Thoughts from an intern: Rhea's experience with TTI

Rhea Tzallas writes: “In September 2021, I started working as a general intern at Trauma Treatment International. As a recent graduate pursuing a career that will help drive social change, I was seeking insight into the charity sector.

“As a small but growing charity, TTI was an ideal setting to be exposed to the runnings of a not-for-profit organisation and be given responsibility right from day one. I was inspired by TTI’s mission of developing best practice trauma treatment around the world and especially providing support to the people who work with trauma victims; something that is so necessary yet is not robustly in place. Learning about trauma and being a part of meetings with expert psychologists was fascinating.

”Witnessing the passion behind TTI and working with the experts who recognise the need for its work was highly motivating. The team was very supportive, especially the CEO Quen who mentored me, offering to help whenever I asked but also trusting me to take important decisions independently. A favourite part of my internship was the variety of tasks which included curating a CRM database, partnership mapping and organising the Trustee Strategy Day.

”Creating a database to record TTI’s customer relationships and communication was something new to me, which I found hugely rewarding once I had developed it. It was the first project I completed and I remember presenting it to the team and feeling very encouraged for other projects.

“Researching potential partners was a great exercise where I was able to identify where TTI fits within the scope of charities working around organised violence and mental health organisations. I learnt how partnerships between organisations work and the interactions between funders. This activity was also really important to help navigate the thousands of organisations and determine which ones would be best to partner with, also confirming the uniqueness of TTI.

“Organising an event was really exciting and I liked having a concrete goal in mind, which proved to be very fulfilling once it was delivered successfully. Liaising with the trustees and associates, who are from a multitude of experienced backgrounds, was a great opportunity to learn more about how TTI’s work positively impacts all corners of society. The process of bringing everyone together to discuss deciding factors about the future of TTI felt like a great achievement.

“As an intern, the weekly meetings were really helpful in staying up to date with my own tasks but I also really appreciated the updates from the charity as a whole, to conceive the bigger picture of where the charity was heading. The communication between everyone was something I admired; the meetings were a space of open discussion and respect whilst talking about really important and diverse issues.

“TTI is a tremendous organisation run by the most committed and knowledgeable team. I truly believe it was an honour to be a part of TTI’s internship opportunity where I learnt so much for my first professional experience.”

TTI CEO Quen Geuter adds: “Rhea’s enthusiasm, initiative and organisational skills made her a wonderful intern, and she showed a maturity beyond her years. She is an excellent example of how interns can have a hugely positive impact on a charity like Trauma Treatment International, and we’re delighted that she had such a good experience with us.”