Meet the Newcomers!

By Tulika Jain, Marketing and Communications Intern

In the second week of July, five newcomers joined the Hope for Children team! Amy joined permanently as the new Fundraising Officer. Charlotte and Katy both joined as Fundraising Assistants and are here on their placement years. The remaining two, me and Sam, are here for six weeks as summer interns. We decided to take advantage of this amazing opportunity and do an interview to showcase Hope for Children from their unique perspectives.

What is your role at Hope for Children?

Amy: I’m the Fundraising Officer and oversee Corporate Fundraising.

Katy & Charlotte: Both of us are Fundraising & Events Assistants and we look after Student Fundraising. A lot of our work involves generally assisting the Fundraising Manager, Vicky.

Sam: I’m a Fundraising Intern. I assist the Fundraising Team and work on how to improve fundraising compared to other charities.

Why Hope for Children?

Amy: I’m able to do my job in an environment where I am truly making a difference in the lives of people all over the world, regardless of who they are or what they do.

Charlotte: Yeah, I totally agree. Because this is a small, focused charity, it’s very easy to see how our everyday work is making a direct impact in the lives of individuals around the world.

Sam: I also think it’s a great place to get experience because while it’s a standard office job, the work I’m doing is vital and important. I’m at a great starting point to work further in this sector.

Katy: Another thing is that because of Hope for Children’s size, we get a lot of responsibility as assistants. So far, we’ve not been left doing menial tasks.

What do you think the biggest challenge is when raising funds for a charity as small as Hope for Children?

Amy:  I believe the main challenge is convincing people to donate to a charity that’s less well known but does as much good as established ones.

Charlotte: Yeah, being directly involved with fundraising, Katy and I have faced difficulty in getting the message out. You dedicate significant time explaining and persuading people when you’re fundraising.

Sam: We must think about how to get our voice out among the sea of similar charities. But I’m sure that a steady progression to gaining a dedicated donor base is possible, and we’re on that path.

What, in your opinion, is the biggest advantage when it comes to working for a charity as small as Hope for Children?

Sam: We have a succinct and clear 3-point focus. When we provide aid, we do so in the necessary diverse areas, while also staying focused on our projects, enabling individual lives to be transformed. We don’t spread ourself too thin over a million different areas but do cover many issues.

Katy:  I totally agree. Besides, because the office and team are so small it’s super easy to access other departments, transfer skills and get things done quickly. Everyone is always helping one another.

Amy: I love the small office where everyone knows each other. I’ve never worked in this kind of environment before. And because of the size of operations, there are significantly less overhead costs, ensuring that the money is going directly to the people in need.

What do you hope to gain from your time here?

Charlotte: Being heavily involved with Student Fundraising as a student at university, I’m excited to see how it works behind the scenes.

Katy: It’s the same for me. I was a Student Fundraiser and I decided to jump into this sector. This is my first job fresh out of uni and I’m sure I’ll gain experiences and skills that’ll last me a lifetime.

Amy: I would really love to visit an actual project in another country and see how what I do every day in the office translates into changing lives. I would also be able to gain a unique and invaluable insight into the countries we work in and truly understand their problems.

Sam: I agree with Katy. While I’m only here for 6 weeks, I look forward to gaining amazing experience. I hope that it’s a two-way process and I make a significant contribution to the charity.

What do you think makes Hope for Children different from other charities in areas such as functionality, impact and its supporters?

Sam: Hope for Children has a good mix of challenges and events for students, children and adults, so anyone who wants to fundraise or get involved with the charity can do so in a fun way.

Amy: Also, we don’t necessarily go for the biggest project or try to tick specific boxes. We give funds and training wherever we’re able to, reaching pockets of children that have fallen through the gaps of administrations and big charities.

How have you enjoyed your time here so far?

Katy: I’ve absolutely loved it. Everyone is working together and helping each other out, it’s a great vibe.

Charlotte: Exactly. I love how everyone is so close.

Sam: I couldn’t have had a better start. I mean, the office decorated my desk with hilarious cardboard cut-outs after I came back from my 3 peaks challenge!

Amy: It’s also amazing to see how passionate everyone is, regardless of the role they play in the charity.