News Emma Kidd: Wrapping Up Her Play Illawarra Internship Over the past six months, Play Illawarra has had the pleasure of working with Emma Kidd, our 2024–25 intern. Emma joined us while completing the second year of her Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Wollongong, bringing curiosity, insight and a strong interest in children’s wellbeing. During her internship, Emma became a core part of the Play Illawarra content workflow. Her main responsibility was writing our fortnightly blog posts, sharing practical play ideas, accessible educational content, and resources that supported parents and carers across the region. Beyond writing, Emma contributed to: Creating school holiday challenges and other family-friendly resources Supporting our social media content Attending community events to represent Play Illawarra and Healthy Cities Australia Researching and advocating for children’s rights, play and wellbeing She didn’t just stay behind the scenes, either. Emma also stepped in front of the camera to help promote a series of events, including what became our most successful video on social media this year! reaching thousands of people on socials. Learnings Emma describes her internship as “incredibly valuable,” giving her practical experience in: Play-based learning and child development Health promotion in a community context How a positive, community-led NGO operates Networking, communication and professional collaboration Most importantly, she gained confidence in using her voice to advocate for children’s needs, a skill she carried into every blog, resource and project. What’s next With her internship now complete, Emma is preparing to start her first social work placement early next year. She hopes to go on to complete her honours and eventually move into social policy, where she can help create meaningful change at a broader level, especially in areas related to children’s health and wellbeing. You can stay connected with Emma on LinkedIn:👉 www.linkedin.com/in/emma-kidd-052939374 A thank you from us Emma, thank you for your work, ideas and energy over the past six months. We’re excited to see where your journey takes you next.