Tom Goodwin – Research and Development Intern

MISSION: ASSISTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT
DURATION: 3 MONTHS

“I graduated from Coventry University with a BA in Human Geography before completing a Master’s degree in International Development (Poverty and Inequality) from the University of Birmingham.

Shortly after leaving university, I began my three-month internship in the Research and Development Department at HAD. Whilst in this role, I had the opportunity to develop a number of skills and work alongside my colleagues on a number of projects. However, the main bulk of my time was spent on assisting in implementing a community of practice (CoP) project alongside three IR field offices in East Africa. In doing so, I had to programmes the feasibility of implementing a CoP; develop a strong concept note to pitch the idea to the field office staff to get their buy-in; design and develop the CoP website; and coordinate with the participants to build their trust and gain their inputs in the project; and finally I had to help coordinate the writing of the blog posts. This was a very exciting project to be a part of and helped me to develop upon many essential skills.

Since finishing my internship with the R&D Department, I have continued to work full-time at HAD in a different capacity. In my new role as a Programmes and Grants Coordinator – Trainee, my main responsibilities include searching for new and alternative funding opportunities for the organisation; writing proposals, concept noted and quotations; assisting in writing project reports, and liaising with both internal and external stakeholders. My internship enabled me to develop many of the skills needed for my day-to-day work, such as verbal and written communication skills and proposal writing.

For anybody thinking of entering the humanitarian sector, I would absolutely recommend applying to become an intern with HAD. Not only will you gain the necessary skills and experience to succeed in the sector, but it will also give you the opportunity to meet new people and network within the sector.”