Aimee Mahuru undertook a McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship with the Department of Communities (Communities) in Semester Two, hoping to gain some real-world experience before graduating with her undergraduate degree this year.
“Initially, I didn’t realise the degree to which the internship unit focussed on social justice or think about how the work I would contribute to would actually help people. In the end, I gained a lot more than just work experience and credit towards my degree,” said Aimee, when reflecting on her experience working with Communities Strategic Housing Policy area.
Set to graduate with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Psychology and Human Resource Management, Aimee supported a project which reviewed a public housing policy.
“Previously I had no idea about policy, public housing provision, or even the reasons that people need public housing. I learned about widespread misconceptions held about people who rely on public housing, and that people do not choose to experience homelessness or be victims of family domestic violence, or experience financial hardship due to the functional impact of their disability or age,” Aimee said.
“My project was very person-centred, and I offered a lot of ideas about the future direction of public housing, while also considering cost effective and asset management approaches.”
Communities Project Coordinator Katharine Patterson said Aimee was enthusiastic, picking up concepts and policy skills quickly and demonstrating a genuine interest in work that may have previously been outside of her comfort zone.
“Aimee opted for an internship in strategic housing policy – an area outside her comfort zone,” Katharine said.
“Her project required her to think critically about a complex policy challenge and propose possible policy solutions. She proposed innovative ideas to help solve real-life challenges for vulnerable members of the community.
“The internship gave Aimee an ideal opportunity to gain experience working in government.”
For Aimee, working as part of a supportive team was another highlight of an experience that she recommended for other UWA students.
“The strategic housing policy team was so welcoming and helpful. I felt part of the team and was sad to go at the end of my internship, after spending about 100 hours with them,” Aimee said.
“No other course at university helps students learn about the real world in the ways that this course does. I believe I came out of the internship a better person – it opened my eyes to injustice in the world, and the ways in which things like policy can make a big change.”