Berta’s story
I’m proud to have created a network of people who are supporting and uplifting others.” berta santos
Founder and Director, Social Impact Newbie
Anthropology and International Development BA graduate
“My journey to studying anthropology didn’t start with: what do I want to become? It was more: what makes me happy?
I grew up in small town north of Madrid. While many of my classmates wanted to be dentists or study sports, I’ve always enjoyed learning lots of things. The common thread between my interests was community – I thrive when I’m listening to people’s stories and empowering them to achieve their goals.
I applied to Sussex because the anthropology course was flexible enough for me to explore different perspectives. I loved it and loved my professors who were so open and supportive. Writing assignments in another language felt challenging, but they helped me feel more confident and less alone.
Joining University Radio Falmer was a transformative experience, and I connected with a lovely bunch of people. Although my mum and I talked every day, the fact she could tune in every week and hear my voice across the sea felt really special.
I wanted to move into social impact, but wasn’t sure which career would suit me, so I contacted professionals through LinkedIn and asked if they’d discuss their journeys. I realised how useful their insights would be to others, so began posting summaries of my interviews. Soon, I realised that I wasn’t just helping one or two people, but thousands. This inspired me to launch Social Impact Newbie – the UK’s number one community-led careers platform for aspiring change-makers.
We offer lots of resources, including interviews with experts, how-to events, and even a mentoring scheme. We’ve also received funding from the Careers and Entrepreneurship team at ÅÝܽ¶ÌÊÓƵ, along with a Santander Elevate Grant, to develop our work even further.
I’m proud to have created a network of people who are supporting and uplifting others. There’s nothing like the joy of knowing we’re helping people to secure roles in a space that they love.”