The Engagement and Success team provides a range of programs and services to enable students to learn and grow intellectually, socially and professionally during their time at ANU. We undertake activities and provide resources that support orientation and transition, extra-curricular enrichment, leadership and community building for all students. Engagement and Success supports the University to meet its strategic objectives by ensuring an enriched student experience for all students. We aim to undertake activities under the Healthy University Strategy to promote various forms of health within our community.

Project: Food Insecurity of ANU Students

Internship Details:

• Internship Availability: Semester  2, 2020
• Internship Discipline: Science communication; science communication outreach; psychology
• Internship Level: Undergraduate 2nd or 3rd year, or Postgraduate coursework
• Available to International Students: Yes
• Preferred Project Skills:
  • Data analytics
  • Writing and communication
  • Research including survey design and qualitative data analysis
• Clearances Required: N/A
• Host Supervisor: Sarah Walker, Manager Engagement and Success (X56080)

Summary:

Food insecurity is known to be an issue impacting on university students with 1 in 7 university students experiencing food insecurity, according to Universities Australia 2017 report. The impact of food insecurity can be detrimental to a student’s ability to succeed at university with a lack of food impacting wellbeing, ability to form social connections, tiredness, a decline in mental health and a loss of confidence. In addition to that, Gen Y and Z are thought to be less likely to seek assistance from a charity when facing food insecurity. Not only do we need to have a better understanding about the spread of food insecurity on campus, we also need to find better ways to support students who experience it.

ANU does not currently have data or a clear understanding of this issue on campus. We would like to gather data on food insecurity of students at ANU in order to properly understand the situation, ensure students have an understanding of the current support available to them and implement appropriate new support mechanisms as required. This would include getting an understanding of: amount impacted; demographics impacted; level of insecurity; reasons for food insecurity; and the impact of this insecurity. This project would result in a written report as well as an easy to understand infographic and would require ethics approval to move forward.

There is an opportunity for an intern to support ANU in gathering and understanding this data to better support students. The intern will learn skills in developing and implementing a research based survey and other mechanisms for data collection; submit an ethics application; and translating data into both written and visual representation to provide a clear indication of the current situation on campus as well as potential support mechanisms.

This is an opportunity for a self-motivated student who can work independently, is passionate about helping others and has a keen understanding of data and research methods.

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ANU Wellbeing - Engagement and Success - Food Insecurity Project - Sem 2 2020