Reflections of a Golden Key Intern

The following is a guest blog written by Eloise Robertson

I first learned about the charity Seven Women from CEO and founder Stephanie Woollard as she spoke at the Golden Key Asia-Pacific Conference held in Melbourne, February 2018. Hearing first-hand about Stephanie’s journey in Nepal and learning about the lives of the marginalized Nepali women and the impact Seven Women has, was inspiring and eye-opening.

I appreciate the programs that Seven Women has established to help empower the women through skill development and training and it struck me as a genuine and effective effort to assist others with the aim of a better future. What drew me to this organisation was its humble beginnings spurred by the generosity and ability of one person which then encouraged and touched the hearts of others to contribute. It is an example of how we as individuals are all capable of making a greater impact than I had originally thought possible which is an appealing notion to me.

Intern Eloise and Founder, Steph Woollard, with a signed copy of Stephs book “From a Tin Shed to the United Nations”

I was excited to contribute and lend a helping hand as I accepted my internship in business development. As an arts and humanities student I was glad to be able to use skills that I had developed during my study at university to add value to the organisation. Vital time-management, a keen eye for details, prioritisation, communication and teamwork skills were the solid bases I brought with me to Seven Women which I used to work on various projects.

With employees, interns and volunteers all working together on individual and team projects or tasks, I found efficient communication to be the most important factor for me to be able to add value to the team’s work. I have made my contributions by focusing on pathways for growth and further development for Seven Women and have done my best to produce work with the aim of creating framework that is precise and concise enough that it will be useful to those who follow or continue the goals of Seven Women.

The internship gave me an environment that allowed me to further develop my skills and professionalism, gain an insight into different aspects of an organisation such as marketing and volunteer management and long-term project management, and also gave me a sense of accomplishment through meaningful and fulfilling work.

The most important outcome I gained from this internship is the idea that my work in partnership development can now help open pathways for other students to connect with Seven Women, to have their own opportunity for personal and professional growth whilst also contributing to Seven Women’s positive impact on a larger scale.