This summer, Leonard Cheshire’s Change 100 programme matched me with Fat Beehive for a summer internship. Their programme aims to change the landscape of employment for students and graduates with long-term health conditions and disabilities.
Prior to starting, I eagerly looked forward to chair massages, 10am starts and, most importantly, the chance to work alongside a bunch of talented, down-to-earth people. I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed! My expectations weren’t just met but exceeded!
The thing that stood out to me in making this a hugely enjoyable experience was the way in which I was quickly made to feel a part of the team. Everyone was incredibly attentive in both helping to mentor me and in taking into account my personal goals and ambitions.
Throughout the course of the internship, I have become a lot more confident in a wider range of circumstances and improved my soft skill capabilities. The exposure I have had to the realm of digital marketing and the third sector at large will undoubtedly prove invaluable in the future and is hugely appreciated at such a formative stage in my career. Undertaking a diverse range of roles whilst at the firm has certainly widened my knowledge base and appreciation of the digital world, all whilst working with some really amazing organisations and gaining high level exposure.
My time with the company coincided with the team’s annual business planning trip away that I was lucky enough to get involved in. It was a great way to bond with my colleagues in an out-of-office environment and certainly revealed people’s competitive streaks during the cryptic challenge competition!
Simply put, from what I have experienced, Fat Beehive provides its employees with a trusting and flexible workplace environment that fosters a culture of teamwork and independence. It is this core premise that has set my expectations for what a workplace should be like (in reference to Fat Beehive’s strap-line)- a truly delightful place to be.
So, it’s bye to the beehive after my short, but memorable stay! I’m so grateful for having had this opportunity and I would thoroughly recommend anyone who has the chance to work with Fat Beehive and/or the Change100 programme.
Find out more about Fat Beehive’s partnership with Change100 and how you can become a disability confident employer.
