An introduction to the Taylor Bennett Foundation with Sydnee
As I have reached the halfway mark of my internship at Social, I am starting to reflect on the amazing opportunity made accessible to me by the Taylor Bennett Foundation (TBF).
The TBF offers six professional development programmes to increase ethnic representation within the Public Relations and communications industry. The charity exists to remove barriers and biases to entry for BME individuals. It showcases diverse talent, which may have been otherwise ignored, to further its goal of equalling out the playing field in the sector.
Studying History and Politics at university sparked my interest in a career in PR and communications. Identifying social trends and cycles, possessing cultural awareness and keeping up to date with social/political debates are just a few of the many crossovers present in my degree and in the industry.
So, how did I actually find out about the TBF? My friend, who studied Politics, mentioned that she was doing an internship in the summer. This single conversation led me to discovering the Summer Stars Internship Programme.
The application process was straightforward. It was a four-stage process, beginning with a written application to the TBF outlining our areas of interest within PR, from sustainability to consumer.
With a previous interest in sustainability, I applied to Social. I admired their mission of driving positive social change as it demonstrates a culture that places the community at the forefront of their PR practices.
The final stage of the application process was in-person interviews with the Social team, resulting in an internship offer.
Following on from this, the foundation held the Summer Stars Bootcamp to prepare the future interns for the beginning of our careers in PR and communications.
Now I am two months in, the support from the TBF has not stopped. Monthly check-ins with Natasha have fostered an environment where we have received consistent encouragement and reassurance.
The foundation’s goal of increasing BME representation in the PR and communications industry is extremely important. Diversity of people encourages diversity of thought which is vital in producing innovative and creative results.
Sairah’s experience at Social so far
As a fresh graduate, coming into the world of PR and communications was brand new. Despite no prior experience in the sector, I was confident that my love for writing and communicating could be put to great use at Social.
Within my first week, I was getting stuck in with a variety of clients which allowed me to get a feel of what areas of the business I particularly enjoyed, whether that be press releases, public consultations, social media content creation, or competitor analysis.
This also extended to clients, as Social allowed me to get involved in a wide array of projects within housing, built environment, or the public sector.
Knowing I was a keen writer, my line-manager Salma, tasked me with my first ever press release, an incredibly proud moment that I think back to now that I am approaching almost four months at Social.
And it is the company culture that nurtures this growth. My first press release is a moment I will never forget. It also happened to be the day I met our founder, John, for the first time and I told him I had just issued my first ever press release and he said: “When you go home, you print that release off, frame it, and keep it forever.”
And I did exactly that. With four press releases down during my time at Social so far, this moment of introspection allows me to see my growth since I joined, which I can be incredibly proud of.
Social’s values of Courage, Ambition, Pride, and Empathy, are embedded into the company’s culture and create an environment where everyone can share their personal and work successes with the rest of the team.
The supportive environment fostered at Social has been a stand-out for me since I joined as it has encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone and take on tasks completely new to me as I know I will receive support and guidance every step of the way should I need it.
From keeping a personal dictionary to grasp housing sector specific terminology to attending my first ever pitch with the team this week, my internship at Social has been a transformative experience to say the least.
Conclusion
Social’s commitment to taking on two BME interns from the TBF is representative of the company’s Social Promise.
It is the duty and responsibility for the PR and communications industry to reflect and represent, not only their client, but the wider society. Social taking these steps, with the TBF, to diversify the workplace, reflects the needed change across the sector. Highlighting a multitude of voices will ultimately lead to more innovative and effective solutions.
As two young BME women, we are grateful to both the TBF and the PR and comms agencies that they collaborate with, such as Social, to bridge the racial disparity within the sector.