Praise for Common Purpose micro-internship

I jumped at the opportunity to sign up to the micro-internship with Common Purpose, where we’d get to help a local business with a challenge they are currently facing. I knew I’d be able to gain a lot in terms of broader experience and skills, as well as being able to test my leadership credentials.

The micro-internship was held on campus in November, and was attended by law students from different year groups. Common Purpose introduced the day and got us working together in groups. I got to meet so many people on my course that I’d not met before, and it was refreshing to mix with other year groups. We all learnt a lot from each other.

We had to work in teams, each responding to a brief from a local business. Ours was for Luminate Education Group, who wanted to test our ideas for how to transform the third floor of a building in Leeds City College that currently isn’t in use, to generate extra revenue.

We had only 30 minutes to come up with the ideas, put the presentation together, and present back to the client. Our idea was to hire the floor out as ‘the white space’, a blank canvas where different events could be held, such as fashion catwalk events, art galleries, or local restaurants pop-ups. The two clients from Luminate said our passion really came through when we presented back. 

It gave me confidence, showed I can lead a team effectively, allowed me to network with senior business people from the region, and really helped me with my presentation and communication skills - all vital skills I will need when I become a lawyer.

Thank you to the Law School for making things like this happen for students, and to Common Purpose and Luminate Education Group for the opportunity.

Rachel Dunn, course director of pro bono and employability, who organised the micro-internship, said:

“It was amazing working with Common Purpose on this micro-internship for our students. At the start of the day, the room was so quiet, but by the end there was a buzz in the room. The students very much valued the opportunity to work with other organisations and each other on such exciting challenges. The mix of year groups worked really well, and some good friendships have been made, as well as skills developed that will provide students with essential attributes for their future career!”