UWA student Kush Rathore has contributed 100 hours towards programs that help children living with disabilities build valuable friendships and self-confidence through an internship at the McCusker Centre for Citizenship.
The Biomedical Science, Anatomy and Human Biology student completed his internship at Cahoots, a not-for-profit organisation that offers a range of inclusive activities and camps for people living with disabilities and others that face exceptional challenges.
Kush was drawn to the internship program by a desire to do good in the community.
“I decided to apply for an internship because I wanted to make impact on the wider community outside of UWA. I wanted to push myself outside my comfort zone and experience something that I had not done before,” said Kush.
Kush supported Cahoot’s school holiday day program as a camp leader, where he had to learn how to best communicate with children in the program to make meaningful connections and help them to achieve their personal goals.
“The highlight was watching the participants make friendships for life. The smiles and the sense of self-accomplishment shown by the participants was the most rewarding experience of all,” he said.
“Despite the challenges they faced with communicating and expressing themselves, it was galvanising to see them find new and innovative ways to communicate with each other,” said Kush.
Kush says the internship has helped him develop professional skills such as communication, problem solving and teamwork – as well as showing him the power and patience and persistence.
“I developed my skills through the interactions with the participants at the camps. The camps were highly advantageous because they not only allowed me to develop these skills but apply them right then and there,” said Kush.
Kush recommends the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship program to other UWA students.
“It allows students to get real world experience outside their degree. The internship gave me an opportunity to develop and apply skills that I have acquired throughout the past year and a half at university,” said Kush.
Following the internship, Kush plans to continue volunteering in the community.
“This has been an insightful experience and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to have interned at Cahoots,” he said.