Fundraising coordinator — Libby Stainer

Libby used her public relations degree and volunteering opportunities to shape and develop her career in charity fundraising

What experience did you gain?

During my undergraduate course at Robert Gordon University (RGU), I completed a three-month internship at Cornerstone, where I was placed in their fundraising department. This helped me discover an interest in the charity sector.

To build on my skills after graduating, I volunteered in the marketing and communications department of the local charity, Charlie House. I also spent a year working at Barnardo's as a shop assistant. I gained so much confidence through the role, which I found  to be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling.

How relevant is your degree to your charity role?

I studied a linked degree course, which started with two years studying advertising and public relations at North East Scotland College, where I gained an HND. It finished with the completion of a public relations degree at RGU.

Many of the transferable skills I learned during my degree are relevant to fundraising, such as communication, social media, marketing and problem solving.

What type of fundraising activities do you do?

One day I may be visiting a local academy to speak to students about the charity, and the next I'm creating a poster to promote a fundraising event. The life of a fundraiser is a busy one but so fun and exciting too.

Replying to emails may sound like a boring task but the variety of fundraising work makes it interesting. When you receive an email from a fundraiser who wants to hold a Dungeons and Dragons (fantasy tabletop roleplaying game) marathon at their school in aid of your charity, you can't wait to find out more.

What do you enjoy about your job?

Teamwork is a huge aspect of working in a charity and it's made so much easier when you have a passionate team (which I'm very lucky to have) around you. I'm always being inspired by other charities' fundraising campaigns and can't wait to share new ideas with the rest of my team.

What are the challenges in raising money for a charity?

A huge part of fundraising is asking for support, whether that's contacting a company to ask for raffle prizes or asking companies or individuals for money.

There can be quite a bit of rejection, and this can get a little demotivating after a while, so it is important to know how to deal with these rejections and take them as a learning opportunity. 

Any words of advice for someone wanting to work as a charity fundraiser?

If you want to find work in the charity sector but don’t know where to start, I'd highly recommend a volunteering role. For example, I wanted to learn more about marketing, so found a volunteering role that could provide the experience I needed. Charities usually operate in very small teams, which means they're often looking for help and will appreciate a volunteer.

Find out more

• Read all about being a charity fundraiser.
• Take a look at the charity and voluntary sector.