Patrik Persson

Passion, positive change, putting people (right carriers) in focus — this is what ran through my mind when I sat down and thought ’what is next?’ as my studies in Estonia were coming to an end in spring 2021. Guided by these keywords, my search for a transition from studying to work brought me to Estonian NGOs and advocacy for the rights and welfare of people-on-the-move. With an almost completed degree in International Relations, and a particular interest in research on migration at large, the chance to join the Estonian Refugee Council for hands-on experience with migration-related issues was a dream come true. Months later, having ended this journey, I have some thoughts to share on what I have done and learned as an ERC intern. It has been a time filled with emotion and hard work, that undoubtedly has equipped me with a tip and trick or two (three, four, five, actually...) about navigating project development, managing grass-root initiatives and, not least, how to approach (and deal with) the politics of migration through the organisation’s day-to-day activity. But first things first; let us start from the very beginning.

How it began

From the moment I stepped through the office doors on day one, I was made part of the team. Amongst the first things we did was to sit down and draft a sort of plan for my internship; what skills do I want to focus on; which aspects are most interesting; what type of tasks have I carried out before and what would be new? We thought out loud, and formed a plan with emphasis on the ERC’s social enterprise Siin & Sääl (Here and There); perfect (!). In connection, I met with colleagues, who I would continue get to know through chats one-on-one, and in-between taking breaks in the office, or together on trips with the team. Point is, and I WRITE IT LOUD, each and every one of them bring incredible expertise – from support services, competence-building in and outside  Estonia,  foreign  aid  projects  and partnerships, to publications, stunning video material and (social) media outreach – learning from members working with all of this (and more) is invaluable. By lending their time and perspective on things, the team allowed for me to get an insight into each ‘leg’ of the organisation, if you will. This also allowed for me to be involved in projects most relevant for the internship we set out to create. On that note, as I wrote earlier, Siin & Sääl became my main priority, and it is a colourful story (also literally speaking).
 
Along with my mentor Anu, I got a glimpse into developing workshops, tweaking ideas and strategies to market them; select items and write product descriptions for t-shirts,
postcards,   foods   and   beverages,   Georgian   Ikorta   jewelry   and   Masterpeace   clothes; promote the e-shop, do social outreach and creating content for social media. Accordingly, I got to read about, and in Tallinn meet many of the people behind language courses, our home-crafted products and hear about new ideas. The list goes on, and does involve a lovely painting project I did with a volunteer, namely painting a display shelf in the signature Siin & Sääl colours (after hours of sandpapering it) – check it out if you pass by the office.

The next step

Since then, I have seen the hours of organisation that go into the endeavours that the ERC undertake and, yet, been made aware of the need to be reflexive in this field; and reactive in light of sudden changes. A particular event that ties my experience together is the Christmas bazaar in December. It required quite a bit of planning, especially due to hosting it completely online. I single out the bazaar precisely because it wrapped many of the qualities I have picked up on during the internship; delegation, design, communication. We shared many laughs trying to figure out little details, and even though at time stressful, with packages going out, and creating a buzz on our media platforms, I think we managed to keep that tradition alive yet another year. As for what’s next this time, I move from an internship to employment with the ERC at the time of writing, a humbling step, with many exciting assignments in store.

A glimpse into the future holds further development of my leadership skills, but also continue being a presence at the office, plan events and keep engaging those around me in social action and volunteering. My goal is to further develop my digital and (creative) management skillset. Taken altogether, I am very happy to say I am active in an organisation that talks with and not  to people   with   migration   and   refugee   background.   Connecting   people,   opening dialogue with political institutions, other civil society actors and private persons, and creating spaces not only for education, but also translating that into action is at the core ofthe ERC, and I am grateful to be part of it.