During the course of completing a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Australian Indigenous Studies I heard about the Aurora Internship program. Upon finishing my degree it made sense to use my knowledge and gain practical experience in the Indigenous sector through an Aurora internship.
Native title and Indigenous affairs has always been something I was interested in as a law/arts student, but a topic that in my opinion is never given enough attention in the units we study at university.
I applied to the Aurora Native Title Internship Program hoping to get placed with an organisation that could provide a medium to link my energy law studies with the native title laws.
During the course of completing a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Australian Indigenous Studies I heard about the Aurora Internship program. Upon finishing my degree it made sense to use my knowledge and gain practical experience in the Indigenous sector through an Aurora internship.
As a non-Indigenous person passionate about the challenges faced by Australia's first peoples, I often struggle to know where I fit in the Indigenous landscape.
Having studied Aboriginal issues and affairs from both a historical, legal and social perspective at University I naively thought I knew what to expect when embarking upon a 6-week internship with the Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin as part of The Aurora Native Tit
I did my Aurora placement at the Darwin office of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) as part of the Aurora Internship Program. NAAJA has separate sections which undertake criminal work, civil work and community education respectively.
I decided to apply for the Aurora Internship Program as a fourth year Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws student. I aspire to use my education to work towards a legal system that reflects the equal worth of all people, especially the Traditional Owners of Australia.
Aurora Internship Reflection
HOW I LEARNED ABOUT AURORA
I was fortunate enough to complete an Aurora internship at the Aboriginal Legal Services (NSW/ACT) (ALS) Head Office this winter. The ALS is a community based organisation that acts for, and provides legal advice to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, women and children.
During the winter of 2018, I completed a 4 week Aurora internship in the legal branch at the Northern Land Council (NLC) in Darwin, Northern Territory. I was fortunate to be funded by Gilbert and Tobin during my internship.
The Aurora Internship Program offers a unique opportunity to network and gain legitimate hands-on experience within the Indigenous sector in a way that could not easily be achieved independently.
During the winter holiday period in 2012, I was fortunate enough to participate in a legal internship organised by the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, which is designed to introduce legal, anthropology and some social science (archaeology, cultural heritage, environmental management, huma
During the 2015 Winter break I decided to make the most of my spare time and spend it doing something constructive. This meant applying for a five-week legal internship through the Aurora Internship Program.
During the summer 13/14 round of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, I completed two internships in both Perth and Melbourne.
Spending five weeks at Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation in Perth WA
proved to be an invaluable opportunity and memorable experience. The strength of
the Aurora internship program is the introduction it provides into the workings of
Indigenous Australia is often talked about but rarely seen by most city folk.
I spent five weeks of my summer interning at a Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) in Perth, Western Australia, over 3000 km away from my home in Hobart via the Aurora Internship Program.
Stepping into Native Title – The Aurora Project
In July 2015, I completed my second anthropology internship through the Aurora Internship Program. As an Aurora almuna (winter 2011), who has been working in Aboriginal health and community development for the past few years, I requested that I be placed with an NTRB in order to learn more about
I was fortunate enough to be placed at the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) office in Geraldton, which is really a one-of-a-kind workplace.
I was fortunate enough to be placed at the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) office in Geraldton, which is really a one-of-a-kind workplace.
Almost graduated and need some Direction? Internships are a great place to start!
As I neared the end of my Honours degree in anthropology I was still relatively unsure as to which direction to take next, that was of course until I heard about the Aurora Project from a fellow student.
After graduating my master’s degree in Anthropology and Ethnography I was excited to pursue a career within the Indigenous sector.
The Aurora Internship Program fosters the ideal experience in which students and graduates can work and learn in Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs) and organisations working in the Indigenous sector.
In October and November of 2014, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern at the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) in Perth.
Our Nissan Patrol hurtles along the perfectly straight, endless road stretching out due east. On either side, the rough bitumen is lined with ants’ nests – plump, craggy mounds of all different sizes – which rise from the red dirt like twin lines of pointy sandcastles.
Over the winter break, I completed a four-week legal internship at Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) in Geraldton, Western Australia as part of the Aurora Internship Program. From the first day, I felt so welcomed by all the staff at YMAC.
At the close of 2013 I was given an amazing opportunity to undertaken a legal internship organised through the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, which aims to promote the entering of young lawyers, anthropologists, archaeologists and social scientists into the field of native title and Indi
During the summer in 2014 I spent six weeks interning for Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) as a legal intern.
