Situation
One of the important points of the student's assignment is the ability to scan trends and developments in sports and physical activity.

This is a crucial part of the task to be able to move towards the future. The student has agreed with the manager that she will be included in important discussions, and if the assignment goes well, there may be opportunities to further network. Networking components include the interviews and conversations the student will conduct, partly to gain knowledge for the assignment, but also to expand her network due to the student's interests. Additionally, there will be weekly meetings with employees to promote co-creation within the organisation.

Tasks

Tasks

Execution Phase

·       Conversations ·       Co-creation with employees FC Groningen ·       LinkedIn ·       Visiting new places and stadiums ·       Congresses and Symposia ·       Networking with employees FC Groningen

Research & Development Phase

·       Interviews ·       Visiting new places and stadiums ·       Congresses and Symposia

 

Action

During the internship, one of the important aspects was getting to know the organisation, not just within the foundation but throughout FC Groningen. Because the student started the internship later due to EASM, it was a bit uncomfortable in the first week since the introduction and acquaintance had already taken place. Fortunately, the student received a lot of help from fellow students and was able to have a good introduction to the organisation this way. One of the first moments the student got to know colleagues was during the TAEP camp in Winsum. It was a great opportunity to make first contact and get to know the employees a little better before the internship started. The student had weekly meetings with the manager and policy advisor, allowing the student to work on co-creation within the organisation.

In addition to the conversations within the organisation, the student was able to network a lot during the various congresses and symposia attended. The student took action by looking in advance at which speakers would be present and what the target audience of the congress is, so that an idea could be formed in advance about different parties that the student could approach. This was also an advice from the manager, who handles these types of situations in the same way. Further reflection on this is discussed in chapter 5.

Interviews are also a major part of the student's professional development during the internship. The student conducted interviews with multiple parties, from all persons of the board to knowledge experts in the field of CSR and football. These interviews were all conducted between September 2022 and March 2023.

Result

One thing that stood out to the student during the conversations in the first period is that many of the employees were really open to sharing knowledge and helping the student in their development. This allowed the student to gain knowledge about multiple points within the organisation, which led to the student feeling comfortable within the organisation quickly and being able to ask for help when needed. The result of attending the congresses and symposia was mainly that the student's network grew at a very rapid pace, and as a result, the student was able to make many connections that were useful in the later part of the internship.

The result of the interviews was that conversations with all the board members gave insight into what they find important and what areas still need attention within the organisation. The conversations also ensured that the board members were aware of the developments and felt that they were being taken along in the process of the policy plan. Additionally, this was an opportunity for the student to get to know the board members personally and understand where certain needs lie.

The interviews with the knowledge experts helped the student to get an idea of the developments within CSR and football, and also contributed to the awareness of the impact football has on society. Through the conversations with different knowledge experts, the student gained insight into how certain organisations operate and how there are many differences in approach to work and the tasks that come with it. While one person was very aware of the things they wanted to achieve, another person was mainly focused on the present moment and performing tasks. This is also something that the student has noticed within FC Groningen.

Reflection

Looking back on all the conversations and interviews, the student has mainly grown in approaching people and leading the conversation. At the beginning of the internship, the student was already capable of holding conversations, but because of the extensive experience gained from these interviews, it has become easier. In addition, a lot of knowledge was gained during the internship, which made conducting in-depth interviews easier because the student had a certain level of knowledge that could be used to elevate the conversations to a higher level. This was noticeable in the student's confidence during the interviews, which was particularly evident when listening back to them. One area where the student can still develop, which was also mentioned in the manager's feedback, is the need to be more objective during conversations and interviews. Sometimes the student already has a certain image in mind due to the prior knowledge acquired, making the conversation less objective. The student is grateful for this feedback and will try to apply it in future conversations by occasionally doing less preparation.

In addition to this point, the student also received feedback that she could make more use of the network she has built, and occasionally let others know what has been achieved or not. The student listened to this feedback and has made two posts on LinkedIn in the past period. The student was surprised by the responses that came in, and it was also a moment of realization that the network has grown tremendously over the past year. In the future, the student will make more use of it, but in a thoughtful manner.