Faith Hart and Tashuana Munn recently undertook summer internships with Pingelly Somerset Alliance, facilitated by the McCusker Centre for Citizenship at UWA.
Faith is studying Biomedical Science with majors in Humanities and Health in Medicine and a Minor in Women’s Health, and undertook research for a cottage respite facility, while Tashuana, a Psychology student with a second major in Music and Sound Design, worked on logistics for a Pingelly-based food preparation and delivery service.
Faith said the experience gave her new perspectives on health care in regional WA.
“My research looked at how a cottage respite facility would function under the new Aged Care Act 2024; I am now more likely to be able to work in a regional area to provide those services that are lacking, while the work I have already done through my internship will help local community ‘age in place’,” she said.
Tashuana’s efforts helped to progress work on the meal service project, while she also worked on securing support and funding from suppliers for activities for individuals on government-funded Home Care Packages (HCPs).
“Everyone working out of the Pingelly Community Resource Centre is busy, so my contribution to the meal service project and other activities allowed this work to advance much faster, particularly at a busy time of the year,” Tashuana said.
“The meal service will allow seniors on HCPs to get fresh and locally made meals weekly, putting money back into the local community rather than going with one of the larger commercial suppliers,” she said.
Helen Morton, Coordinator, Staying in Place, said that both students had been outstanding.
“Having Faith and Tash as part of the team was a huge boost - bringing advanced research capabilities, new perspectives, fantastic interpersonal skills, and new policies and procedures related to their respective projects,” Ms Morton said.
"The long-term health and wellbeing of our older residents has greatly benefited from having such competent interns and, at the same time, by immersing the interns into the real lifestyle of our small rural community, they are better able to respond to the needs of people living in these communities in their future professional roles. It is a win-win outcome."
Alongside their contributions to their projects, highlights for the Faith and Tashuana included bingo and mahjong, chatting with locals, and even singing in the community choir for a funeral.
“I was exposed to a tight-knit community that I hadn’t seen in the metro area... I think there is a sense of comradery in regional areas that helped me get out of my shell more than I usually would have,” Faith said.
Image: Tashuana Munn and Faith Hart at the Pingelly Community Resource Centre