Challenging assumptions and exceeding expectations: my summer working in a native title representative body
Are you interested in Aboriginal affairs and native title? And have you ever wondered how you could use your legal skills beyond a law firm? If you answered yes to either of these questions, I would strongly recommend applying for the Aurora Internship Program.
Macquarie graduate Nariman Sahukar recently undertook an ‘Aurora Project’
internship with Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, a Native Title
Representative Body (NTRB*) in Western Australia.
Over the 2015 winter break I was fortunate enough to be given the incredible opportunity of participating in the Aurora Internship Program by undertaking a legal placement at the Geraldton office of the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC).
During the summer of 2015 I was given the opportunity to participate in the Aurora Internship Program.
The Aurora Internship Program is an amazing opportunity to get real world experience in the indigenous sector, before (or in my case, after) you finish uni!
This winter I had the wonderful opportunity to take part in the Aurora Internship Program.
In July of 2017, I was given the opportunity to be part of The Aurora Internship Program. Aurora places a range of students and graduates from different disciplines with Indigenous sector host organisations that may lack staff or funding.
Through the Aurora Internship Program I was placed at Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), based at their Perth office. I was there for 6 weeks throughout November and December 2017. YMAC is a not for profit Native Title Representative Body.
Over a seven-week period in the summer of 2020, I had an invaluable experience interning at Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) through the Aurora Internship Program.
Inspired by my friends who had previously interned with the Aurora Project in Western Australia, this summer I travelled to Perth to complete a four week internship with the Yamtaji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (‘YMAC’).
I was fortunate enough to spend 6 weeks working at Cairns for the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership and Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation as part of an internship through the Aurora project.
I was fortunate enough to spend 6 weeks working at Cairns for the Cape York Institute for Policy
As I near the completion of my Bachelor’s degree with majors in Environmental Management and Development Studies and Culture Change, like most other students I am faced with the dilemma of what career path to choose once I have finished.
The business of indigenous development
I had the incredible opportunity to be offered an internship via the Aurora Internship Program during the 2014 summer break.
Even now I can’t believe how quickly my Aurora Project internship with the Law and Justice Section of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) passed. Time flies when you are having fun – and also when you’re busy – two things I happened to be during my internship.
I first discovered the Aurora Project whilst I was studying for my final semester of a Bachelor of
Over November and December 2012, I volunteered as an Aurora intern as part of the Aurora Internship Program in the Civil section of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin.
As I was looking in an Indigenous artwork shop in Oenpelli, a remote town in the Northern Territory, one of the lawyers frantically ran in. ‘Andrew, we need to leave, right now!’. ‘Why?’ I asked.
The ‘Build Up’, the most humid and hottest period of the year in Darwin, set the scene for what was to become one of the greatest experiences of my life.
Ten minutes into my Aurora internship at NAAJA (the Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency) and I was pacing down the main street in Darwin towards the Supreme Court.
Don’t let the fact that it’s in Australia fool you; I got culture shock when I stepped out of Darwin Airport into a dry 33 degrees, after leaving Canberra in subzero temperatures.
Justice statistics in the Northern Territory are startling. There is a vast discrepancy between the number of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people serving custodial sentences.
I started out at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency in late November as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program. I had just finished two weeks of exams and had immediately packed my bags and flown to Darwin.
I swapped the cold of a South Australian winter for a four-week Aurora internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, in sunny Darwin at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), the largest legal aid service in the Northern Territory.
When asked during my Aurora interview, what I hoped to get out of the internship, I said “to experience Outback Australia” and “to learn and understand the legal issues that affect indigenous people in remote communities”.
As part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, I was placed at the Darwin branch of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) for the winter 2012 internship round.
If it is anything like my experience, the Aurora Internship will be a defining moment in your law degree, challenging you to test the limits of your legal knowledge and teaching you what it is really like to work as a lawyer.
Over the Winter break this year I completed an internship in the civil section of the Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Katherine as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program. Katherine is a town South of Darwin with a population of around 6, 000 people.
Interning in Darwin during July, escaping the -5 weather of Canberra and entering a balmy 30-degree day average was a definite bonus I hadn’t considered when applying for an Aurora internship with NAAJA, the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency.
The Aurora Internship Program facilitated my 6-week placement at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin over July and August 2014.
Working for the Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA, www.naaja.org.au ) in Darwin for just over three months has been both a challenge and a privilege. Above all, it was an exciting and rewarding experience.
Having worked in Policy for a few years I completed a Master of Laws to set my career in a more legal direction.
From January to February in 2014, I did an internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA). I was placed at the Katherine office in the civil section.
