Ciara Davey Guerrero

Through my internship with AfCAS, I expected to gain practical experience and confidence in event planning and marketing. I also expected to gain valuable insight into significant community issues such as dementia and senior migrant wellbeing which are targeted by AfCAS’s work.

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I was introduced to AfCAS through the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship program. Through them I was lucky enough to be given an internship role working as a marketing and event planning and promotion intern at AfCAS. I eagerly accepted the position, looking forward to contributing to a great cause and learning new skills. At the end of my time at AfCAS I can say that the experience was extremely rewarding, and I have learned many new skills.

 

I gained a significant amount of skill and knowledge throughout my internship. Having had no prior experience in event planning and marketing, I now have a greater understanding of the process and challenges faced. I am now able to develop event and marketing plans, considering promotion strategies and target audiences. I have learned to create effective marketing and promotion materials such as social media posts, flyers, banners, invitations and similar materials. My technological skills have significantly improved, especially in website design using WIX.  

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A significant highlight for me was being able to collaborate with other interns and employees working on similar projects within the organisation. I felt this collaboration accelerated my learning in an unfamiliar area of marketing and event planning. It also helped spark creativity in approaching tasks. Another highlight for me was being able to work on various successful events hosted by AfCAS and see all the positive feedback from attendees. The fundraising events were especially rewarding to be a part of, and I greatly enjoyed seeing the significant impact of a community brought together.

 

This internship experience has been extremely rewarding. I have not only gained experience, skill and confidence, but also a greater understanding of issues facing senior and CALD communities. I am so grateful for the guidance provided to me by Mary Gurgone, my supervisor and the chairperson of AfCAS. I have learned a great deal from her experience. I greatly enjoyed my time at AfCAS and I wish the team all the best.