Hi Everyone,
My name is Jayne and this is my first PR393 blog.
At the end of last semester I applied for the position of ‘Events Assistant’ at the Rottnest Channel Swim Association. The position was advertised as a part time position, helping to facilitate and organise the 2013 HBF Rottnest Channel Swim. As I have always been passionate about the events industry I thought this would be amazing opportunity. After a telephone interview and two in person interviews I was offered the position. I was so excited; this is exactly what I was after!
I was aware of the fact this semester I would need to complete my PR 393 placement, I was slightly unsure as to how this would go as I was more in an event role rather than a PR position. However, once I was granted through university permission to complete my placement through my position at the Rottnest Channel Swim Association (RCSA), I quickly realised there were so many more aspects to PR and Events than I had first initially thought.
My time so far at the RCSA has been such a learning curve. I have been lucky enough to be involved in a variety of roles I would have only ever dreamed I would have had the chance to do if I was in a placement in any other organisation. The RCSA is a small not for profit organisation made up of only two staff members, the Executive Officer – Stacey and myself as the Event Assistant. This small office environment provides me with the opportunity to wear so many different ‘hats’ and learn so many different aspects of both Public Relations, Events and Marketing.
The RCSA not only works all year to prepare for the HBF Rottnest Channel Swim which is held in February each year, but it is also an association made up of a board and a membership base. Individuals are granted membership of five years when they successfully complete a solo crossing from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island.
I have always been told at University about how challenging working in a not for profit organisation is, and I never really understood or had firsthand knowledge until now. We rely so heavily on sponsorship as well as the community and swimmers support. During the planning stages of our event and various functions that are held in the lead up to the swim such as our AGM and Swimmers Seminar, it was imperative that we sourced out the most beneficial quotes. This means sourcing a variety of suppliers for all our requirements - working to budget is extremely important!
I am so grateful for the networking opportunities that my position has opened up for me, I am liaising with Marketing Managers and Public Relations staff at some of the large corporations around Perth and the ability to network is something that I aim to continue to develop and improve on as my position evolves. The use of networking site LinkedIn has become something I rely on heavily, as it provides the opportunity to connect with individuals in similar positions around Perth. You never know when you may run into these individuals down the path in your career…
I look forward to posting about my experiences so far and the events and functions I have had the opportunity to coordinate, as well as aspects of my position I find most exciting! And most importantly what I learn and the experiences I have in assisting to organise the largest open water swim in the world!
Regards, Jayne.
3 comments:
Jayne,
Your internship sounds like so much fun. I worked at a small, not for profit organisation before starting a different internship at Curtin. The difference in events management is incredible in terms of budget. I absolutely relate to what you've said, and I had no idea how hard it would be to get things done at a not for profit organisation, due to the smaller budgets. It makes every day tasks a bit harder, but so much more rewarding, when you're doing it for a good cause. I hope you've enjoyed your internship.
Hi Jayne,
Sounds like an awesome organisation to be interning with.
The budget aspect you mentioned reminds me how different not-for-profit is to consultancy. I was doing my internship at an agency where the only budget was the clients, which was usually quite workable. I can imagine how challenging it would be to have to rely on sponsorship and the community. It certainly makes me realise how important the theory of planning and budgeting we learnt at uni is! Hope you enjoy the rest of your internship.
Carrie Burns
Hi Jayne,
Congratulations on your success!
I too completed my work experience at a not for profit organisation, I completely understand where you’re coming from with the difficulties and restrictions these organisations face. The organisation I did my placement at is run by three people, so on top of financial restrictions they have time restrictions.
But I think the fact that the work you do contributes towards some greater good outweighs the restrictions.
My placement also gave me experience over a wide range of tasks , beyond just PR (e.g. making soup, haha). Maybe it’s the nature of small not for profit organisations, that you are going to end up helping where you are needed not just in your speciality. I guess it keeps things exciting!
Amy Taylor
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