I spent six weeks of my summer break in Darwin, interning for the Northern Territory’s largest law firm through the Aurora Native Title Internship Program.
Over the summer of 2013 I spent 6 weeks undertaking an internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program in Katherine, working in the civil law section at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA).
Over the Winter break, I completed an internship in the civil section of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program.
The state of Aboriginal affairs is impossible to avoid in the Northern Territory. Whilst throughout most areas of Southern Australia, one can happily ignore such issues, I found out quickly that few people in the Territory can or do.
Over the recent summer break I spent 5 weeks undertaking a legal internship through the Aurora Native Title Internship Program and was placed in the criminal section of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (or NAAJA).
In winter 2014, I undertook an Aurora Internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program with the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA). NAAJA is the Aboriginal legal aid service for the top end of the Northern Territory.
An Aurora internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program is by far one of the most rewarding experiences you will have during the course of your studies.
Interning in the Top End
For six weeks this summer I was lucky enough to intern at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin. It was an unforgettable experience organised by the Aurora Project through their Native Title Internship Program.
This summer I spent six weeks in Darwin undertaking an Aurora internship at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA). I can honestly say it’s the best thing that I’ve done since coming to law school.
Looking for an alternative to summer clerkships?
Even now I can’t believe how quickly my Aurora Project internship with the Law and Justice Section of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) passed. Time flies when you are having fun – and also when you’re busy – two things I happened to be during my internship.
I was fortunate enough to spend five weeks over July and August volunteering at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program.
5 weeks in K-Town: Aurora Native Title Internship Program
‘Why would you work for the defence?’ the prosecutor demands to know across the bar table. ‘Representing drunks, rapists and wife beaters. Come work for the prosecution, we’re the good guys.’ He’s about my age, he’s smug, and he’s trying to put our client in jail. He smirks.
For my Aurora Internship, I was placed for 5 weeks at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin. Before I arrived, I had never been to Darwin and knew very little about the work that NAAJA carried out.
For my Aurora Internship, I was placed for 5 weeks at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin. Before I arrived, I had never been to Darwin and knew very little about the work that NAAJA carried out.
On the final day of my Aurora internship at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), I was asked what the three highlights of my time in Darwin had been.
I completed an Aurora internship via the Aurora Internship Program with the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA). NAAJA has two offices: one in Katherine and one in Darwin, the former in which I did my internship. The internship lasted five weeks and I believe that it was one of m
My November and December was spent in Darwin interning with the Civil Law section of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) as part of the Aurora Internship Program.
Undertaking an Aurora internship as part of the Aurora Internship Program was a long-term goal of mine since starting at university.
This summer I completed six weeks as an intern at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) through the Aurora Internship Program. The internship gave me the opportunity to gain experience in legal practice with a focus on social justice for Indigenous peoples.
I spent six weeks as an Aurora intern in the Law and Justice section of NAAJA in Darwin in the summer of 2016/2017. I had the pleasure of also doing various tasks for the criminal and the civil law NAAJA teams and so my time there was varied.
My internship via the Aurora Internship Program at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) has been one of the most interesting and challenging learning experience I have undertaken in my short-lived legal career!
My summer placement at NAAJA in 2016 was my second Aurora internship of the year, via the Aurora Internship Program.
My five weeks at NAAJA were filled with some of the most interesting and hands-on legal work I have done thus far in my, admittedly baby, legal career.
I am originally from Darwin, so I already planned on going back for the summer break. I thought that these holidays would be the perfect opportunity to gain some work experience as I had just finished my first year of postgraduate law.
I was approaching the end of my university degree and felt the need to get out of my comfort zone and do something a bit different. Consequently, I decided I would submit an application to complete a six-week legal internship through the Aurora Internship Program.
As the bus skidded to a halt in the middle of a town that seemed to emerge from nowhere, the first thing I noticed was that it was still warm, even at nine o’clock in June.
As part of the Aurora Internship Program, I was given the opportunity to spend 6 weeks with NAAJA in the Law and Justice Projects division, working with the Law and Justice Projects manager, Community Legal Education (CLE) team, Restorative Justice officer, and the Peer Panel coordinator.
In mid November I arrived at the NAAJA offices on Smith Street, Darwin as part of the Aurora Internship Program. I was taken up to the criminal law floor, quickly learning that the different teams of NAAJA were organizationally and physically separated. My supervisor raced me around the office.
I was fortunate enough to be a recipient of The Aurora Project Internship for the Summer 2018/19 round, and to be placed with the Criminal Team at North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Katherine.
