The Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership Scheme has been working with local businesses and charitable organisations through 2020 and 2021 to offer paid, full-time 6-month internships in the Galloway Glens area.
Their second post was a Social Media and Communications internship, shared between two local charities and filled very effectively by Calypso Coulton from the Old Bridge of Urr. As the 6-month internship comes to an end, a bright future and new opportunities beckon for Calypso!
Calypso’s role was to support the social media feeds and website development of the Better Lives Partnership (BLP) and the Castle Douglas Development Forum, both Stewartry-based charities. During her time working with the young people that the Better Lives Partnership support, Calypso came to realise that she had an affinity for this work, as well as for her first loves of filmmaking and communications.
She has now been supported by the Better Lives Partnership to start a Modern Apprenticeship in Youth Work with the Borders College. BLP has sourced additional funding in order to retain Calypso’s half-time hours for them, and they will be her employer while she works towards the MA qualification.
Modern Apprenticeships are focussed on the workplace and students receive remote support from College tutors using digital technology techniques. The Modern Apprenticeship in Youth Work gives students the opportunity to show that they are committed to equipping the young people of today for their future tomorrow.
Calypso has also been offered continuing employment at the Castle Douglas Development Forum to continue her role as Media and Communications Officer there. The internship has allowed both organisations to see the critical value of the Communications role, and both have included it in their business models going forward.
Elizabeth Stansfield, CDDF Trustee, said: “Castle Douglas Development Forum is delighted to be able to offer Calypso a position within our organisation following her highly successful internship.
“Her skills, enthusiasm and positive vibrant energy were all ably demonstrated and developed during the six months and we had no hesitation in offering her a position once the funding had been identified and secured. We would like to thank the Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership for providing the intern program and look forward to further joint ventures”.
Calypso said: “I am delighted to be staying on with both organisations and to be able to continue my work developing their social media and communications. I have had so many opportunities in my role, and I am delighted I will get to see them through to their end. I have been able to learn so much through the internship and have surprised myself in my desire to begin youth work training but I am so excited to be able to develop these skills through my Modern Apprenticeship.”
Carolyn Kennedy, Project Coordinator of the Better Lives Partnership added: “We are delighted to welcome Calypso onto the Team at Better Lives Partnership. During her internship she worked on our Social Media, Communications and Website – spreading the news of our Bridge to Employment (B2E) Programme in a dynamic, vibrant and sensitive way raising awareness of our Programme and autism in general.
“She has formed great relationships with our young people and the Team over the past 6 months and we are pleased that Calypso is, through her permanent post, able to share her digital media skills with our young people. To facilitate this she is completing a Modern Apprenticeship in Youth Work with Borders College. Thanks to the Intern Programme delivered by the Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership we have secured a valuable member to our Team and formed a strong working partnership which we look forward to developing in the future.”
Helen Keron, Education and Community Engagement Officer for the Galloway Glens said: “We couldn’t be more delighted for Calypso as she takes these next steps towards a really meaningful career. We are able to support this internship programme due to our award from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with the intention of giving the young people of the Galloway Glens useful and relevant work experience that brings them a step closer to permanent employment.
“We are so pleased that both Better Lives and CDDF have been able to source external funding to continue Calypso’s employment, and even better that she is getting another qualification along the way. Good work Calypso, and we look forward to hearing how you get on!”