Student Name: Tatta
Pathways Programme: Pathways to Marketing
Internship Role: Marketing and Communications Assistant
Internship Employer: Devon Community Foundation
Summary of Organisation: Devon Community Foundation works with donors and other funding partners who care about Devon and want their money to strengthen communities and tackle inequalities in the county. We use our knowledge of the community and voluntary sector in Devon to turn donations in grants that go to grassroots organisations creating change for their communities. We currently have 14 members of staff and we all work part-time (Monday to Thursday/30 hours per week).
Please briefly outline the project/tasks/responsibilities you worked on during your Professional Pathways internship:
“My role involved social media planning, including data analysis of successful campaigns and projecting it into future plans. I also conducted market research with young philanthropists and facilitated interviews.”
How has the Professional Pathways programme helped you in taking the next steps in your career?
“It has given me a chance to work with an organisation that I have not worked with before. I have always loved working with the volunteer and charity sector, and so it confirmed my passion for it. It has also shown me that I don’t necessarily have to work within the VCSE sector to work with charitable organisations – I can also work a “normal desk job” whilst working with charities within my role.”
Given the Professional Pathways internship is 35 hours in total, what advice would you give to other students to ensure they gain as much as possible from the experience?
“Ask all the questions, don’t be afraid or shy to ask for specific things you want to explore or gain experience on. Make the most of your time with the people in the office if you have work from office options.”
What advice would you give to a student who has to complete an internship via remote or hybrid working?
“Have a check-in call with your manager every 2-3 days, especially if you’re not going into the office at all. This helped me feel like I am still part of the team.”
Why would you recommend the Professional Pathways programme to other students?
“It gives students a chance to do something outside of their degrees and in a sector that they may have not worked in before! Although I have worked within the VCSE sector in a marketing role, it was a voluntary position and so it didn’t feel like I could contribute as much, unlike my role in Pathways.”