The time I spent at NAAJA in Darwin was a truly exceptional experience. Spending six weeks in the Law and Justice team was both educative and personally inspiring.
If you had told me at the beginning of my law degree that I would travel to a remote town in the middle of Northern Territory to complete an internship I would have probably laughed.
Over the summer I completed an internship through the Aurora program that saw me spend four redefining weeks at North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin. When I applied for Aurora, I didn’t really know what I wanted out of the experience – or out of a career in law.
When I stepped off the plane in Darwin, I was immediately met by a dewy mask of sweat that I soon grew to accept as my natural state amidst the Wet season.
This summer I had the transformative opportunity of interning as part of the Aurora Internship Program at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) in Darwin, placed with the Community Legal Education team.
The Aurora Project runs a nationwide Internship Program for law, anthropology and some social sciences students and graduates interested in working in native title, land rights, policy development and advocacy, all with an Indigenous focus.
During the summer 2009‐2010 break, I was fortunate to participate in a legal internship at the Cape York Land Council (CYLC). This internship, one of many around the country, was organised by the Aurora Project.
For 6 weeks across February and March 2010 I had the pleasure of undertaking a native title anthropology internship with the Cape York Land Council (CYLC) through the Aurora Internship Program. This was an invaluable experience for me which I enjoyed immensely and learnt a lot.
My experience as an Aurora intern as part of the Aurora Internship Program was above and beyond what I had expected.
It has been a privilege to spend the last five weeks with the friendly people at the Cape York Land Council. The purported challenges of NTRBs, highlighted to me in my Aurora Internship preparatory materials, thankfully never came to be.
I was fortunate enough to spend six weeks on placement via the Aurora Internship Program at Cape York Land Council (CYLC) in sunny Cairns.
The Aurora Internship Program
Throughout my Bachelor of Law (Honours) degree, I had an interest in learning about native title law and the legal process and tests Traditional Owners must satisfy to have their native title rights recognised by the courts.
I first learned about the Aurora Internship Program when I was completing a unit in Contemporary Law and Justice. I worked towards fulfilling their criteria for applications, and finally in my second year of study, I applied for the 2018 winter round .
During the 2018/2019 summer period, I had the pleasure of completing a five-week legal internship at the Cape York Land Council (CYLC) in Cairns.
One of the first things that I noticed as I began my Aurora internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program with the CLCAC’s Land and Sea Unit, was how achieving a native title claim was not only seen as the final conquest of a legal battle, but how it was also used as a tool to acknowl
I have been lucky to spend 5 weeks during January and February working with the Land and Sea Management team at Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (CLCAC) as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program.
As a student of both Anthropology and Law, the Native Title system had always
interested me in its apparent application and interaction of these seemingly distinct
disciplines. Unfortunately, my actual knowledge of Native Title extended to nothing
After having recently graduated from my BA in anthropology and archaeology I decided to apply for my third internship through the Aurora Internship Program and was privileged enough to be successful.
The Aurora Internship Program
While most of my law chums were completing clerkships and legal work experience during university breaks, I found this time to be the alibi needed to jump on a plane for some indulgent globetrotting. I hadn’t travelled everywhere, but it was on my list.
As a political scientist working on human rights in Europe, I am naturally interested in the area of Indigenous affairs and native title in Australia. For me, the question of how to deal with its Indigenous population is Australia’s most nagging social problem.
The Aurora Internship Program places a large number of enthusiastic anthropology, social science and legal interns in Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs) and many other organisations pertaining to Indigenous affairs more broadly.
An Introduction to Native Title That Surpassed All Expectations
One of the most inviting reasons to study an Arts degree is the extensive range of possible career options. For this to be a fruitful journey, however, a healthy dose of self-motivation and real world experience is needed.
During the fifth semester (year 3) of a degree in Anthropology at the University of Copenhagen, you are meant to go abroad. You can stay in Denmark and study or do work experience, but let’s be honest – most of us couldn’t wait to leave!
While most of my law chums were completing clerkships and legal work experience during university breaks, I found this time to be the alibi needed to jump on a plane for some indulgent globetrotting. I hadn’t travelled everywhere, but it was on my list.
Want to get some hands-on legal experience? Potentially interested in native title or Aboriginal affairs? Then read on for my experiences as an Aurora intern and see if you’d like to apply for the next intake.
Diversity and Experience in a NTRB
My interest in native title has been longstanding. I remember being intrigued when I learnt in High School Social Studies class that only since 1993 has Australian law formally recognised Indigenous peoples as being owners and custodians of the land.
