It’s the penultimate day here at surfers against sewage, and what a fun and engaging experience this has been.
Week 3 & 4:
- During the last two weeks, I have been doing smaller tasks, such as typing up many of the plastic-free pledge names and emails into a spreadsheet (thankfully, a handful of volunteers took the main chunk out of this task!) I also made a comprehensive budget for 25 new Beach Clean boxes for schools around the country. To be more suitable for school pupils, certain items had to be altered from last year’s budget, such as 2x goggley eyes and 2x graptor, and a change from a regional reps hoodie to 4x school reps tee’s, in the hope that a small team of pupils will safeguard the box year upon year.
- Created a spreadsheet of school contacts in all areas of UK (10x Primary, 10x Secondary schools in each), in order to later contact about possibility of becoming one of the 25 partner BCB schools.
3 things I was impressed with:
• The vast array of different tasks I was given meant I never once found myself bored and I always looked forward to the next day. Getting the chance to get creative for a couple of days was something that I don’t do too often, so it was refreshing and super fun!
• The links the company has with many big names in the environmental industry, such as Patagonia, was something I wasn’t previously aware of. I think it shows that the charity is heading in the right direction, and in combination of increased membership year-by-year, I believe it can, and is producing real change for our oceans.
• Last, but possibly the most important, the staff attitude and dynamic within the workplace so vibrant and positive. Everyone is focussed on their respective jobs but also everyone is friends, which is so important to achieve the campaign goals and create a fun place to work from.
Constructive criticism:
For the sake of the charity, (and whilst appreciating that it’s hard to foresee what will be popular/useful at events), I did produce some unnecessary work (Boardmasters maps & staff tally were not really used.) Although I had loads of fun making these, maybe next time ensure all prepared props are kept on top of during events, or otherwise not spend so much time on them in the first place. I feel like the time spent on those could have been spent on starting David’s mapping project, which unfortunately I wasn’t able to get my hands on to.
Overview:
Having been at the office for 4 weeks has wholeheartedly been a pleasure. Being a local avid surfer, SAS was a charity that I was aware of and engaged with for years. However, actually working intrinsically within the office has opened my eyes to how resourceful the work must be with a limited budget, and how mindful the staff attitude is. Each and every detail for all current campaigns is thought-out, ensuing that the campaigns are sustainable for the future. I truly have become friends with all the staff here and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better internship!