Date published: 23 August 2016 by Anna Jackson
My name is Ashley, I am a Journalism Postgraduate who has spent the past few months as a ‘Comms Intern’ at Rainbow Trust. You are probably thinking to yourself, why is this guy working for a Children’s Charity? Why is he not doing typical journo stuff like news reporting? The answer is simple, I’ve had a change in career path and Rainbow Trust provided the perfect opportunity for me to gain some hands-on experience working in the Charity sector.
From the moment I joined the Comms team I was chucked into the deep end, given a variety of tasks to complete. Tasks ranged from interviewing families we support, to writing copy for our annual magazines. Rainbow Trust gave me the chance to use my initiative, and play an active role in the tasks that I completed. This is not the type of working environment where you have no say in what you are able to do. If you have an idea, we have regular team meetings where you can express yourself and be vocal.
For example, in my second week I had the opportunity to travel to Weymouth with a member of my team to an event we hosted. This came about because in a team meeting I expressed my desire to film the event so we could use the footage on our social media channels for promotion. This was a fantastic experience, as it let me know that my ideas were valued, and quickly capitalised on.
Working in communications is a very multifaceted role, where elements of PR and Marketing flood into the workload. This allowed me to learn so much in my time here, as I had great mentors from both these disciplines to assist me in my work. Being someone who had never worked in the charity sector before, I was amazed as to how much I learned in such as short space of time. I credit this to my colleagues at Rainbow Trust, for being so informative and trusting in my ability to pick up things quickly.
As you may be aware, leaving university and going into the working world can be a difficult transition. This is why internships are so important, as they give you an opportunity to be mentored and at the same time gain that valuable experience in the workplace that is needed in the future.
I can confidently say Rainbow Trust have equipped me with the fundamental tools needed for pursuing a career in Comms. If you are considering a Comms internship, look no further. Get in touch with these guys.
Good luck!
Inspired to get involved? Take a look at our current internship opportunities.