I was in my third year of a Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Arts degree when I began my five week Aurora internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program at the Central Desert Native Title Service. When recalling my first days as an intern it is clear to me that I was, above all, young.
When I began my Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Law degree, five years felt like a very long time. This year I suddenly found myself in the final year of my degree, with a whole lot of subjects under my belt but no practical legal experience.
Applying for an Aurora internship was one of the best decisions I have made throughout my university degree.
I have recently undertaken a six week internship at Central Desert Native Title Services, where I was placed through The Aurora Native Title Internship Program. I would highly recommend this program to any law students and graduates, as I found it an enriching and enjoyable experience.
I like to think of myself as a worldly kind of guy. I've lounged in Parisian cafes, eaten too much in Rome, deciphered the Japanese train network, and even survived the worst a Canadian winter could dish up.
When I applied to the Aurora Internship Program I did not know what acceptance would entail, or even if I would enjoy the experience- I just knew that it was something I desperately wanted to try. I had a newly found passion for social justice and human rights.
The phrase ‘penultimate year’ seems to appear everywhere, for law students feeling the pressure to gain experience before graduating. Despite somehow being in my seventh year at uni (a terrifying realisation!), it felt like I’d blinked and was at the pointy, decision-making end of my studies.
The Aurora Internship Program was an incredible opportunity which cemented my passion for social justice and opened my eyes to a potential career in Indigenous Law. For five weeks over the winter holidays I interned at Central Desert Native Title Services in Perth.
There are some times that life seems like a preconceived puzzle and the pieces obligingly fall into place without much guidance. My experience with Aurora has been almost postcard perfect, and I cannot believe my luck and good timing while on placement.
I decided to study law because I was interested in doing something useful. During my studies, I saw avenues to social justice through international human rights law, community legal centres and refugee law.
It took me six years to get through my bachelor degree in Ecology, meandering through just about all departments and labs available at the University campus and delayed even further by exchange programs overseas.
My time at Central Desert Native Title Services
Central Desert Native Title Services: Not Your Average Legal Service
It was a privilege to have been given an Aurora legal placement at Central Desert Native Title Services (CDNTS) in East Perth. I spent four weeks at CDNTS in July 2018. It was an excellent time.
Five weeks interning at Central Desert Native Title Services (Central Desert) provided a great insight into both the operation of native title law and the continuity of law and culture of Western Desert people.
I first learnt of the Aurora Internship Program through a university careers handbook for law students – which published an article about working in native title law.
I took part in the Aurora program because I felt it was important for my career as a legal practitioner, to devote time to understanding the Indigenous perspective of the law.
I embarked upon my internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program with the Central Land Council (CLC) in Alice Springs in the middle of the final year of my Arts degree, enjoying majoring in anthropology, but not entirely sure what to do with it once done and dusted.
Over March and April 2015, I completed a five week Aurora internship at the Central Land Council (CLC) in Alice Springs. Getting off the plane down the portable stairs and onto the tarmac felt like stepping onto a BBQ hotplate. “45 degrees in town today” had said the pilot on our way down.
Are you interested in working in Native Title? Are you looking for an alternative to summer clerkships?
The Aurora Native Title Internship Program fosters the ideal experience in which students and graduates can work and learn in Indigenous Organisations and Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs).
After completing a Bachelor of Arts and Science mid 2010 and beginning an Honours degree in Anthropology later in the year, I realised that I was still at somewhat of a loss as to the practical career pathways available to budding anthropologists.
Most law students have a basic understanding of native title, but few – including myself, prior to my Aurora internship at Central Land Council – have any knowledge of the land rights regime in the Northern Territory.
For the past five weeks, the Aurora Internship Program provided me with the incredible opportunity to intern in the Community Development unit of the Central Land Council. Before I left, I heard of the many great things CLC has been doing and has done.
It comes as no surprise that some of the most valuable lessons I have learnt during my nearly five years of studying law did not come from text books, but from the inspiring people I have met and skills I have picked up from practical experiences.
In the July holidays I spent five weeks doing an Aurora Native Title internship at the Goldfields Land and Sea Council (GLSC,) based in its Perth office.
During the summer holiday period I was fortunate to be selected to be a part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program and spend five weeks as a legal intern at the Goldfields Land and Sea Council (GLSC) Perth office.
Experiencing the Outback and Learning through Experience
The Native Title Internship Program provides law and anthropology latter-year students and recent graduates with insight into the workings of an Aboriginal land council.
When I was accepted to undertake an Aurora internship in Anthropology at the Goldfields Land and Sea Council in Kalgoorlie, WA, I was told to have low expectations. Land councils are hectic places, funding is tight and staff are overworked.
