Intern spotlight: learning prevention in practice

As a social work placement student at Healthy Cities Australia (HCA), I had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience within a community-focused, preventative health organisation. This experience offered meaningful insight into how social work values and practices are embedded in community development and health promotion work.

During my placement, I supported several HCI programs, with a particular focus on the Active In-Betweens after-school program. My responsibilities included assisting staff with program preparation and delivery, supporting group activities, and engaging with children in a safe, inclusive, and strengths-based way. I helped facilitate physical activities, creative sessions, and health-focused discussions, ensuring children felt supported and encouraged to participate.

I also observed how staff apply trauma-informed and place-based approaches when working with children and families from diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, having the opportunity and freedom to express my opinions with the HCA team in relation to broader social determinants of health, such as food security, access to safe play spaces, and social connection, allowed me to learn more about the lived experiences of the community.

One of the most important lessons from my placement was that social work practice extends beyond traditional casework. At HCA, I saw how social work values—equity, inclusion, empowerment, and social justice—are applied through community-based programs that aim to prevent harm before it occurs.

I learned how small, consistent interventions—such as providing safe spaces for play, opportunities for social connection, and access to healthy food—can have a significant impact on children’s wellbeing, women’s empowerment and food security. The placement strengthened my understanding of strengths-based and community development approaches, particularly how recognising and building on community strengths leads to more sustainable outcomes.

I also developed confidence in communicating with children, working within group settings, and reflecting critically on my own practice. Being exposed to interdisciplinary teamwork showed me the importance of collaboration and respect across roles and professions.

Overall, my placement at Healthy Cities Australia reinforced my commitment to community-focused social work and highlighted the value of preventative, inclusive approaches to improving health and wellbeing. It was a valuable learning experience that will continue to shape my development as a future social worker.

Stepping into the final year of postgraduate studies, I aim to bring together everything learned so far, deepen my theoretical understanding and ultimately complete my final social work placement in the second half of the year. The social work profession is incredibly broad, so I am using this final year as a time of exploration and curiosity about where to make the most meaningful contribution. Right now, my goal is to pursue my final placement in the law and justice sector to discover whether this field is the right fit for me. Recent observations and studies have shaped a strong awareness of how rules, regulations and policies affect people in the judicial system. By learning more about this field, I hope to walk alongside those navigating complex systems, help ease some of that burden, and support them to push through structures that often feel overwhelming.  

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chahanabajracharya