Nicole's visit to Danbro and The Media Collective

Last week, I visited the team at Danbro and The Media Collective to get an insight into their world and the fantastic work that they do.

For those of you who may not know already, my name is Nicole and I am currently working at Operation Orphan as an intern for my placement year. I’m a student at Nottingham Trent University and I’m studying BSc Psychology on a mental health pathway. During my time here, I aspire to understand more about the implications surrounding vulnerable children’s mental health and how it can affect their overall well-being. Although I do not work directly with the children, being able to support the charity and listening to the many stories the team hold has definitely deepened my understanding in a practical way.

As a part of my placement year, Operation Orphan also offers visits to their corporate partners to provide further insight into how different businesses operate. Despite having little to no prior knowledge surrounding business, I was intrigued to see if working in a business setting would be something I’d be interested in pursuing in the future.

Firstly, I visited Danbro with Caitlin - it took us 3 hours to arrive at Lytham St Annes from our office which is where they’re based (next to the beautiful seaside!). Operation Orphan was founded, and still functions today on a strong corporate partnership with Danbro, who underwrite 100% of the administrative costs of the charity. Thanks to this incredible relationship, we can confidently guarantee that 100% of doners’ money goes directly into our projects. During my visit, I gained insight into their different departments, the different roles, and how they operate. Interestingly, I learnt that Danbro employ mental health first aiders and trained listeners to protect the well-being of their employees. This was incredibly insightful as I did not register that mental health roles could be directly implemented into a business-related role.

If you would like to learn more about Danbro and their services, please click onto the following button:

I also thoroughly enjoyed my visit to The Media Collective! Me and Emma took a train to Birmingham to meet the team and learn more about their work. TMC deliver high-quality solutions that help schools, colleges, and universities communicate effectively and create inspiring environments for their students and visitors. Thanks to our partnership with TMC, we are able to receive free design and marketing for the entire charity. During my visit, I gained insight into their different departments, the different roles, and how they operate. Interestingly, speaking to Jez helped me realise the importance of understanding your strengths to counter your weaknesses. We were interested in learning how they tackle challenging moments and Jez highlighted how understanding everyone’s strengths and weaknesses has enhanced their work dynamic profoundly. Jez was able to list 5 strengths from the top of his head and explain how his colleagues are able to counter his weaknesses. This helped me understand the importance of understanding your own, alongside your peers’, qualities in order to perform effectively. So, once I got home, I made sure to take the HIGH5 Strengths Test to better understand my work ethic.

If you would like to take the HIGH5 Strengths Test and learn more about your top 5 strengths, please click onto the following button:

Unfortunately, I was not able to take many photos during my visits, however, I did take this 1 photo with the intention to show my mum, haha!

Walking through a lovely, green field which is right next to one of The Media Collective’s building!

If you would like to learn more about The Media Collective and have a look at their amazing work, please click onto the following button:

Overall, it was fascinating to compare the differences between the two businesses. I’ve learnt that mental health roles are not strictly embedded in clinical settings as they can also be incorporated in the business world. I enjoyed both of my visits and definitely learnt valuable lessons. I would also like to further thank The Media Collective for inviting us to their team BBQ - the food was delicious!