UWA student Matthew Little has completed a “rewarding” internship through the McCusker Centre for Citizenship, contributing 100 hours towards a project with the WA Council of Social Service (WACOSS) that aims to engage and motivate communities to work together to tackle poverty.
Matthew, who is studying an Arts double major in Political Science and International Relations, and Law and Society, undertook internship with WACOSS’s communication and advocacy team, completing in-depth research for WACOSS’s Equity Project.
“The Equity Project’s goal is lifting people out of poverty on a large scale by increasing community compassion and achieving reform around welfare and income policies,” said Matthew.
Matthew’s research explored the structures, funding and strategies used by similar social movements to assist WACOSS and partner organisations in developing their approach to the project.
Matthew said the research he undertook shone a light on the complexity of poverty.
“WACOSS’ work and my research opened my eyes to the full extent of how people can enter poverty and how challenging it is for them to exit it,” he said.
“There are many compounding and interlocking issues that entrench ordinary people into poverty that intersect with a whole array of social issues including racism and sexism,” he said.
Matthew noted that tackling misconceptions around poverty is key to creating change.
“An attitudinal shift towards how we think people land in poverty is needed to evoke compassion and generosity, along with increased investment into the community service sector to streamline the pathway out of entrenched disadvantage.”
Matthew’s internship supervisor, WACOSS Media and Communications Officer, Tim Oliver, said the amount of research and analysis that he completed in his short time at WACOSS was impressive.
“With quite a broad brief, Matthew was able to complete a comprehensive and in-depth research report looking into the efficacy of different issues-based campaigns both within WA and nationally,
“Matthew’s research has been a useful resource for us and has contributed to our ongoing planning around the Equity Project, which we are hoping to launch later this year,” he said.
In addition to honing his professional skills, Matthew said the internship gave him the fulfilment of working on a project that directly benefits the community.
“The feeling of being a part of something bigger than yourself is an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience, knowing that you are helping the people in your community,” said Matthew.
“My internship experience has made me a more socially conscious person who feels ready to engage in their community to help bridge the gap and help others achieve their full potential,” he said.
Matthew recommends UWA’s McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship program to other students.
“It is an incredibly rewarding experience that gives you practical experience which can count as a unit towards your degree, the opportunity to network with industry professionals, and a chance to give back to your community and be part of something bigger than yourself,” he said.