Looking back at our summer internship programme 2022
This summer, seven university students took part in our EQ internship scheme. The scheme offered the students an opportunity to gain experience of working in three research focused organisations based in the EQ – Centre for Evidence and Impact (CEI), TASO and What Works for Children’s Social Care (WWCSC).
The internship offered primarily research-based roles, however there were also positions in policy, communications, practice and programmes too. Interns at CEI and TASO worked across the whole organisation, while those at WWCSC worked in specific teams.
Below they discuss their intern experience, what they learned and how they found it:
Amaka Dominic-Udeagbaj, CEI intern
‘My time at CEI has gone by so quickly which is always a marker of a good time. It’s been my first experience of an office internship and one that has allowed me to grow professionally whilst exploring personal topics of interest. I’ve learnt about how implementation science operates within the workforce and the variety of tasks that people within such an organisation can take on from drafting protocols for a systematic review to carrying out interviews with young advisors. This has been made possible by an incredibly welcoming workforce who have allowed me the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to their ongoing projects.’
Lydia De’Ath, Programmes team intern, WWCSC
“My time at WWCSC as the Programmes team intern has allowed me to develop my confidence, improve my public speaking, and meet some inspiring and insightful people in the field of children’s social care. I’ve learned that there really is no such thing as a stupid question, and the internship has encouraged me to continue in a similar career when I graduate next year. A huge amount of work and dedication goes into the projects that WWCSC are involved in, and it’s been great to be able to play even a small part in some of these.”
Maiya Hext, Policy and Communications team intern, WWCSC
“The last six weeks has widened my understanding of policy and public affairs functions, and the role of strategic communications. My time at WWCSC has developed my confidence as I became familiar with working in a professional setting. I’m excited to continue being involved with WWCSC as a Young Advisor, and this internship has given me a greater awareness of the organisation and the care sector.”
Mia Meade, Research team intern, WWCSC
“I’ve enjoyed my time at WWCSC so much. I’ve learned new skills and been able to develop new ones, including report writing, qualitative analysis and data collection. My managers and everyone I worked with were so willing to help but also believed in me and allowed me to work independently and lead on projects. My time here was invaluable, not only for developing research skills, but also for developing confidence and feeling like I contributed to an amazing organisation.”
Amelia Dixon, Practice team intern, WWCSC
“I spent six weeks interning in the Practice team at What Works. The practical experience gained from the internship has been invaluable. I was able to acquire first-hand experience in a professional team environment, working on many different projects where I could help in a variety of roles. This enabled me to learn a variety of new skills, such as carrying out interviews and helping to facilitate events with social workers in the sector. I was also able to engage in a research role, allowing me to feel more comfortable and confident with my qualitative and quantitative analysis. This internship has been a chance for a learning experience in the social work sector and given me a great insight into industry.”
Hannah Rockett, TASO intern:
“My time as an EQ Intern has been such a valuable experience. The team at TASO have made me feel incredibly welcome and have created such a positive and encouraging environment which makes each work day a pleasure. Everyone from the EQ I have met has been very friendly and helpful also.
“On the whole, the work that the EQ does is very important and it is a rewarding feeling to be a part of TASO knowing the potential contributions I could make to causes I feel strongly about. I feel I am cultivating and advancing my skills as each day passes and I would highly recommend an internship with the EQ!”
LaJane Zarroug, TASO intern:
“Being an intern within the EQ, and specifically with TASO, has been a great opportunity. I have been able to contribute to ongoing projects in areas like mental health and racial equality gaps. Everything I have been involved in has been very topical and interesting as a current student. More generally, I have learnt a lot about Widening Participation within the Higher Education sector alongside different research methods and evidence types. I now feel more comfortable looking at studies with a critical lens. Everyone on the team has been so welcoming and ready to answer any questions I may have. Overall, I’ve had a great time being an intern and would highly recommend it.”
We would like to say a huge thank you to all interns who participated in another successful EQ internship programme. If you’re interested in an internship with EQ, please check out our Twitter account @EvidenceQuarter for updates.