Meet Moesha and Ellie: Our Social Value Interns
As part of Entrepreneurial Scotland’s Saltire Scholars Programme, we recruited Moesha Chhabria and Ellie Griffith to join us for a 12 week internship in Social Value. Here’s what they had to say about their time with us:
Can you tell me a little bit about what you’ve been up to for the last few months of your internship?
Moesha: I began by first understanding what social value actually means and how the Morris & Spottiswood Group conduct their own social value activities. I then spent time reviewing the updated Social Value Model and comparing it with our social value ambitions and outcomes to better understand where there were opportunities to grow. I also looked at how both the private and public sector compare in their expectations of social value delivery.
Ellie: Throughout my internship, I looked at how social value is defined, measured, and implemented. I primarily focused on Scotland, and in particular Glasgow, where I developed some project proposals and partnership recommendations based on local research and regional strategic needs.
What attracted you to applying for a Social Value internship at the Morris & Spottiswood Group?
Moesha: Firstly, I saw it was a research-based internship and that is something I enjoy doing. Secondly, it was for social value and that was a new concept to me, so that also excited me because I didn’t know much about social value in general. I wanted to understand how social value works in the construction industry.
Ellie: I was initially drawn to the internship because I felt it tied in well with work that I had done previously with Citizens Advice. But I also thought the kind of skills I could pick up from a social value internship would be good for the career I want to have in the future.
What has been a particular highlight of the internship for you?
Moesha: My first highlight was learning about how much companies like the Morris & Spottiswood Group are already doing within the social value space. Another was the Centenary Challenge project that I worked on which was a Group challenge for employees to raise money for charity by completing 100 miles. It was really fun to co-lead a project and see how many people wanted to get involved.
Ellie: A particular highlight of the internship has been the independence I’ve been granted over the course of the past three months. I also really liked the structure of the internship. I liked that it started with an introduction to social value, moved into working on specific projects and then led into finishing with one big, final report. I felt like it was really well structured and gave me a well-rounded understanding of social value in practice.
In your own words, what does real Social Value mean to you?
Moesha: To me, it’s about creating positive change in people, communities and environment, such as coaching someone to get their new job or a community having better resources. Crucially, it’s not just about quantity but also the quality of resources and jobs that are provided. It’s about actually caring for people and listening to communities around what they want and need.
Ellie: To me, real social value involves delivering projects and forming partnerships that are shaped by the needs of the people or the organisations that are being supported. It’s about long term practical outcomes like job creation, skills development and environmental benefits. I think the most effective social value is achieved by working with the charity, cohort or different local groups to understand what their own priorities are. I also think it should be long lasting and should make a measurable change that you can actually see.
Why do you think it’s important for businesses to make sure they take a socially responsible approach to their operations?
Moesha: It’s important because businesses can have multiple effects on communities and people. Having those strong connections with local communities is always helpful because every day so many people face so many hardships. If a business is socially responsible to help elevate those hardships, such as providing jobs to local people, it builds a lot of trust and a positive reputation within communities.
Ellie: I think it’s important because it supports being ethical, but also business success. A lot of clients and the government require companies to demonstrate social value when bidding for contracts now, and so it’s a key factor for winning tenders. But it also builds trust with clients, communities and different stakeholders contributing to business growth long term. But above all of that, I feel it’s the right thing to do.
And finally, what advice would you give to someone wanting to start a career in Social Value?
Moesha: Always be curious and open-minded about what social value is because it can evolve. Because it touches so many areas like environment, people, communities and supply chains, many don’t realise how vast it actually is. It’s important to read and research more about it, but also try to volunteer and join community projects so you can learn practically too.
Ellie: It’s important to be ready to learn because there’s a lot to take in, especially in terms of the models. It’s also important to have creative thinking skills, to find solutions and to come up with different proposals.