What's your internship job about?

As an intern in the Regulatory Policy, Insights and Review Division, at the NDIS Commission, I have been working in the Strategic Policy Coordination & Business Improvement team. The project I have been tasked with is to develop a Policy Development Framework for the division, to increase consistency and provide guidance for future policy development. The project is big and multifaceted, which is something that I really enjoy, as I get to engage with all the different aspects of developing such a resource toolkit. I have been conducting both a desktop review and a literature review for the project where I have analysed and critiqued various policy frameworks and examined literature surrounding open policy making and co-design practices, specifically regarding the process of consultation with people with disability. Every week I have meetings with my supervisor and mentor surrounding my project and I always get the opportunity to ask questions and gain feedback. The project also requires me to write and analyse the current approaches to policymaking, and so in my day-to-day I will often be in a cycle of researching, reading and writing – a cycle that I personally love! 

What's your background?

I grew up in Sydney and I moved to Canberra for university and specifically for the Bachelor of Health Science pathway into the Doctor of Medicine at ANU. I have always had a strong passion and interest in public health policy, and especially in cancer survivorship and the management of chronic conditions – a topic that has a deep personal resonance with me and my family. The intersection between disability and cancer survivorship was extremely new and interesting to me, and so when I learnt of the opportunity to intern at the NDIS Commission, I saw it as a unique opportunity to further my understanding of disability policy and reform. 

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Yes, someone with a different background to me could do my job. I think that the diversity of backgrounds of those that work at the NDIS Commission, is what makes the work so much more interesting and gratifying. I think the most important characteristics would be someone who has strong critical thinking skills and is open to listening and reflecting. I have learnt that in the NDIS Commission, a true passion for trying to achieve the best possible outcomes for the people who are directly impacted and involved in the scheme is probably the most important. 

What's the best thing about your job?

Before I started interning at the NDIS Commission, I was not particularly familiar with the specifics of the scheme, nor had I had any exposure to the disability space in my life. The best thing about my job is that every day I am truly learning something new, and I am constantly being challenged to re-evaluate what I know about the public health system and government reform, in the most supportive environment. I have listened to and read stories of lived experiences of disability that I never would have encountered if I had not worked at the NDIS – it really has been an eye-opening experience.