A place for conversations from the University of Edinburgh community on topics around social responsibility and sustainability.
Empowering Communities through my SRS Internship
As my time as an intern in the Social Impact Unit of the Department of Social Responsibility and Sustainability (SRS) came to an end, I reflected on what I learned about social impact, strategy, and community engagement. It was quite the journey, and it felt fitting that my last day coincided with the Meadows community festival – a nod to where it all began.
What is social impact and why does it matter for a university?
Social impact is essentially about understanding how an organisation affects the communities it serves. It’s about ensuring that the influence it wields creates positive change while minimising unintended consequences. For me, it’s clear that social impact isn’t just a box to tick; it’s the cornerstone of meaningful progress and can bring amazing benefits to communities. The University already does a lot to support social impact including providing community grants, allowing community groups to use University spaces for free, outreach in local schools, and much more. The Community Plan aims to capture this work, encompassing everything from community grants, to supporting local events like the Meadows festival.
What role did I play in all of this?
Well, as an intern, I’ve had my hands full with a variety of work to support social and community impact. My tasks revolved around two main projects: refreshing the Community Plan and gathering data for our annual reports. This involved everything from chatting with festival-goers at the Meadows, to sitting down with staff across the University to understand their contributions, to facilitating student consultation events (with free pizza of course!). From designing surveys, to assessing the financial implications of projects, every task has provided valuable insights into the University’s impact on diverse communities across the City region, and how the University should be measuring its contributions.
I really enjoyed speaking to a wide range of people about the social impact of their work, and their ideas for the future of social impact at the University. This variety of perspectives has given us a rich basis for improving and expanding the University’s next Community Plan.
And how did I find it?
In all honesty, it’s been a blast. Working alongside a supportive team, diving into data, and collaborating with colleagues from across the University has been an enriching experience. Knowing that my efforts have contributed, even in a small way, to improving the University’s social impact has been incredibly rewarding.
Something I didn’t expect to gain from this internship was a rich understanding of the range of community activity happening across Edinburgh and the surrounding areas. I have learned about fantastic initiatives that are delivered by and for the community, that University has been able to support through grants and partnerships, such as The Welcoming Association, and The School Bank West Lothian. This has inspired me to get involved with the community I live in, and so I began volunteering in my personal time.
As I bid farewell to this chapter, I am grateful for the opportunities and the lasting impact our collective efforts have had on local communities. I look forward to seeing what amazing work the next Community Plan will capture and how the University continues to deliver great benefits to the local area.
Related Links
Recent comments