Nick Robbins Bevis and Praise Kowo, two UWA students with different fields of study, brought together their skills, experience and motivation to make a positive contribution through intern roles supporting the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) in Semester One.
Nick is a Bachelor of Arts student majoring in English and Literacy Studies, while Praise is a Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Marketing and Management, but both were drawn to apply for the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship program to gain practical experience while giving back to the community.
“We split our tasks and focused on enhancing donation systems to boost revenue, archiving historical documents that captured 40 years of WAYJO’s history, coordinating events, and assisting in marketing production. Each project gave me a deeper appreciation for the work that goes into sustaining an organisation like WAYJO,” Praise said.
“The highlight for me was working with the incredibly dedicated team at WAYJO. They tirelessly work to provide the most incredible opportunities to all the young musicians and the communities around them.
“Experiencing their commitment led to some of the most rewarding elements of my internship. Watching, listening and experiencing the students finally perform in front of packed audiences in such inspired venues was incredibly fulfilling,” he said.
Nick said that he overcame some initial feelings of ‘imposter syndrome’, having never worked in an environment like WAYJO, to assist with a variety of tasks that took him out of his comfort zone and developed his professional skills.
“What I have learned is the power of small organisations to have a positive impact on their community,” he said.
“WAYJO is run by a really small team but the work that they do is immense, and when you see some of the events and tours and other programs that they organise, it feels like there should be a lot more people behind the scenes - it taught me how a little bit every day ends up having a big impact.
“WAYJO contributes to building a strong and vibrant community. We need cultural and arts organisations like WAYJO to bring life and joy to our local, state, and national community,” Nick said.
Emily Stokoe, Events and Programs Manager with WAYJO, said that interns from the McCusker Centre for Citizenship program could be an asset to any organisation.
“The diverse skills and experience that these interns bring to organisations, especially non-profits run by small teams, is invaluable,” Ms Stokoe said.
“Nick and Praise seamlessly matched my team’s enthusiasm and dedication to our work. We couldn’t find tasks fast enough to keep them busy! As an organisation for young people, it’s of tremendous benefit to the WAYJO community to welcome the fresh perspectives and talents of interns from differing areas of study.
“Nick and Praise certainly left an impression on our team, and we look forward to them visiting us in future.”
Nick and Praise both said they would recommend the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship program for other UWA students.
“The internship opened my eyes to the various ways I can contribute to my community, and also highlighted the immense value of teamwork and dedication. It is a great opportunity for anyone looking to help around their communities,” Praise said.
“It was exciting to step out of my comfort zone and into an unfamiliar experience, and the fact that I could work with a not-for-profit organisation made it more appealing,” said Nick.
“An internship allows you to meet great people and work for a valuable organisation that cares about the community - you will learn a lot more than you would in a classroom.”