Internship provides new career option
Abi Willock is a third-year student at De Montfort University on the Journalism and Creative Writing course. She is also a spoken word host at WORD! Leicester and a radio host at Demon FM.
Abi was told about the Leicester City Partnership internship programme by the University’s careers advice service.
Abi says:
“The internship opportunity with local mental health advocacy charity, Lamp really stood out. I’ve been passionate about fundraising since my first sponsored silence in 2011, had a little bit of charity experience, and am born and raised in Leicester. I’ve also been volunteering for WORD! Leicester and have participated in a spoken word and poetry workshop for people with mental health, so I believed that my experience would fit the bill when I applied.
“I managed to secure an interview with Lamp, and they were impressed when I pitched my idea of an open mic night as a charity fundraiser.
“So far, I’ve found the job really rewarding and more varied than I expected. On just my third day in the job, I took part in a fundraising bhangra dancing class where I talked about the charity in front of all of the attendees, a rare experience of public speaking but I’m sure that people took in the messages!
“We’ve also been to an open day at police HQ where we’ve been selected as a charity of the year, and got a chance to explain what advocacy is and how we help. It was a valuable networking experience.”
Making a difference to mental health in the community
“Taking on an internship lets you look to the future, find out what you’re good at and what you enjoy. I’ve had experience right at the heart of the charity. I’m exercising skills such as copywriting and research that I’ve used in the classroom, but the direct experience is better than any theory.
“Although I’m ¾ of the way to becoming a trained journalist, I’ve discovered that I would really like to pursue a career in fundraising. It’s become a viable career option.
“I joined Lamp because I want to make a difference to mental health in my community. Having worked with local mental health charities in the past, I found it incredibly rewarding to see how a charity like Lamp can provide hope, support and light, and really help individuals to rebuild their lives.
“Unfortunately, mental health is still somewhat of a misunderstood topic in general society, but it doesn’t have to be this way and I joined Lamp because the work they do not only empowers individuals to become happier and healthier, it supports local businesses and the community to understand and achieve better mental health for everyone.”
Abi’s showcase event for Lamp
As part of her internship, Abi has been responsible for setting up an open mic night fundraiser in aid of Lamp on 24 July 2023 at Firebug in Leicester.
Lamp is inviting musicians and performers to perform – whether you’re a musician, vocalist, poet or spoken word artist. If you are interested in performing, please email abiwillock@lampdirect.org.uk or if you would simply like to come along and enjoy a fantastic evening of entertainment, please buy your ticket from www.lampadvocacy.co.uk/let-your-talent-shine-for-lamp/
Money raised from ticket sales will be donated to Lamp.
