Social Researcher and Analyst – University of Exeter

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

My main role was to undertake research into volunteer motivations and collect together information to be shared with the team at BWRP. This research would then inform my creating of a volunteer questionnaire which would digitally record the opinions of the volunteers about their experience at BWRP. I was then fully inducted as a volunteer at the project, to gain insight into the structure and possibility for future improvement for the induction. I then undertook a week as a volunteer whereby I undertook tasks such as going on timber collections and helping out in the yard.

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

My biggest achievement was meeting lots of new people in the sustainability field, and gaining lasting contacts and connections with them.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I was able to complete a report on my findings, along with collecting a lot of feedback from volunteers about their experience. This has helped them to make improvements in the future.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Time and workload management, focus on goals and outcomes, research

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Confidence, logical thinking, independence