Saying goodbye after three fast months

Posted 02 December 2012, 0 comments

By Mubena Abdul-Rahim, Public Affairs Volunteer From our Policy team

Mubena sums up her time at our charity, and her upcoming work with young people and sea turtles in Mexico and Costa Rica.

On my first day volunteering at The Children’s Society, I was part of the charity's presence at UNICEF headquarters, where people from major English children’s charities discussed young people’s rights. It was a very good way to be begin my three months at The Children’s Society.

I volunteered in the charity's policy team for four to five days a week this summer, only a month after I graduated with a history and politics degree. It was a challenge making the move from university to workplace, but an enjoyable challenge. 

Being a public affairs volunteer was a great experience and I got involved in a range of work, such as helping campaign at party conference (see the photograph above) and attending meetings at parliament. 

I supported the events, such as a trafficking roundtable and the launch of the toolkit supporting young carers in families affected by HIV. I have also been able to support the policy team on some interesting reports, enabling me to learn of all the different policy areas. 

Seeing the wide range of The Children's Society's work

The Children’s Society makes a point of ensuring its volunteers get to visit a range of projects. So I visited a series of The Children’s Society’s projects around the country, such as children’s centres, projects working with refugees and asylum seekers and projects working with young people who are running away. 

These visits helped me better understand the practical work of The Children’s Society by introducing me to practitioners. Their work seems never-ending and wide-reaching. 

One of the most worthwhile aspects of the experience has been getting to know the policy team. They are a group of hard-working, passionate people who are all so good at what they do. It is heartening to know that behind the big brand name of a charity, are these tireless individuals who are engrossed in their policy or work areas. 

'On the right track'

After graduating in a time of such uncertainty, working at The Children’s Society has reassured me that I am on the right track. I am going to miss working here but I do have an exciting few months ahead of me.

This month I am heading to Mexico with Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange UK, an international development organisation, where I will work at an orphanage for girls, then in Costa Rica at a sea turtle reserve. I will be blogging during my four months in Central America.

I do, however, hope I get to cross paths with The Children’s Society again.