Sarah

I completed an internship with the Youth Mental Health team at Telethon Kids Institute, working on the Walkern Katatdjin: Rainbow Knowledge project. This project is working to create more understanding about the wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ people, and the factors that influence this. During my internship I was able to help the research group prepare an ethics application for the project. This involved reading around the specific application criteria for that specific ethics board, helping collate, and editing the required materials for submission. I also helped proofread and edit a community report and participate in some of the initial planning around the community forum. It was very humbling that the research group invited me to attend the forum even though it was held after my internship had finished. My supervisors also gave me the opportunity to spend time with other members of the group. I was able to learn more about the work that they are doing and more about youth mental health. I have a greater understanding of what is involved in submitting a human research ethics application and how to go about completing the application and collating the supporting materials. I developed more self-confidence while doing my internship and as a result of this feel more assured about entering the workforce once I complete my degree later this year.