Rapport personnel : mes études à Londres en commerce (en anglais)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This internship would not have been possible without the support of many people.

I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the people who have been instrumental in the successful completion of this internship.

First and foremost, I would like to thank my manager, Tim Weis for offering me the opportunity to work in his Oxfam shop for 6 weeks. Thanks for his warm welcome and his guidance throughout this work placement.

Then I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Mrs. Huybens who was helpful and offered assistance and guidance for the realization of my internship report.

My thanks and appreciations also go to all the volunteers with whom I spent a really good time and who I will miss so much. . . Devrim, Xavier, Johanna, Harlington, Corrine, Alima, Miloudi, Kittie, Richard, Clément, Laura, Mary, Charlotte, Marion, Chloé, Jocelyne, Sylvia …

Without forgetting my parents who gave me the chance to spend 6 unforgettable and rewarding weeks in such a wonderful city like London.

Justine Stevens 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements 3

Table of contents 4

Introduction 6

Chapter 1: presentation of the country and region 8

United Kingdom 8

London 8

Geography 8

Demography 9

What has struck me the most? What surprised me? 9

Charity shops 9

Multicultural capital 9

Hierarchy 10

Transport 10

Food 11

Night life 11

Shops/opening hours money 11

Leyton 12

Chapter 2: Presentation of the company 13

Oxfam in the world 13

History of Oxfam International 14

Five rights defended by Oxfam 14

The rights to a sustainable livelihood 14

The right to identity and diversity 14

The right to basic social services 14

The right to life and security 14

The right to be heard 14

How does Oxfam act to end poverty? 15

Oxfam Shops 15

Online shops 16

Fundraising 16

Campaigns 16

Advocacy 16

Donations 16

The main concerned sectors 18

Agriculture 18

Peace and security 18

Education 18

Health 19

Fair trade 19

Oxfam shop Drury Lane 20

The shop 20

The volunteers 21

My tasks in the shop 21

Chapter 3: Cultural internship and leisure time 28

Visits 28

Chapter 4: Musicals 32

Conclusion 33

Bibliography 34

Web site 34

Other 34

Appendices 35

Appendix 1: the tube map 35

Appendix 2: Oxfam unwrapped 36

Appendix 3: What is fair trade? 37

Appendix 4: form to be a volunteer 38

Appendix 5: price guide 39

INTRODUCTION

As part of my third and last year in Marketing I had to do an internship in a foreign country to improve my English skills. The aim of this work placement was to use a foreign language learnt at school in a natural environment among the people of the country.

After months of research I was accepted in an Oxfam Shop in London for six weeks  The English dream becomes true: being part of a team of volunteers who want to help end poverty and contribute to Oxfam’s work in such a beautiful city like London, what more can you ask for?

I had the chance to work in an Oxfam shop based in the heart of London - Covent Garden, beating day and night around all of London’s most popular sights.

I wanted to work in an Oxfam shop for several reasons:

First of all I wanted to be part of a highly motivated team of volunteers who want to contribute to Oxfam’s work worldwide.

But also to demonstrate my skills in a working environment: marketing knowledge is essential in any shop.

Moreover, it was also a good way to experience an international working environment including over 10 different nationalities with only one universal language: English. This cultural diversity gave me the opportunity to learn more about people and their way of life, their way of thinking and speaking.

It was also a good environment to practice my English thanks to the welcome of the customers and the conversations with the volunteers.

And obviously: for the gratification of working for a good cause.

I preferred to do my internship in English rather than Dutch because English is an international language more spoken than Dutch. For me English is “the language of communication” because it seems all the people in the world have agreed to use English to talk to each other. You can communicate with people wherever you go. In fact English is spoken in more than 100 countries. It’s

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