SCAF SUMMER INTERNS 2024

During the summer of 2024, SCAF opened up its team to two graduate interns to work alongside Jane and Sue to begin a broadening of SCAF’s team. The internship program, in partnership with York St John University was intended to provide a paid summer internship program for a graduating student to come and work with SCAF for a few months over the summer. This was adjusted after the interviews to include two students in the program, allowing for both a Fine Art Graduate and a Sociology Graduate to come on board and work in partnership within the team. 

Our partnership with York St John last year was an excellent opportunity in beginning an ongoing effort to engage students in the projects and opportunities within our organisation. Creating this link with York St John has been invaluable in working towards expanding SCAF and informing a wider network of individuals in our creative community.

In fact this first round of internships was so successful, SCAF has chosen to continue the yearly internship programs going forwards. Also expanding our connections to the university of York this year too. 

With this in mind we are looking forwards to our upcoming internships commencing and wanted to share a little bit more detail with you all about how the process went last year!

Sue Armstrong, SCAF's Artistic Director

I see the summer intern programme as a win; win for both interns and employer. Introducing graduates to the workplace and offering a stepping stone between University and full time employment is an important role for us as a charity. 

The interns were a brilliant injection of energy and creative thinking that have helped our organisation to grow and innovate.

Organisations such as ours thrive when engaging with brilliant creative people. Offering opportunities to interns keeps us dynamic whilst supporting emerging talent.

It is great for SCAF to collaborate with both of York’s great Universities in their joint quests to ensure that degree level education is relevant to the workplace and equipping students with skill sets beyond their core subjects.

Amelia Pethullis, Graduate Intern - Q&A

What attracted you to SCAF’s graduate internship?

I found SCAF’s internship whilst searching for summer opportunities after my final year studying Fine Art at York St John University. Being a creative graduate pursuing freelance work comes with quite an overwhelming sense of panic, so when I was able to find internships offered through York St John for my summer I felt a huge sense of relief. SCAF’s summer internship was especially attractive to me in that the organization is centred around the promotion of arts benefits to wellbeing and creating a platform for emerging artists. This was something that both inspired me and drew me in to the prospect of working with SCAF.

How did you find working with the team?

Working with the team at SCAF, including my fellow intern Alicia, was an inspiring and productive experience from start to finish. Gaining insight into the running of SCAF and taking professional advice from Sue and Jane gave me such a boost in confidence and motivation to continue my career as a freelance creative going forwards. Equally, working with Alicia allowed me to work collaboratively with a graduate whose degree subject was different from mine. Her perspectives and knowledge from a sociology perspective were invaluable when approaching the development of major projects like the Emerging Journeys Exhibition.

What were your main responsibilities during the project? 

During the duration of my internship with SCAF we worked as a team to delegate tasks depending on our skills, and as I have experience in social media and marketing design I took on this portion of the work. In doing so I worked towards developing a general rebranding of SCAF’s assets, followed by a website rebuild and eventually a series of marketing campaigns. 

What did you find most enjoyable or rewarding during the internship? 

Working with SCAF was made so enjoyable by the small yet incredible team that I worked alongside. Both Sue and Jane provided such a warm and encouraging setting to work in, I felt inspired by their passion and championed by their confidence in me. Equally, working with the EAA finalists and their work was such a privilege that inspired me in both my professional work and also my own artistic practice.

Do you feel the internship was beneficial to your professional development?

The internship helped me develop confidence as a graduate to work as a freelance creative going forwards in my career by proving to me that I was able to uphold multiple projects while simultaneously pursuing higher education (the start of my MFA) and other freelance roles. It also taught me allot about how artists can benefit from charities such as SCAF, something that I am sure I will imbed in my own artistic practice going forwards - the importance of reaching out so to speak. 

What were your next steps after the internship / what are you doing now? 

After the internship with SCAF they offered me a freelance contract to continue working with them going forwards. Alongside my role with SCAF I am undertaking a postgraduate degree in Fine Art and working as a freelancer with other charitable organisations in York both as a marketing designer/social media manager, and a workshop lead / teacher. After finishing my degree I intend to work full time as a freelance creative, focussing on projects that champion art as a tool for change in and around York. 

Alicia Doré, Graduate Intern - Q&A

What attracted you to SCAF's graduate internship?

I was really keen to gain experience in a marketing-focused role, but I knew I wanted that experience to be rooted in a meaningful context, specifically within the charity sector. The opportunity to work with a small arts-based charity like SCAF really stood out to me because it combined creativity with community impact. I was excited by the chance to contribute to real projects and to be part of an organisation that supports emerging artists and uses art as a tool for social good.

How did you find working with the team?

It was amazing! From my very first interview, Sue and Jane were incredibly warm and welcoming.

Throughout the internship, I felt truly valued and respected as part of the team. Our working relationship was collaborative and supportive, there was a real sense of trust and openness. I was always encouraged to put forward my own ideas and take initiative, and it meant a lot to have those ideas met with enthusiasm. It made the whole experience feel really empowering.

What were your main responsibilities during the project?

One of my main projects was helping to develop the new Emerging Journeys exhibition at SCAF. This involved revisiting and interviewing previous finalists of the Emerging Artist Awards to explore where their journeys had taken them since their original involvement. These interviews were then curated and displayed as part of the exhibition, helping to tell a story of progression and artistic growth. I also supported fundraising efforts for SCAF's Living Landscape project, researching and identifying potential sources of funding to help sustain and grow the initiative.

What did you find most enjoyable or rewarding during the internship?

One of the most rewarding moments for me was seeing the quotes from the artist interviews I had conducted displayed throughout the Emerging Journeys exhibition. It was powerful to see how those stories were woven into the exhibition experience and how they resonated with visitors. It felt like such a meaningful way to bring the voices of the artists to life and to celebrate their development.

Do you feel the internship was beneficial to your professional development?

Absolutely. I gained invaluable experience and built relationships with inspiring people, many of whom I'm still in touch with. The internship deepened my understanding of the arts and their role in social impact, which was especially interesting to me as a sociology graduate. It gave me a clearer idea of the kind of work I find fulfilling and helped me grow in confidence in a professional setting.

What were your next steps after the internship / what are you doing now?

Since completing the internship, l've taken quite a different turn and I'm now working in the civil service. While it's a shift from the arts and charity sector, it still shares a lot of the same values, particularly the focus on community and public service. That desire to do people-centred work has always been important to me, and my time at SCAF really affirmed that. The experience helped me realise how much I value work that has a meaningful impact, and that's something I've carried with me into my current role.

Moving Forwards

SCAF aims to continue supporting students and recent graduates from by providing opportunities to them in the flourishing stage of their careers. We simply cannot wait to see what our next round of student interns achieve alongside us!