Category: Charity Insights 2015

Week 1 at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

If you’re reading this as a fellow engineer, I have a challenge for you. Strike up a debate with a doctor about which of your two professions is best, and I guarantee you that the doctor will rebut with the indisputable repost: ‘the human body is the ultimate engineering’. Try and counter that one!

This is exactly the realm I entered upon starting my first day at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability for my Charity Insights placement this summer. I received several slightly surprised looks as I introduced myself not as a medical student eager to delve into the world of neuroscience, but as a student of mechanical engineering with no inclination to becoming a doctor. A valid question arises; what am I doing in a hospital?

As the name implies, this is not your typical multi-purpose hospital. It was established over 160 years ago as a service ‘to give permanent relief to such persons as are hopelessly disqualified for the duties of life, by disease, accident or deformity’. Today its beautiful 18th century buildings remain and it cares for hundreds of patients suffering from a variety of severe neurological diseases. Its most important motive is ‘Finding Ability in Disability’, and that’s where I come in.

My task during the placement is to examine the current design and prescription of wheelchairs for hospital patients, and investigate new designs and processes that more effectively meet the patients’ needs.

My first day began with a tour of the hospital and its facilities by the Principal Medical Officer and the Associate Director of the Institute. They demonstrated how several currently used wheelchairs work and pointed out what they had gathered about their design flaws. Due to the unique requirements of many of the patients, some of the components of the standard wheelchairs had been replaced with parts custom designed and built at the hospital. Even these bespoke components needed improving in several ways. I was introduced to the biomedical engineering staff at the hospital and shown around the on-site workshop they use to manufacture parts.

A typical carer-propelled bespoke wheelchair including moulded foam seat and seat tilting mechanism
A typical carer-propelled bespoke wheelchair including moulded foam seat and seat tilting mechanism
A simpler wheelchair design with standard seat and manual self-propulsion using large wheels with grips
A simpler wheelchair design with standard seat and manual self-propulsion using large wheels with grips

Much of the remainder of the week involved getting up to speed with the latest developments in wheelchair design and outlining the improvements that can be made to existing designs as well as exploring fresh ideas. I look forward to seeing what path the research takes!

Roaring to go at London Tigers

1/4 done…nearly! I am currently in the process of designing and putting together  a sponsorship brochure to send out to corporate firms. This then can be used to obtain sponsors for the Annual Achievement Awards as well as for pitch side banners.

So, what is London Tigers?

UK Asian Community Cup 2014
UK Asian Community Cup 2014. Annual festival organised by LT in partnership with professional football clubs to promote Asian talent and tackle racism in sport.

LT is an award-winning charity based in London that targets young people aged 9-25 from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities who are socially or economically disadvantaged. They engage with young people through sporting activities, youth clubs and offer employment and training to young people. They are also involved in international development programmes having opened two cricket centres, a football Academy and fund a school in Bangladesh.

London Tigers in Bangladesh
London Tigers on tour in Bangladesh

I decided to carry out my four-week internship with the Tigers because it’s a community based charity and there’s nothing better than seeing your work having a monumental impact on people around you first-hand. I do have a soft-spot for the organisation for a number of reasons – one being the excuse to come back to the area of West London I grew up in! Any excuse to reminisce, I know.

Anyway…

It’s nothing new when we hear about the negative press of young people for whatever reason, so it’s immensely rewarding working for a charity that keeps young people busy and engaged. As with any charity, they need funds to carry out their aims so I hope by working with the Business Development Director, we are able to secure sponsorships and increase awareness and support for the big cats!

 

Week 1&2 at the Collegiate Academy Trust

I came into the CAT (Collegiate Academy Trust) wanting to inspire young minds and show them that there is a world behind the geography and geology they study, and I have left everyday with the same urge. My time at the CAT, based at their flagship school, is to be spent creating resources and developing connections with the geological community; as well as getting a feel for teaching on a day to day basis.

I spent my first few days being introduced to the latest resource creating software and settling into life in a school. Once I got over the novelty of seeing a school (and teachers) from the other side, its a place I felt right at home. With everything set up, I began work on creating resources for GCSE and A-level students. A week later and my first couple are finished; polished revision tools and tests which I am (and my department are) proud of. Many skills are being called into play, from graphics and coding to simply remembering my GCSE geography – I feel like its a fantastic consolidator for what I’ve learnt over the past few years.

resource

My plan for a rock loaning scheme has just begun. I soon found that GCSE and A-level students have barely enough time to cover the specification, never mind diverting to look at rocks. However, I am currently in talks with teachers of lower years (7&8), and hopefully from here the scheme will begin to take shape.

I have spent some time immersing myself in the school. I have been put in charge of the rock collection, which is in desperate need of sorting, with which I will also produce and provide resources. I have been assigned a group of gifted and talented students with the task of ‘stretching their minds’ next week – a chance to trial run my resources, as well as getting my first taste of solo teaching. Had a fantastic experience so far – roll on the next few weeks.

 

Statistical Internship Opportunity at SCI

131122_imp_scholars_danr_042Based at Imperial on St Mary’s Campus, the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) works to improve the health and development of the world’s poorest populations. SCI is offering an internship for Imperial students, which is eligible for the Charity Insights bursary from the Careers Service.

Working with biostatisticians, the internship will involve data analysis using R, providing an excellent opportunity to develop programming skills. Depending of the statistical and programming experience of the post holder, the role can be further extended to test impact analysis recommendations and determine how these can best be applied in ‘real world’ settings using linear mixed models and sample size calculations or simulations.

For the full job description, and for details on how to apply visit JobsLive. To be considered for the bursary you will need to submit a Charity Insights application form and go through the application process for this – see the website for details.

If you have any questions in regard to this opportunity please email  michelle.clements@imperial.ac.uk or myself and Barnaby via internship.unit@imperial.ac.uk.

Best wishes,

Helen

Placement & Internship Adviser, Careers Service

Charity Insights Drop-Ins over Spring vacation

Your Placement & Internship Advisers, Helen and Barnaby, are running 20 minute Charity Insights Drop-In appointments Monday – Friday over the spring vacation. On the day, book a slot via JobsLive if you have any questions regarding Charity Insights or want some help with your application. We’ve already been helping students with their CVs, speculative cover letters and getting ideas of what type of project may be successful at application stage. These appointments are available Monday – Friday from 2 – 3pm in the weeks of the 13th and 20th of April 2015. We look forward to answering your questions and seeing your final applications!

Best wishes,

Helen & Barnaby

Launch of Charity Insights 2015

With the spring term in full swing, the Careers Service is very pleased to announce the opening of applications for Charity Insights 2015. This is an opportunity for returning UG and PhD Imperials students to be awarded a bursary to complete a 4 week long internship with a UK registered charity.charity insights - quotes

Last summer placements ranged across the charity & not for profit sector, including organisations such as Shelter, Barnado’s and RSPB’s Wild About Hampstead Heath. To mention a few, projects involved investigating the feasibility of renewable energy installations; analysis and research into coffee production; through to creating and launching social media campaigns.

We are opening applications for summer 2015 from Monday 9 February and the deadline is 12 noon on Friday 15 May.  We’re looking forward to reviewing details of new and exciting projects and making Charity Insights 2015 another successful scheme. Check out our eligibility criteria and more information on how to apply on the website.

Any questions, get in touch with your Placement & Internship Advisers on internship.unit@imperial.ac.uk or book an ‘Internship Consultation’ via JobsLive.

Best wishes,

Helen