Strategising Fundraising: Reflections of a Summer Intern at Amina

In this blog post, University of Glasgow student Fatima Durrani talks about her experience of completing an internship at Amina MWRC. The paid internship was funded by the Find a Solution programme at the University of Glasgow Careers Service.

The summer of 2023 will always be unforgettable for me. From June to August, I spent exactly one hundred and sixty hours interning as the Fundraising and Donations Intern at Amina MWRC. The internship was an excellent opportunity for me to familiarise myself with the workings of a one-of-a-kind Muslim and BME women’s charity organisation in Glasgow.  The cultural diversity of Glaswegians is an important thread in the colourful patchwork quilt that makes up Glasgow; a city bustling with people from all over the globe. In a city so beautifully diverse and multinational, Amina MWRC provides crucial support services to Muslim and BME women, empowering them one helpline call, one friendship group meeting, and one ESOL class at a time.

My role at Amina focused on developing a sustainable fundraising strategy by conducting a donor research survey. To conduct the survey, I worked directly with the Fundraising Coordinator Nicola Godsal, who was an absolute joy to work with, providing me with ample opportunities to learn from while I shadowed her. Through the survey, we assessed Amina’s future fundraising needs, meeting those through the design of the survey process. As the funding landscape continues to change across the charity sector in Scotland, this role came with the thrilling challenge of developing a sustainable funding strand for Amina, looking beyond regular grant funding to options that include Individual Giving, Corporate Giving, regular donations, and fundraising events. 

This internship was also an incredible opportunity to experience Scottish office culture, and network with leaders in Scottish third-sector charities. Learning through the internship was an invaluable opportunity, and I would highly recommended applying to intern with Amina to fellow students at the University of Glasgow.