As part of the Aurora Internship Program, I worked at the Goldfields Land and Sea Council (GLSC) for six fascinating weeks during my winter holiday.
Since the historic Mabo decision in 1992 paved the way for the making of land claims by Indigenous people in Australia, native title law has been an important and dynamic part of Australian law.
The Aurora Project aims to build capacity in Australian Indigenous organisations and communities by providing training, professional development, internships, placements, scholarships and other services to support staff working at Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs) and at more than 60 oth
This winter break I had the amazing opportunity to join the Ngadju Prescribed Body Corporation at Goldfields Land and Sea Council Aboriginal Corporation (GLSC) in Perth. I heard of the Aurora Internship Program through a friend who told me I should apply, and to my surprise, I got in!
Through my winter break I was given the opportunity to work at the Goldfields Land and Sea Council (GLSC) for 5 weeks as part of the Aurora Internship Program.
This winter I had the wonderful opportunity to take part in the Aurora Internship Program.
I was placed at the Goldfields Land and Sea Council (GLSC) for five weeks as part of the Aurora Internship Program summer 2016/17 round.
Prior to my time at GLSC I was unaware of how native title operates once a determination has been made by the court. I was surprised to discover that native title does not operate in its own bubble as one area of law. During my two weeks at GLSC I was also exposed to corporate law and contract
This summer I had the exciting opportunity to intern at Goldfields Land and Sea Council (GLSC) for four weeks as part of the Aurora Internship Program.
The aim of the Aurora Project is to promote the professional development of those who seek career opportunities within the field of Native Title. This developmental goal is achieved through the various schemes offered by the Aurora Project across many disciplines.
In December 2013 I undertook a four week internship with the Kimberley Land Council in Broome as part of the Aurora Project’s nationwide Native Title Internship Program. The experience was fantastic, providing an insight into regional legal work and alternative pathways into legal practice.
I undertook an Aurora Internship (Legal) in the 2013 Winter Intake. I was placed with the Kimberley Land Council (KLC), a Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) in Broome, Western Australia.
My name is India Mason-Cox and I am a fifth year Arts-Law student at UTAS in Hobart, Tasmania. I have recently finished a six-week Aurora Internship on placement at the Kimberley Land Council (‘KLC’) in Broome, WA.
Over January and February 2014, I completed a six-week Aurora placement with the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) in Broome. The KLC is the Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) for the Kimberley region, but it has a long history of advocacy that predates the recognition of native title.
I undertook a 5-week native title focused Aurora internship at the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) via the Aurora Internship Program in February 2015. I’m an Arts/ Law student entering my fourth year of study and have spent a year working in a litigation law firm.
Native Title: Land, Culture and Tradition in the Kimberley
As my plane floated down through the sunset over the place where the velvet Indian Ocean meets the pindan-flecked sands of Cable Beach, I had a feeling I was entering a very special part of this world.
Prior to applying for an Aurora internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, my exposure to native title law was limited to spending five minutes in a Property law class on the Mabo case.
I completed a five-week Aurora Internship at the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) shortly after graduating with a combined Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (Communication Studies) from the University of Western Australia.
Knowing that my academic record leaves something to be desired, I submitted my application for Aurora's Internship Program minutes before the deadline with no more optimism than that captured in the motto that "you've gotta be in it to win it".
For as long as I can remember, I have had a passion to learn about and engage with Indigenous cultures. Through my Aurora internship I have been able to build on this passion, gain valuable work experience and meet many inspiring people.
In preparation for my interview for the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, I was forwarded the link to a document titled “A Report into the Professional Development needs of Native Title Representative Body Lawyers”.
Students of Law, Anthropology and some Social Sciences (namely Archaeology, Cultureal Heritage, Environmental Management, Human Geography, History and Scociology) who might be considering entering an internship program would do well to apply through the Aurora Native Title Internship Program.
This past winter semester break, I was fortunate enough to be involved in the Aurora Internship Program’s 2016 winter round of internships.
After graduating from Arts/Law at ANU in mid-2016, I swapped the icy Canberra winter for the tropical climate of Broome when I completed an Aurora Internship at the Kimberley Land Council (KLC).
I was wondering how hot it was going to be when I disembarked from the plane at Broome. I soon worked that out when I put my hand on the window pane and felt the heat trying to penetrate the glass. When I stepped off the plane it was the hottest I had ever experienced.
When I first stepped out onto the Broome tarmac, I was totally overwhelmed not only by the heat but also by the terrifying feeling of being very far from home and completely out of my comfort zone.
