Meet Aurora Intern Lachlan Parkinson

While interning at Common Ground, Lachlan Parkinson published his first poem and formed invaluable connections with fellow First Nations storytellers. Lachlan is a proud Wiradjuri writer and literary scholar. His internship was focused on marketing and creative storytelling.

Lachlan was introduced to the Aurora Internships program by one of his university tutors, as a way to put his learnings from his Master of Arts (Writing & Literature) into action. “My time at Common Ground showed me the other side of the writing career I want to pursue, and taught me valuable marketing and networking skills necessary to excel in the industry. I’d never really considered how important these two skills were and I’m looking forward to working on them.”

Lachlan’s goal is to publish a novel series based on First Nations Dreamtime. He is already on the way there, as Common Ground published his first poem, ‘Call of My Country’, during his internship. We are thrilled for him and look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

To future Aurora Interns, Lachlan recommends: “Ask questions, ask an annoying number of questions. You are in this program to learn, and your internship hosts want to teach you, you just have to ask. This is a safe space to learn directly from experts in real-world industries and companies. Ask as many questions as you can.”

The Aurora Internship Program offers full time internships for 4-6 weeks or part-time equivalents at organisations working to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Aurora supports Indigenous and selected non-Indigenous interns to develop practical skills, gain real-world career experience and build professional networks.

Aurora prioritises supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and graduates to secure funded internships that are relevant to the candidate’s study or career aspirations. Indigenous interns will be provided with a weekly stipend of $900 (pro rata for part-time internships) and up to $3,800 (incl. GST) to cover the cost of travel and accommodation.

Applications for the Aurora Internship Program are now open for Indigenous and non-Indigenous candidates! Click here to apply.