Stories/Lived Experience
Author: Kimberly Wright, Postgraduate LLM student Global Legal Studies
One of the main reasons I decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Global Legal Studies after completing my Bachelor’s in Law was to obtain a better understanding of the global legal system in the hopes of one day working for an international organization, as well as to apply for a placement to gain practical experience in a reputable organization. From February to May of this year, I had the privilege of interning with Assisting Living and Learning (ALL) Institute.
My first day with the ALL Institute I was incredibly nervous as I had no previous experience working in this field and it was completely different from what I was accustomed to. However, upon meeting the co-directors and their administrative lead for the first time, I was warmly welcomed and immediately put at ease.
During the course of the placement, I was assigned several tasks. Each project has its own set of challenges, requiring me to explore and develop new skills. One of the many aspects I enjoyed during placement was that no day was quite the same. My days where split between research for Professor Delia Ferri, co-Director of the ALL Institute and Professor of Law and various administrative tasks for Stacy Campbell, Administrative Lead for the ALL Institute. My duties ranged from conducting research and literature reviews for two European Union projects, compiling information for the annual report, to being an author for the ALL blog: Ideas in All, among others.
In addition, I was able to attend two fantastic seminars which gave me a unique insight into the work behind the scenes organizing and running a successful seminar, as well as being a part of just some of the collaborative work that ALL Institute engages in. I always looked forward to the morning catch-up calls, where the team would check in, discuss the upcoming week’s assignments, and just have a general discussion about how I was feeling; it made me feel assured and connected to the institute.
The placement allowed me to identify my strengths and weaknesses in a high-pressure environment, juggling multiple tasks and delivering them to a high standard. This was invaluable for my future learning and development as what I have learned from the placement about myself and my work ethic, I will apply going forward, not to mention the invaluable new skill set I have obtained.
I was encouraged to explore my own passions and interests in relation to the ALL Institutes values, which gave me the opportunity to discover my own area of interest in this environment. This resulted in me collaborating on a blog post with a colleague of mine who, because of her hearing impairment has been subjected to marginalization. This piece not only gave me the opportunity to enhance and develop my blogging skills, but it was also a platform for my colleague to voice the impact discrimination has on individuals.
I had the pleasure of being mentored by two fantastic women who have completely inspired me through their work ethic, their achievements, dedication, and commitment to accomplish ALL institute goals.
Initially I had reservations regarding the amount of practical experience I would gain as a result of having to work from home. However, the placement far surpassed my expectations in every way. The constant support, feedback and guidance from the Stacy and Delia made my time with ALL Institute extremely positive and rewarding. I felt they went above and beyond to ensure I gained the most experience from my time with the Institute and despite being an intern, I was treated as an equal and felt valued as a member of the ALL Institute team.
Going forward I would hope another postgraduate is given this opportunity as I feel this placement within this organisation is hugely beneficial both personal and professional.
I would highly recommend interning with ALL Institute; it was an unforgettable experience that I will cherish as I continue my journey on my professional path.