Sowjanya Paradkar, a UWA Master of Business Analytics student, was looking for a way to use her skills and past experience to benefit the community when she applied for a McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship, and was matched with a role assisting Ruah Community Services.
Contributing 100 hours throughout Semester Two, Sowjanya gained a new appreciation for the “incredible impact” not-for-profit organisations have for vulnerable communities, as well as the diverse career options available with community organisations.
“One key project I worked on was the evaluation of the Belmont Safeguarding Families (BSGF) service, which involved analysing program data, assessing performance, and recommending improvements to enhance service delivery. I also contributed to the Mental Health Wellness Project, analysing and assessing data to plan for the most adaptive models to address client needs and supporting with models to continually improve service delivery processes. I also worked on drafting a case for Youth Unmet Needs, focusing on addressing gaps in services for vulnerable groups,” Sowjanya said.
“My internship gave me an appreciation of the complexities of not-for-profit operations, particularly balancing limited resources with the need to maximize impact. It was also a significant learning experience for me understanding the unique needs of vulnerable communities and tailoring strategies to address them.”
While Sowjanya said that seeing the positive impact of her contribution on Ruah’s service delivery was the highlight of the internship, the experience also had clear benefits for a rewarding professional future.
“The internship showed me how easily skills from a different background, like my experience in IT and telecom, can be adapted to support meaningful causes. I learned that there’s room to build on existing skills while developing new ones in a not-for-profit setting, such as decision-making and problem-solving. This experience broadened my perspective on career opportunities and reinforced the value of applying my skills to create social impact.
“Working with Ruah was a transformative experience; it emphasised the importance of empathy, strategic planning, and collaboration. I appreciate the autonomy I had in my work, as well as the support and attention given to my ideas by the organisation.”
Elsie Blay is Executive Manager Services with Ruah and was Sowjanya’s internship supervisor.
“Sowjanya’s internship showed the benefit of having students bringing fresh perspectives to support in the wicked problems we are solving as a sector across WA,” Ms Blay said.
“Sowjanya brought valuable skills and insights, including from her past professional experience, and adapted quickly to understanding the complexities of how we work at Ruah.
“She was able to effectively contribute to projects that demonstrated the importance of data in decision-making, particularly in shaping services to achieve the greatest impact for clients. She quickly became a valued member of the team, with many of the leadership team commenting on her independent approach to problem solving and her ability to use data and analytical thinking to contribute to meaningful outcomes.”
Sowjanya said the internship had been “incredibly positive and enriching”, and she recommended the program for other students.
“This experience boosted my confidence in working independently and handling complex tasks, and the insights I gained about strategic planning and community engagement have broadened my perspective and made me more versatile as a professional. The McCusker Centre program provides a unique opportunity to apply your skills to meaningful projects that create a real impact on the community.”