As I flew over the floodplains of the Kimberley region in a five-person plane which was the size of my linen cupboard, I knew I was in the midst of a formative and unique experience.
I was incredibly lucky to have been hosted by the KLC for a five-week internship via the Aurora Internship Program.
I was very fortunate to have been placed via the Aurora Internship Program with the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) in Broome working alongside their legal practitioners in native title. The experience as a whole was an incredible one.
Article published on Grok.
My internship with the Kimberley Land Council exceeded all my expectations, and I am so grateful to the Aurora Internship Program for the experience.
In January – February 2021, I was very grateful to be placed as an Aurora Commonwealth funded intern at Kimberley Land Council (KLC) in Broome. I was really excited for this, because I wanted to expand my understanding of native title as well as explore career options outside of commercial law.
For anyone interested in native title or Indigenous affairs more generally, the Aurora Internship Program is a very worthwhile program to consider undertaking while you are studying.
The Aurora internship was an amazing experience. I knew little about native title before going into the internship and have finished with an understanding of corporate social responsibility, native title, Future Acts, heritage planning and all the politics involved with Aboriginal Corporations.
My time at Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV) was both enlightening and challenging. I was placed at the NTSV offices in North Melbourne as a research intern. The staff were very nice and I was made to feel at home immediately.
Native Title: a changing area of law
The Aurora Native Title Internship is definitely something to consider doing whilst undertaking your studies. An Aurora Internship offers either a winter or summer based internship for five to six weeks, which is a full time unpaid commitment.
In June and July 2013, as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, I undertook a six week Aurora legal internship as a graduate with Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV) in Melbourne. NTSV is a not-for-profit organisation that is responsible for providing research and legal services
For six weeks during early 2014, I had the opportunity to undertake an Aurora internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, at Native Title Services Victoria (“NTSV”). NTSV is the legal service that represents Victorian native title claimants.
For 5 weeks at the start of this year, I was fortunate enough to undertake an Aurora legal internship at the Native Title Representative Body (NTRB), Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV).
For my Aurora internship as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, I was placed with Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV) from late August until late October 2012.
The extent of my knowledge on Indigenous land rights and legal services has expanded greatly since undertaking to intern in late May until early July 2015 at Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV) as part of the Aurora Internship Program.
Cultural anthropology appealed to me because of its earnest aims and problematic past, its attempts to address the humbling question of how it is that we, as humans (a species like any other) came to develop the elaborate and diverse cultural artefacts which are the cause of such pride and fricti
I am an anthropologist and I need to work in Australia as I have a young family who are very settled in their community in regional Victoria.
In my final year of university, I began to take a serious interest in Indigenous issues, particularly native title in Australia.
I recently undertook an internship at Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV), facilitated by the Aurora Native Title Internship Program. Due to personal circumstances the duration of my placement was necessarily short, and certainly shorter than I would've preferred, however my experience was a p
At the completion of my university degree I was fortunate enough to be accepted by the Aurora Native Title Internship Program as an anthropology intern for the 2013/14 summer round. I was lucky to receive a place at my first preference, Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV).
From January to April in 2015 I completed two Aurora placements, one in Melbourne and one in Alice Springs, as part of the Aurora Internship program summer 2014/15 round.
Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV)
For four weeks over the summer holidays, I moved several hours out of Melbourne to do an internship with the Barengi Gadjin Land Council (BGLC) in Horsham, as part of the Aurora Project’s Internship Program.
To complement my Bachelor of Arts Degree, I thought that it would useful to gain some work experience. I have always been interested in Indigenous affairs, so the Aurora Internship Program was an obvious choice for me.
The research I was involved in during my 5 week internship in the policy department with Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV) who provide secretariat support to the Federation of Victoria Traditional Owner Corporations (FVTOC) gave me a greater understanding of issues more specifically within a
Upon graduating at the University of Queensland in 2015, with a double major in Anthropology and Religion, one of my colleagues encouraged me to apply for an internship with the Aurora Internship Program.
During the 2017 mid-year break, I was fortunate enough to have been selected to undertake a legal internship at Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV) for five weeks as part of my involvement in the Aurora Internship Program.
In preparation for my mid-year graduation from Bachelor of Arts Honours in Anthropology, I applied for the winter 2017 round of the Aurora Internship Program.
After having graduated from a Dutch university with a bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology I decided to move to Melbourne for ten months.
I was lucky enough to be able to participate in two separate Aurora internships as part of the Aurora Internship Program. My first internship was at Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV) and the second one was at the Myuma Group.
