Hi, I’m Nada, my internship role was as a Fundraising Research Assistant with the International Development charity, Deki. I contributed to the Fundraising Team primarily by conducting background research into Trusts and Foundations which was the basis for other team members to make grant applications.
What was your day-to-day like?
The internship was part-time and remote. I worked 2-3 days a week. The role offered a lot of flexibility, and I was able to easily balance it with other part-time work commitments. My day generally consisted of research, using Trello and Excel to input information, and once a week a Zoom call to review the week’s progress. Working remotely in a new role can be a challenge, however, the team and my manager for the internship were very willing to help ease this by keeping communication lines open.
What did you find interesting?
As a recent Economics graduate, who particularly enjoyed Development Economics within my degree, it was great to get insight into Deki’s projects in Togo and the impact of their work. I had an understanding of development from economic theory, and it was fascinating to see how projects are designed to promote growth from a more practical perspective.
The fundraising aspect of working in the development/charity sector was something I had not really considered and it was really interesting to see the amount of detail and work that goes into writing grant applications.
Final thoughts?
The internship was a very valuable experience, and I would advise anyone to apply for the scheme. These are unique opportunities and allow you to develop your skills, in my case particularly communication and research. I am very grateful to Deki for the internship, and to the Careers Service for creating opportunities that can otherwise be difficult to access.
Interested in applying?
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We are advertising SME Internship opportunities through mycareer and there are many other work experience opportunities listed here.
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