Julienne Ramiro
At the end of her 13 week internship at the Association for Culturally Appropriate Services (AfCAS), Mary Gurgone was delighted to receive Julienne's reflections on her AfCAS experience as follows:
What did you expect to achieve with the internship?
I expected to assist a not-for-profit organisation primarily through its digital components by identifying how the AfCAS website could be improved and writing a manual for its continual maintenance. I also anticipated assisting with various marketing tasks like graphics creation and social media management, as well as the opportunity to learn more about the needs of CALD seniors.
How Did You Find the Internship Experience at AfCAS?
I was given the opportunity to be a Website Standardisation Intern at AfCAS through the McCusker Centre for Citizenship unit through UWA.
What were your Learnings from the Internship?
During my internship at the Association for Culturally Appropriate Services (AfCAS), I gained valuable experience in standardising and enhancing the website. I learned to align digital content with organisational policies and community needs, developed a detailed website updating manual, and created online training resources. Utilising WIX, I improved my web design, graphic design, and data visualisation skills. This internship honed my technical and project management skills while teaching me to be creative within the financial and time constraints of the community sector. I also deepened my awareness and understanding of those who work in not-for-profit organisations and all volunteers.
What were Some Highlights of the Experience?
Some highlights from my time with included collaborating with the AfCAS team to create and test a comprehensive manual, which allowed me to get to know my colleagues better through our joint efforts. Devi, Shrutika and Mindrel were all incredibly kind and accommodating with my project, and Mary was a fantastic supervisor whose passion is truly infectious and is always willing to share her wide breadth of knowledge.
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Attending the “Celebrating, Sharing and Supporting Volunteer Visitors” event was another memorable moment, as it provided a wonderful opportunity to hear firsthand about the volunteer visitors' experiences and to connect with them on a personal level, and completing the manual was particularly satisfying, as it not only marked the culmination of our hard work but also felt rewarding to contribute meaningfully to AfCAS's mission.