Experiential Learning: Western Heads East & the Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion

Over the summer of 2020, I completed an internship with Western Heads East (WHE), a collaboration between Western University and African Partners. During this internship, I worked alongside two of my peers to design a website for the non-governmental organization “Mikono Yetu” to showcase the important work they are doing surrounding female empowerment and economic independence. During the Fall term of my final year at Western, I completed a placement with The Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion (CRHESI). For this placement, I created an infographic that outlined the barriers migrant agricultural workers currently face to accessing health care and highlighted possible non-disruptive solutions. Both internships provided me with fantastic opportunities to enhance various transferable skills: With WHE I learnt how to work as part of a larger organization which gave me the chance to develop my communication skills in terms of learning how to articulate my ideas clearly across various channels. Additionally, I was able to form intercultural relationships, overcoming barriers through critical thinking and adaptability. Through my second placement, I learnt how to work across disciplines, connecting my arts and humanities background to the health sciences field. I also got to explore a new side of communications through my work on the infographic, as I had to use visuals and specific language to effectively engage a large number of people. These two placements taught me how important it is to be open to new experiences and to bring confidence and passion to whatever you do