During my time at the Asia Centre, I created and redesigned slide deck presentations that were used internally and externally. These slide decks were often presented to guests and showcased what Asia Centre does.

The first task I did at the Asia Centre was a social media and website self-audit, where I analyzed if the website was up to date and ensured that all the medias aligned with Asia Centre's values as a nonprofit. I did this by taking notes on a document, and I also used Excel to track engagement numbers.

I also drafted content (an article, internship descriptions, and infographics) for the internship tabs on the Asia Centre website.

When there were external meetings with partners, I sat in and recorded the meeting minutes.

While I was there, I created two booklets using Canva. One was an impact booklet about a youth program that the Asia Centre ran. It displayed the participants and their achievements through the program and it showcased some statistics about the program. The other booklet was about all the youth programs that the Asia Centre helped with. It had photos and descriptions for all the initiatives. It also showed what partners they worked with and the countries it was based in.

My internship at Asia Centre was deeply aligned with both my academic background in political science and my passion for human rights. Through my role as a media intern, I engaged with critical issues affecting the region, contributed to branding efforts that amplified the Centre’s advocacy work, and collaborated with partner organizations committed to policy change and social justice. This experience deepened my understanding of the intersection between research, advocacy, and policy and also reinforced my interest in pursuing a career in the nonprofit sector. I gained a deeper sense of what it is like working in the nonprofit sector and the potential challenges that come with it, such as funding. I also learned more about the specific regional challenges that came with working in the nonprofit sector in Southeast Asia. This internship gave me a glimpse into working for a human rights-focused civil society organization, which strongly aligns with my career interests!

Lily Varner

GlobalWorks Internship in Bangkok, Thailand, Winter 2025