“Having been familiar with the values and international work of Islamic Relief, I was interested in expanding on my knowledge of the humanitarian sector and gaining first hand experience of how an Islamic charity functions. ”

I graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA Arabic and International Relations joint honours degree. Since graduating, I have taken up opportunities to be a classroom assistant in the UK as well as in Oman.

As a result of my interests and previous experiences of volunteering for charities, I was keen to apply to the internship programme within the Volunteer’s department based in London. Moreover, having been familiar with the values and international work of Islamic Relief, I am interested in expanding on my knowledge of the humanitarian sector and gaining first hand experience of how an Islamic charity functions. Although I have previous experience of volunteer co-ordination, I intend to broaden my understanding of IR’s volunteer recruitment and retention methods specifically, in addition to observing volunteer training and activity sessions.

Moreover, from this internship opportunity I expect to widen my skills set to benefit any future career prospects, as well as on a personal level. This will be a great opportunity to practice my organisational skills, as I will be expected to use my own initiative when leading and managing my own projects. Further to this, as I will be expected to liaise with volunteers frequently; I expect to develop both verbal and written communication skills to various degrees.

Lastly, the opportunity to work alongside experienced colleagues, who are familiar with the humanitarian sector on a professional level, will assist me on my internship journey. I intend to take up the opportunity to learn from my colleagues, and to gain a better insight into the work of the various departments that strive to uphold the values of the organisation as a whole.