The idea of a year in industry or a placement year can be a daunting prospect. So hopefully, this blog will go some way to make you feel better about the process whether you are a first-year just learning about them or a second-year coming close to the deadline for securing one.
My placement is with the charity The Encephalitis Society, based in Malton, as a communications assistant. I secured this placement in late May after a few nightmarish interviews. So don’t be disheartened if you struggle at the start, it will work out in the end!
Why this role?
I decided to apply for this particular role because I am very interested in working within the charity sector after university. However, I am unsure what particular area I would like to work in. My placement advertised that there would be opportunities to work across different departments. Additionally, the location of the placement (a 20-minute train ride out of York) means that I am able to stay in York making the experience less stressful for me. Despite this, I do feel it would have been a good experience to move to another city.
About the Charity
Encephalitis Society itself is an amazing charity that works with patients who suffer from one of the many forms of Encephalitis. At this point, you’re probably wondering what Encephalisits actually is. Well, it is an inflammation of the brain which is generally caused by infection. This quite often leads to damage to the brain causing cognitive, physical, emotional and behavioural problems.
My role is focused around educating and raising awareness of Encephalitis for fundraising and support purposes. I am very excited to start working with a close-knit charity that was founded in North Yorkshire by a mother whose son suffered from the condition. After learning it started out as a support group, it is amazing to see how far it has come today.
Time to Start!
At this point in time, I am preparing for my end-of-August start at the charity. I’ve been doing some research on the condition and studying their social media in order to plan my own ideas and strategies. Earlier this month, I had an induction day at the office in Malton and I had a very detailed chat with my line manager, Andy, to discuss the plan for the year. He introduced me to two very fun-sounding days – Comms Tuesday and Fun Friday (I will admit the latter sounds more interesting!). We also discussed a range of travelling we could be doing such as attending conferences and interviews in order to promote and support the charity.
I’m very excited to start my role. I am undertaking hybrid working for the year and hopefully, car sharing with some of my colleagues on the days I do need to go into the office!
Read more student stories about work placements
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