Three organisations have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship program for UWA students.
Melville Cares, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and the Lions Eye Institute were acknowledged at the McCusker Centre for Citizenship End-of-Year Thank You Event and Outstanding Intern Award ceremony, held at The University of Western Australia this week.
Since the internship program began in 2016, more than 650 organisations have partnered with the McCusker Centre for Citizenship, providing students with outstanding opportunities to apply their university studies to projects that benefit the community.
The three organisations recognised this year have collectively hosted almost 100 internships, supporting projects spanning community services, emergency management, research, healthcare and innovation.
Melville Cares has hosted 17 interns through its partnership with the McCusker Centre, with a further two students currently completing their projects this term. Students have contributed to initiatives supporting people living with dementia, improving end-of-life care resources, evaluating community programs and identifying areas of unmet need within the local community.
CEO Maria Davison said the organisation continues to host interns because of the value they bring.
“The students’ willingness to be part of the team, to understand what we’re doing, and their ability to take on information quickly and deliver good outcomes has been impressive,” she said.
Board Chair Andrew Schox said hosting students was also an investment in the future of the aged care and community services sector.
“It’s an investment in supporting our sustainability and highlighting this is a great sector,” he said.
The Lions Eye Institute has provided more than 30 internship opportunities, enabling students to contribute to eye-health research with potential benefits for communities locally, nationally and internationally.
Senior Research Fellow Danka Sampson said working with McCusker interns had been rewarding both for the organisation and the students themselves.
“It is a real pleasure to work with McCusker interns and to see their passion, enthusiasm and dedication to the work they undertake,” she said.
“I particularly enjoy seeing their surprise when they realise that they can contribute to meaningful eye-health research without needing a deep background in human biology or disease.”
The partnership has also created pathways beyond internships, with three former McCusker interns taking up casual research positions at the Institute over the past two years and continuing their contribution to scientific research.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has hosted close to 50 internships in the past three years alone. Students have contributed to projects ranging from app development and data analysis to training resources and marine safety initiatives.
One recent project involved supporting a trial of a mobile phone application designed to improve safe boating by allowing recreational boaters to log their journeys with local Marine Rescue groups.
Mark Eatts, Assistant Director Marine Services, said student contributions had helped strengthen the project.
“UWA students have been pivotal in analysing information gathered from the trial and provided significant analysis and suggestions for improving processes related to the application of the trial,” he said.
Director of the McCusker Centre for Citizenship, Michelle Scott OAM, said host organisations play a critical role in the success of the internship program.
“Our partner organisations provide students with opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in ways that make a meaningful contribution to the community,” she said.
“The growth and impact of the program would not be possible without organisations like Melville Cares, the Lions Eye Institute and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, which generously invest their time, expertise and resources to support student learning and development.”
Since 2016, the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship program has facilitated nearly 6,500 internships, with students contributing more than 650,000 hours to projects benefiting communities throughout Western Australia.
Image caption (L-R): Dr Barbara Goodwin, Professor Guy Littlefair, Judge Denis Reynolds AM, Andrew Schox, The Honourable Malcolm McCusker AC CVO KC CitWA and Professor Tim Colmer.