. After the internship Helen reflected on her learning, she felt that her communication, creativity, decision making, problem solving and teamworking skills had been developed the most:
“ I learnt that I am able to be creative and lead a group in activities even last minute. I also realised the importance of trust and friendliness that bring together a group faster than just hard work. Throughout the placement it was important for me to communicate with both children and older adults. Through this experience I learnt how to adapt myself and my communication style to make people relaxed and able to give their best performance. Overall it reinforced the importance of fun and that every individual has something special to offer.”
Helen felt well supported during her internship and would recommend a FHASS Funded Internship to a friend. This internship was very successful and Helen was offered work with The Dukes (Creative Communities) when the internship was completed.
Thank you to The Dukes (Creative Communities) for supporting Helen throughout this creative internship, it’s great to hear from them about the opportunities and responsibilities they have offered and their appreciation of an intern’s work:
“The [FHASS Funded Internship] Scheme allows us to involve creative students to join our team and become integral members during their time here. They are given specific jobs, tasks and responsibility which helps the team and ensures they get a fulfilling experience. They are such a valuable part of our work and do a lot of work to support our projects and productions.”
This FHASS Funded Internship was advertised, on a competitive application and interview basis, to current students registered on a degree scheme in the Faculty of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences at Lancaster University and was developed and supported by the FHASS Employability Team.