Staff Spotlight: Eryn

Coming to the end of my undergraduate degree, I knew I wanted to gain some working experience before continuing in education. When I saw an advertisement for an internship at Villiers Park, I read their website and was immediately interested. I felt the organisation’s aim aligned firmly with my own beliefs and experiences, having previously been involved in outreach – both providing and participating in events. I was keen to gain more experience in the non-profit sector, and to professionally apply many of the communication skills I had refined at university. 

I began in this role at the end of June and the team were immediately welcoming and made me feel part of the organisation. In my first week, I met the team and got familiar with my role. As part of both the fundraising and communication branches, I got started with gaining knowledge of Villiers Park and various design and marketing tips. 

In my first week, I hit the ground running by assisting with a funding bid. Though this was my first time doing something like this, I drafted a proposal which was submitted by the end of my second week. I was supported throughout the writing process and was given productive feedback that deepened my understanding of the funding sector. I have really benefitted from speaking to members of the team who have a wealth of knowledge of non-profit organisations, learning more about the industry and exactly how charities gain funding. 

Completing this funding application required me to really get to grips with the story of Villiers Park. Speaking to members of staff and reading numerous impact reports gave me a full picture of why Villiers Park exists, our ethos and how we implement this in the work we do. This came into focus for me when I attended the 2026 Bath University Residential. This three-day trip allowed me to see the work Villiers Park does first hand; I watched as many Future Leaders saw their future become clearer. My role was to capture content of the students and the activities they were doing. As part of this, I spoke to a number of Future Leaders which gave me a great insight into the work that happens on the ground. I heard a huge amount of positive feedback about the residential and the programme in general. Most encouraging to me was the way many young people were speaking enthusiastically and proudly about their achievements and experiences as Future Leaders. 

It was a genuine pleasure to hear so many young people speak passionately about their ambitions and how these have been supported and broadened through learning more about the many potential future pathways open to them. One student testimony stuck with me: I was interviewing a student who told me that university ‘wasn’t really an option that [he] was thinking about’ because, he told me, no one in his immediate family went to university. In a talk on apprenticeships on the second day of the residential this student ‘found out that you can go to university and do an apprenticeship at the same time.’ I saw in real time a student realising that higher education, and social mobility, is possible for them. 

Day to day, my work has been varied and has felt like I have been positively contributing to the work Villiers Park carries out. After the Bath Residential, I had a sizeable amount of content to edit, which is when my training in graphics and the software Canva came in handy. I was also tasked with writing a report of the trip, which allowed me to reflect on my experience as well as that of the students. Towards the end of my internship, I worked on a social media analytics report as well as drafting updates to donors and associated foundations. My work has allowed me to gain in-depth experience of both the fundraising and communications side of working in a charity, both of which I have found to be interesting. My learning has been wholly supported by members of the team, who have been receptive to my questions and have placed a great deal of trust in me to work independently. 

I have really enjoyed and benefitted from my internship with Villiers Park. I have gained experience in the non-profit sector, learning more about how funding and fundraising works. I have also gained an insight into how important it is to communicate the message of a charity, through social media and blog posts. Working in such a supportive and collaborative team has also shown me the importance of co-operation within a team to achieve an aim. The clear direction and encouragement I have had from the whole team at Villiers Park has made my time working here both a pleasure and a great learning opportunity. I have seen how the ethos of Villiers Park, empowerment, seeps into every interaction. Personally, the experience has cemented my interest in working in the non-profit sector and also in outreach. I have found the role rewarding, being part of a team making positive change for an issue important to me. I am grateful to Villiers Park for the opportunity to gain this experience and the support they have given me to make the most of it.