Over the past year, I have been interning at the Young Westminster Foundation (YWF) who have helped me to develop my core skills in the area of digital marketing and communications. I cannot emphasise how much YWF has pushed me, propelling my marketing endeavours as well as understanding what young people face growing up in the borough of Westminster.

Firstly, I’d like to talk about the atmosphere of the Young Westminster Foundation. Colleagues are friendly, warm and inviting. They are willing to help you without hesitation and constantly monitor your growth. They find out what you are good at. I had the privilege to manage a group of young people, create reports, explore video editing, carry out primary research, organise events, and conduct interviews alongside the board of trustees. The internship had taken me to wonderful places such as the Science Museum, ZSL London Zoo, the oldest youth club in the world (St Andrews Youth Club) and Somerset House amongst other prestigious organisations such as Virgin and John Lewis.

Since working with YWF, I have been able to understand more about the borough of Westminster and the issues that young people face. I have also been able to connect with young people and understand their needs and wants to make the borough a safer place. Interning at the Young Westminster Foundation has sparked a passion inside of me. I am now more open towards exploring the area of public sector work, social enterprise initiatives and charity operations.

I encourage any young person to find an internship such as this one, where you can see the inner workings of an organisation at all levels; From the CEO to the board of trustees as this helps you understand what’s at the heart of an organisation and how you fit into it.