Meet the Skill Path interns: Q&A with Maya and Jenn

Recently we have had some new additions to the Skill Path team, with Maya and Jenn joining as program support interns!

So you can learn a little bit more about the faces behind Skill Path we asked them a few questions about what drew them to the organisation, what they do and more!

Jenn (left) and Maya (right) in the office!

What are you studying and what drew you to Skill Path?

Maya: I’m studying a Master of International Relations. I started my Master’s with the goal of crafting a career supporting a multicultural Australia, particularly through deepening support for refugees. Since high school, I’ve volunteered for refugee communities in Brisbane and Melbourne through English teaching programs, classroom support roles, or in-home admin support, but have always felt I lacked a real understanding of the systems that shape this space.

When I came across the work that Skill Path does, it felt like a culmination of everything. It seemed like an organisation that was forging quite a unique path with real impact, from start to finish. So for me, the chance to intern at Skill Parth seemed like an opportunity to blend what I’d learnt volunteering and my passion for community engagement with a practical understanding of how things functioned on a macro-level.

(I had also stalked Steph’s career online and was incredibly inspired!)

Jenn: I’m completing a Masters in Humanitarianism and Development. The work Skill Path is doing directly relates to my Master's studies in forced migration. I also knew that I would learn a lot from the team's extensive experience. I am originally from Uganda, a country that hosts one of the largest populations of refugees on the African continent. My neighbours who used to live across from me were South Sudanese refugees. Their children were able to go to school while their parents ran a fully fledged business.  My interactions with my neighbours gave me better understanding of the experiences of displaced people and how important it is for them to rebuild their lives through education and income generating activities.

After my studies I hope to build a career in the humanitarian sector particularly in areas related to forced migration and refugee support.

What do you hope to achieve during your internship?

Jenn: I hope to learn practical skills in case management and refugee settlement support. I would also like to get better at using digital tools and systems to improve workflows, communication and information management. 

Maya: Broadly speaking, I’d like to better understand how to work in the complementary pathways space. This is ultimately what I’d like to continue to do, but any tertiary studies of migration pathways have been heavily focussed on the government side. As Skill Path is a startup nonprofit with such a diverse and growing array of partners, I think this internship provides invaluable insight in knowing how to navigate the intersection of government bodies, universities, NGOs, and organisational partners.

On a more personal level, I’d love to be involved in a hands-on capacity when the next cohort of refugee students arrive in Australia on the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway (RSSP). My internship role centres on the RSSP, which means I have learnt a great deal about the personal and academic journeys of these amazing students. Meeting them in real life and supporting them once they’ve arrived would be such a privilege.

Maya (left) and Jenn (right)

What is something you have learnt since working with Skill Path?

Jenn: I have learnt how to work efficiently as part of a small team, to take initiative and juggle  multiple tasks.

Maya: An unexpected benefit has been learning the intricacies of the refugee experiences in East Africa. While supporting the RSSP, hearing the stories and understanding the daily lives of the selected students that are living in Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe has given me a perspective of the situation beyond anything I could learn through reading a academic paper.

What would you love people to know about Skill Path?

Maya: I finish every day so in awe of the stories of resilience and strength that the RSSP students have lived and shared. So, while there are countless amazing things about Skill Path as an organisation that I’d love people to know, most of all I just want to tell everyone I meet about how incredible and inspiring these refugee students are.

Jenn: The work that Skill Path does is life-changing. It creates educational opportunities for people who have been forced to flee their homes, helping them rebuild their lives.