With 2017 intern application deadlines just around the corner, we’ve asked Georgina our first Education & Outreach Assistant of 2016 to give you the low-down on what it really means to accept the role. We asked her to be frank. See what you think…
Working with Sea Watch Foundation has genuinely been one of the best experiences of my life.
I applied for my position at Sea Watch in Dec 2015 and applied with a sense that it wouldn’t come to anything. An interview and a job offer later and I was facing a totally different year than I had set out with in mind on January 1st. I then was able to pause my full time paid job in Education and spend 4 months in New Quay, with a group of amazing people. This was a massive decision for me as my boyfriend (now fiancé) and I were in the process of buying our first ever house.
I was worried about how’d I’d cope with the unpaid aspect of the internship. Although this is something that is inevitable with such an amazing position. I mean why would a charity pay people when so many people want to do it for nothing? What helped me was that every intern in the house who seeked a job in New Quay was able to get one, myself included. I was able to work as many hours as I could give in a local pub.
1st Period Interns! Photo by: Gisele Nieman
Now the actual role with Sea Watch Foundation was a lot more than I ever imagined, although the description on the website is not inaccurate. I did a lot of admin work. Counting donations, organising and maintaining merchandise and stock, writing emails, website maintenance and more… although I’m a bit weird and like that kind of stuff anyway. I also did the fun stuff; organising activities for children, designing promotional and educational materials, talking to holiday makers about how amazing dolphins are, face painting, organising and running my own events and then also the scientific data collection.
Now on top of this, my time with Sea Watch foundation co-incided with National Whale and Dolphin Watch (NWDW) week. This is Sea Watch Foundation’s week for an extra push from everyone to get more people involved, heightening public awareness, collecting more donations and more data collection!
Our very own selfie frame Photo by: Kathy James
Whale Oylmpics part of NWDW Photo by: Kathy James
Sausage sizzle to raise funds. Photo by: Kathy James
Our stand on the pier. Photo by: Kathy James
Me dressed as a ……? Photo by: Kathy James
On a survey Photo By: Georgina Davies
On a Survey. Photo by: Georgina Davies
This does sound and look like a massive amount of work to do, and I won’t lie, it is. My first few weeks at Sea Watch Foundation were so overwhelming. However, every week one of the interns was rota’d to be my assistant and help me get through everything and after a while you get into your own swing of things. Also, the staff at Sea Watch Foundation are so supportive and helped me massively.
Sea Watch offers loads of positions for Internships, and I can say with confidence that everyone of us loved our summer.
My time in New Quay was challenging, exciting, exhausting, humbling and most of all unforgettable.
If you fancy putting yourself in for the opportunity that I was lucky enough to have, then have a look at the Internships being advertised now: http://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/internships/
My only advice is apply for as much time as you can. My only regret is not being able to stay for longer.
By Georgina Davies, Sea Watch Education and Outreach Assistant summer 2016.
