Ellie’s work experience with DAA

From day one, everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and a real highlight for me was spending time with the comms team. I joined their weekly catch-up meetings and was struck by how supportive and collaborative they were. Their encouragement really made me feel part of the team, and they were always willing to share their knowledge and experience throughout my internship.

Early in my placement, I had the chance to speak with Matthew Bell, Director of Public Engagement, who shared his career journey and gave me a better sense of how communications plays such a key role in the charity’s success. I also spoke with Chief Executive, Greg Allen. What began as a quick chat turned into an impromptu interview, where we discussed leadership, managing organisations of different sizes, and the importance of finding meaning in your work. Both conversations with Matthew and Greg provided valuable insights into leadership and purpose-driven careers.

One particularly memorable day of my internship was attending the launch of IMPACT: The Centre for Post-Collision Research, Innovation and Translation at Buckfast Abbey. I helped with last-minute preparations in the morning and then had the chance to attend the event itself.

It was inspiring to hear about the groundbreaking work the IMPACT team is doing into post-collision treatment and care, and speaking with some of the researchers about their work left me with a real sense of how innovation and collaboration can transform lives.

I also visited the airbase with Jess (Comms team), where Rhiannon (Clinical Operations team) kindly gave us a tour of one of the helicopters, the critical care car, and hangar. Seeing it all up close was a powerful reminder of the tangible, life-saving impact that Devon Air Ambulance makes every day. Later in my internship, I joined Jess and Ginette – also from the Comms team to visit some of Devon Air Ambulance’s charity shops. At the new Tiverton store, I spoke with volunteers about the hard work that goes into running the retail side of the charity. We also explored the two shops in Topsham, including the charity’s vintage and variety store – a small but characterful space full of trinkets and treasures.

Alongside these experiences, I also worked on a research project looking at how Devon Air Ambulance could better engage younger audiences. This involved analysing audience and engagement data, running a pilot study to understand young people’s perceptions of the charity, and carrying out a competitor analysis. At the end of my internship, I presented my findings to the Comms team, which was a rewarding moment to give something back and share ideas the team could build on in the future.

My internship with Devon Air Ambulance was an amazing experience. From meeting inspiring leaders to gaining insight into both the operational and retail sides of the charity, I’ve learned a huge amount about what it takes to run an organisation like Devon Air Ambulance. I’m really grateful to everyone for being so welcoming and for giving me the chance to contribute, it’s an experience I’ll carry forward with me into the future.