Dream big, work hard, volunteer, and get involved

OBV intern Natalie Simon (pictured) writes about her time with the organisation and the experiences which have shaped her new career direction.

It’s been an honour and a privilege to have been involved, and to see firsthand the incredible work that Operation Black Vote has being doing; especially in the areas of political education and the promotion of equality and human right issues. I have always looked enthusiastically at OBVs remarkable work over the years and it’s for this reason that I decided to apply to intern with them.

Being a qualified Travel Consultant for nearly 18 years, I knew I wanted more. I desired and craved a voice and wanted to make that real different, not just in my life, but in the lives of others. My career change was somewhat scary and I can recall numerous people saying that I would not see my Politics degree through. However, I have recently graduated from university and now I have just completed part of my Masters in International Relations.

My career change was now taking shape, with the prospect to intern at OBV. I must declare that I felt a bit anxious being a mature intern, as the other interns were in their early 20’s. However, I was made to feel very welcome by all the staff. Though my time at OBV was short, I managed to obtain a vast amount of transferable skills; in addition my internship has given me a greater insight into the position of BME individuals in Britain. The ‘Who runs my city’ conference was motivating, as it highlighted the importance of standing up and becoming involved in your community. I found OBV to be very organised, having a prepared timetable highlighting my duties for that week.

The chance to put in words, an actual article about my grandmothers’ experience in London in 1960’s was fantastic, as this history illustrated the types of discrimination that our parents and grandparents had to endure whilst trying to settle into war torn Britain.

Feedback shows that OBV are doing a brilliant job at empowering individuals, via their Magistrate, Councillor and Leadership schemes, and there is no shortage of hopeful applicants. Organisations such as OBV play a major role tackling the inequalities that many BME individuals experience. We should be appreciative of BME organisations and charities such as, OBV and the Black Training and Enterprise Group for their contribution to BME empowerment.

As a result of my internship, I have subsequently found employment with a Conservative Organisation and have had the amazing opportunity to meet with Conservative MPs at the House of Commons. I’m hopeful that in my new position, I too, can make a genuine contribution to the lives of others.

I’m truly thankful to God, my family and my positive friends, as their generous love and support has enabled me to continue to pursue all dreams.

Again, I would like to thank Operation Black Vote, for the opportunity to intern with them. The staff were an inspiration, and well-versed in their areas of expertise. I am positive that OBV will continue empowering and making that real difference in the lives of BME individuals.

Natalie Simon

Image: young volunteers with the Black Volunteer Network