Fundraiser – Yeleni Support Centre

Universtiy of Exeter Internships, UoE Internships, SCP, SBP, GBP, A2I

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I was responsible for planning, organising and delivering fundraising events. I liaised with local businesses and relevant charities to set up partnerships and events. I kept supporters updated with latest charity news by compiling a newsletter, managing social media accounts, creating and distributing posters, and writing press releases for upcoming events and campaigns. I collaborated with other members of the fundraising team to write funding bids to trusts and foundations. I improved administrative procedure, especially with regards to IT systems, by installing Dropbox to enable file-sharing between all computers in the charity office, as well as improving the client database on Excel.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I developed my confidence to delegate tasks to others with more expertise in particular areas. I consolidated my knowledge of all MS Office applications through the variety of tasks I undertook. I felt a sense of achievement when I had my first press release published and developed a succinct style of writing to suit this purpose. I created a network of local contacts from businesses and relevant charities in order to establish the Yeleni Support Centre as a community resource. The experience of professional networking helped me become more systematic in recording contact details and maintaining communication. The internship gave me a valuable insight into the charity sectors.

“Although Emily was only with us for a short while she became an invaluable member of our team. I found her to be self-motivated and eager to take on new challenges and she proved herself to be a quick learner in acquiring new skills when necessary. She was a very popular team player who managed to get on with everyone in the charity, both staff and clients alike” – Founder, Yeleni Support Centre