An internship to change Hannah’s life… and Earth’s oceans

Posted on 29 May 2025 • Charity sector, Environment, Jobs, internships and work experience

OU student Hannah talks about how her OU internship led to a full, fulfilling role with Final Straw Foundation, an environmental charity working with businesses and communities to improve ocean health. See Final Straw Foundation current jobs and volunteering opportunities. Read more about environment and development careers, skills and potential employers. Explore work experience and volunteering for how they can help your career, how to find and apply for opportunities, and how to use your experience in CVs and applications.

Hannah’s experience at Final Straw Foundation

I work full time as a Campaigns and Fundraising Officer for Final Straw Foundation (FSF), an environmental charity based on the South Coast of England. I came to this role as an intern in 2022, via The Open University, after speculatively approaching FSF during my first year as an Environmental Science BSc student. I have taken on a plethora of different roles and responsibilities with FSF since, growing my skill set and increasing my confidence in the conservation and charity sectors.

My role is extremely varied, like many roles in the charity sector. My responsibilities include organising and running volunteering events including beach cleans, as well as assisting in the delivery of our Wild Beach School and educational programs. This requires knowledge of the local environment, conservation and environmental issues particularly linked to pollution, flora and fauna, as well as organisational skills and team leadership.

I am also responsible for environmental communications: writing blog posts, articles and newsletters about the latest FSF and environmental news. Being able to translate academic texts into easy to digest blogs and articles is a vital skill for my role.

Working for a charity, fundraising is always important. I use my writing skills to create funding bids, and I am currently working on setting up a legacy giving campaign, a new venture for the charity. My wide range of responsibilities means that no two days are the same for me and I get to spend plenty of time on the beach which I feel very grateful for.

My role is about to change slightly, accounting for an exciting new oyster restoration project for which I will be acting as project manager. I am very excited to use the knowledge I have gained during my time at FSF and my studies so far with the OU to get some more hands-on conservation experience. Although this project is something new to me, I am very lucky to have built such a supportive network during my time at FSF. The collaborative nature of the conservation and charity sector is invaluable to someone in the early years of their career, like me.