Each intern is given a specific role within one of our enterprises. We have positions ranging from Recruitment & Training Manager of Career Interview Coaching, to Marketing Manager of Oxbridge Interviews, to Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Tutoring.

We invite speakers to Oxford to deliver seminars on topics relevant to social enterprise and leadership. Previous training and seminars have included talks on Public Speaking, Marketing and Management. We also organise visits to London to hear prominent speakers.

OxFizz partners with a number of charities to provide Summer Placements for selected interns, to develop and build their experience in another organisation. We have placements at charities including UnLtd (the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs), Royal Geographical Society and Earthwatch.

I studied Mandarin Chinese at Oxford, and prior to working with OxFizz, all my work in the voluntary sector had been concerned with international development and education in China.

I was looking for an unusual and worthwhile extra-curricular activity to take on in my final year, and OxFizz seemed to fit the bill - it was voluntary work, but with an entrepreneurial twist.

I joined the Business team in June 2007, and our first task was to research and obtain funding for the next year. This remained the team's key task over the summer, and was one of the main focuses of our work across the whole year.

In addition, we developed the "Friends of OxFizz" scheme, a networking programme for our mentors and supporters.

We also had the opportunity to organise receptions for our supporters, make a pitch to the Procter and Gamble "Dragons' Lair" competition (where we won the Oxford round and were highly commended in the national final) and conduct a market research focus group exercise.

In addition to our main tasks, all OxFizz interns had the opportunity to attend skills seminars throughout the year, from public speaking to marketing. My personal favourite was a day-long course on positive management, which gave us a basic introduction to managing a team efficiently and constructively.

In summer 2008 I undertook a 6-week placement organised for me by OxFizz at UnLtd, the foundation for social entrepreneurs. Working with the Ventures team, my main role was to conduct an assessment into the advisory and financial support offered to social entrepreneurs working with UnLtd, and offer suggestions as to how this could be improved. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at UnLtd - it was excellent exposure to the grant-making side of social enterprise, and I met many inspiring social entrepreneurs.

I feel that my time with OxFizz has broadened my horizons substantially, by introducing me to the world of social enterprise. I am actively considering a career in the sector as a result of my internship, and I am certain that my experiences with OxFizz will stand me in good stead in the future.

I would definitely recommend the internship programme to anyone interested in the voluntary sector or social enterprise. The skills I developed can be widely applied across all sectors, and I would urge anyone thinking of applying for an OxFizz internship to do so!