Think Pacific are a unique, non-governmental organisation who work with the Fijian government, running volunteer projects and supporting social enterprises, to aid the Fijian National Development plan. With the outbreak of COVID-19, travelling out to Fiji to provide support became an impossibility, until Think Pacific put together an alternative Virtual Internship. This 4-8 week programme gave students the opportunity to contribute to the development of Fiji whilst learning from Charity Trustees, Social Entrepreneurs, Government Advisors and more!
“The flexibility of being able to choose between doing a 4-week internship or spreading the work over an 8-week period was brilliant. I really recommend the 8 week internship, as it gave me plenty of thinking time for my project and the time to balance the internship with other commitments.” – Violet Perkins Phillippo, BSc Chemistry.
Students were tasked with choosing a ‘career field’ that interested them – these ranged from Global Health, Education, to Environment and Business. They then had to choose an individual ‘Action Project’ with the aim of tackling international development issues. These projects were extremely vast, ranging from tackling deforestation to raising awareness of feminist organisations.
“Being able to select a project that I was both passionate about, and benefited my academic learning, was hugely rewarding for my personal development” – Sophie Bennett, BSc Marketing.
On a day-to-day basis, students virtually attended alumni talks and lectures from various professionals, whilst also being given the opportunity to learn about traditional Fijian customs from members of the Think Pacific team out in Fiji. These lessons ranged from Fijian dance, to cooking!
“Think Pacific offered constant support through regular mentor calls and they had a variety of materials available to ensure all interns got the most out of their internship!” – Isobel Piercy, BA History.
Think Pacific provide students with a unique experience to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development goals in Fiji, as well as supporting both personal development and career goals.
“The virtual platform provided me with the unique chance to develop a range of transferable skills from the safety of my own home […] I would encourage every student to push themselves to participate in a virtual internship as it is still possible to make a real world impact and gain valuable skills from your home” – Helena Sherman, MSc Marine Biology.
Could you be a Think Pacific intern next summer? Contact the Study Abroad and Exchange team for further information on how to apply and how you could receive a scholarship at [email protected].
