MercyCare / News / Intern inspired by MercyCare’s mission and values

Intern inspired by MercyCare’s mission and values

Having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Law and Society with a Masters inHuman Rights, 25-year-old Jhanae is currently studying a Juris Doctor at UWA, where she hopes to further develop her passion for social justice and advocating for underprivileged communities.

The McCusker Centre for Citizenship provides students studying at UWA with the opportunity to internship with not-for-profit, community, government and non-government organisations.

For Jhanae, applying for the internship was a no-brainer. 

“The McCusker Centre helps you be an active citizen to facilitate social justice,” she said.

“So they really want you to be apart of something at a deeper level, not just simply volunteer or donating. They want you to actively engage, which is why the internship is so important because you become part of the organisation that you’re interning with.

“I was luckily matched with MercyCare.”

Taking place late last year, the internship saw Jhanae work within MercyCare’s Property and Procurement division, where she met with several people across the organisation to review key policies and procedures.

 “Because it was such a small team, I didn’t understand how much of an impact my job would be in terms of engaging with the community but throughout my time here, I’ve engaged with a lot of different stakeholders,” she said.

“I met with the manager of Early Learning Services and I visited Residential Aged Care Homes, so I kind of look at it as a big puzzle. And even though we’re a little piece of the puzzle, it’s still part of the bigger picture.”

Through the internship, Jhanae also gained an insight into MercyCare’s diverse service areas.

 “Through meeting with the Manger of Multicultural Services, I learnt more about how MercyCare helps new migrants and refugees engage with the community,” she said.

One of her biggest takeaways from the internship was learning more about what drives the people who deliver MercyCare’s services.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned from MercyCare is that you can help the community on such a wide scale and do it well,” she said.

“I think that’s what I’ve enjoyed so much about interning for this organisation, the overarching principles, the mission, the values and just knowing that MercyCare can help the lives of different people and really staying true to that principle that Every Life Matters.

“I’ve also found that one of the biggest drives behind the people who work here is the purpose behind MercyCare, and that’s what I can take the most from this experience, that purpose really drives your motivation to help the community or even get up in the morning knowing you’re going to a place that facilitates social justice or helps the needs of others.”

MercyCare Manager of Property and Procurement Martin Dodge was impressed by Jhanae’s passion and enthusiasm during the internship.

“Jhanae has been a great addition to the team,” he said.

“From day one, Jhanae has been enthusiastic. She has also been proactive in meeting stakeholders and gathering feedback.

“For some people, that can be a little daunting, but Jhanae just got on with it. She has a heart for the vulnerable which is evident in her approach to working with MercyCare.”

Since wrapping up her internship, Jhanae hopes to return to MercyCare and work alongside the Multicultural Services team in Mirrabooka.