Rebecca Lafond

Community and Challenge Events Officer – Rebecca works in the fundraising team and focuses on the community events that Place2Be put on, such as Children’s Mental Health Week, Young Voices and Little Step Out. She joined Place2Be in 2021 as an intern and has since become a permanent staff member.

Rebecca is now a permanent member of our fundraising team after completing Place2Be's Fundraising Internship. Read her internship story and discover how you can follow in her footsteps.

When I came across the Place2Be internship, I wasn’t sure what career path I wanted to take. I knew I wanted a change but wasn’t sure what sector that would be in. After reading the job description for the internship at Place2Be, it felt like a perfect fit for me. The role would allow me to learn and develop skills across the whole of fundraising, giving me an opportunity to figure out what I wanted to pursue afterwards.

During my 6-month internship, I worked across all of Place2Be’s fundraising teams:

• Individual Giving
• Corporate Partnerships
• Community and Challenge Events
• Philanthropy and Special Events
• Trusts and Grants.

Individual Giving was the perfect start to my internship. It gave me time to assimilate into the team, and I could have free reign over ideas. For example, I created a concept for a Facebook ad that I got to see through to completion.

The Corporate Partnerships team gave me many opportunities to interact with the children that we were helping. For example, getting to hear a children’s choir at a school, helping to paint counselling rooms, or my personal favourite - teaching children the basics of trading with a corporate partner.

Working with the Community and Challenge Events team gave me the most interaction with our supporters. I enjoyed seeing what Place2Be meant to people and how it impacted lives. I got to work on lots of projects, including writing copy, designing fundraising packs, and working with volunteers.

I felt like an integral part of the Philanthropy and Special Events team. Being thrown into the Carol Concert meant I had to learn skills quickly and be as efficient as possible. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone by making cold calls to companies asking about equipment and being the person people went to for help. It was nice to see it all come together in the end with such an amazing event.

The Trusts and Grants team gave me the biggest insight into Place2Be. This team feels the most connected to other parts of the organisation, meaning you get to learn all the little details. I liked the opportunity to apply for an actual grant, and it felt like a true achievement when it was accepted.

During my internship, I had weekly one-to-ones with the Director of Fundraising, was introduced to Place2Be’s Chief Executive, and felt so grateful for all of the support I received.

Since finishing the internship, I’ve gone on to be a permanent staff member at Place2Be - joining the Community and Challenge Events team. I feel very lucky to be a part of an organisation that cares about my wellbeing and growth and does such important work with children, families and schools across the UK. This internship sparked a passion for fundraising, and I hope to continue my career in the fundraising sector.

To anyone considering an internship with Place2Be, I’d say go for it. My advice is to be as open as possible as everyone on the team has your best interest at heart. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or try something new. You’ll get much more out of the internship if you’re fully engaged, and it will help you figure out which area of fundraising you enjoy most. Place2Be gave me a safe environment to grow - not just as a fundraiser but as a person - and I now feel much more confident in my abilities going forward.

You can find out more about what it's like to work at Place2Be on our jobs page. If you're interested in our Fundraising Internship, applications are now open.

Apply for our Fundraising Internship