To mark Volunteer Week Ellie Cusack talks about giving her time to work in campaigns.
In January 2015 I got back to the UK after a year of volunteering in Mexico. I’m very passionate about the work of charities in the UK and knew I wanted to work in the third sector, but didn’t know exactly what to do or where to begin. A friend showed me the advert for spring internships at Macmillan and it looked like a great opportunity to get some experience in a big national charity, so I applied right away. Next thing I knew, here I was at the UK Head Office in London.
My work has been varied and interesting, mainly assisting in the Cancer: Time to Choose campaign in the run up to the General Election. This covered lots of different aspects of campaigning – through online actions and social media as well as getting out and about with the campaign bus to gain pledges of support from the general public and speaking to parliamentary candidates about the importance of improving cancer care.
One of my favourite parts of the campaign was working with Macmillan staff and volunteers from all over the country, really feeling like part of the green dream team and seeing the incredibly positive response and touching support that Macmillan receives from the public. There’s a palpable sense of pride that unites everybody who gives their time and energy for such a great cause.
The Campaigns team work closely with lots of other teams within Macmillan. This means there have been plenty of opportunities to chat to people about what they do and gauge what areas of work I find most interesting. One of the nicest things about working at Macmillan is that everything is so personal. No one is ever too busy to answer a question or lend a hand, and it’s the unanimous desire to help people affected by cancer that drives every action.
Macmillan’s ambition is to make sure that no one faces cancer alone. What’s so inspirational about this message for me is that it emphasises that no act of compassion is too small. It’s about everyone taking part, in whatever way they can, to show that they care. This really encompasses the great spirit of charity and I feel more strongly than ever that I want to forge a career in the third sector and contribute to an amazing charity like Macmillan.
I’ve learned so much from my time with the Campaigns team, not just about how campaigning works but also how a big national charity operates. The experience has been invaluable and I can’t wait to take the skills I’ve developed forward into my next role.
If you’d like to be the next Campaigns Intern you can find out more details and apply here.