While completing my Law and International Development degrees I always wanted to do an Aurora internship and it was once I graduated that I found the time. I did my internship with Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV).
After completing a legal unit on comparative Indigenous rights early in 2017, I was eager to learn more about how the law regarding native title functioned in Victoria. The Aurora internship gave me the perfect opportunity to follow this interest.
Native title law is incredibly complicated and fraught. It carries with it a history of oppression that permeates its operation at every turn.
During the penultimate semester of my Bachelor of Arts I applied for an Aurora Internship. Throughout my degree I had majored in Gender Studies and Australian Indigenous Studies. Therefore, I had always been interested in the possibility of working in the Native Title sector.
Over the summer of 2019, I was fortunate enough to undertake a four-week Aurora internship as part of the Aurora Internship Program at First Nations Legal and Research Service (FNLRS) in Melbourne.
Whether you’re completing your first or last year of University; an internship with the Aurora Internship Program is something that you will truly be most thankful for.
Introduction
I am a final year Arts/Law student. I interned at the North Queensland Land Council in Cairns. This is my story. What I enjoyed most about the legal work at NQLC was that it invariably bled into the organisation's other roles as law reform advocates, community liaisons, anthropologists and more.
I graduated from QUT at the end of 2012, and was finishing up my PLT studies during 2012 when I initially heard about the Aurora Native Title Internship Program from a friend.
1. Overview
The Aurora Project
In June-July of 2016 I undertook a 5 week Aurora internship with the North Queensland Land Council (NQLC) here in Cairns, in the final year of my anthropology major.
As a 3rd year Anthropology and Sociology student, I could not pass up the opportunity to learn more about the relationships between the Federal and State governments and the ongoing battle for recognition and protection of the cultural heritage of Indigenous Australians.
Internship Experience
During the summer before my final year of law school, I had the great fortune of undertaking an Aurora internship with the North Queensland Land Council (NQLC), a Native Title Representative Body (NTRB).
I found out about the Aurora Internship Program while searching for internships that would fall in line with my studies and interest me on a personal level. At the time, I was finishing my second year of cultural studies in Bremen, Germany and knew I was heading to Australia for my semester brea
I was made aware of the Aurora Internship program through my University newsletter. As a young Aboriginal man I had felt, for some time, the desire to spend more time with Aboriginal communities and get a greater understanding of the needs and challenges different communities face.
My internship at NQLC
Prior to commencing my final year at university, I undertook an internship through the Aurora Internship Program. I had become aware of the Program from one of my university lecturers and was immediately keen to apply for an opportunity that is very rare for a student. So, for six weeks over th
During the winter break I undertook a five-week internship at the South Australian Native Title Services (SANTS) as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program.
I completed an 8 week internship with the South Australian Native Title Service (SANTS) as part of the Aurora Internship Program.
I undertook my six week legal placement as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program with the South Australian Native Services [SANTS] during the summer 2012/13 round.
In my penultimate year of study, I applied to undertake a native title focussed internship as part of the Aurora Internship Program.
My experience as an Aurora intern with South Australian Native Title Services (SANTS) was a very positive one. Firstly, I was placed at a great organisation and assigned to a great supervisor, who was a wealth of knowledge about native title and the various facets.
During February and March of 2013, I was involved in a six-week Aurora placement at South Australian Native Title Services (SANTS).
This summer I had the opportunity to gain insight into both native title anthropology and native title capacity development as an Aurora intern at South Australia Native Title Services Ltd (SANTS), experiencing and observing the everyday workings of a Native Title Service Provider (NTSP) on both
I applied for a Legal Internship with the Aurora Native Title Internship Program soon after completing my legal studies. I’d heard about the internship program whilst I was still studying, but had never seriously considered applying.
For four weeks during the winter break, I undertook an Aurora internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program at South Australian Native Title Services Ltd (SANTS).
Interning – The Good, The Bad and The Importance
Just after completing my Bachelor’s degree in Justice and Society from Flinders University I was a graduate in limbo.
Are you an anthropology student who is fascinated by Aboriginal culture, past and present? Do you want to get “baptised” by the real-life working experience outside the lecture hall? Then you will choose SANTS as an internship opportunity via the Aurora Internship Program.
If you have a passion for Indigenous culture and a desire to work in native title law then I would highly recommend applying to the Aurora Internship Program.
Undertaking an Aurora Internship Program placement with South Australia Native Title Services (SANTS) has definitely been one of the highlights of my tertiary studies.
When I applied for the Aurora Internship Program, I had already completed my undergraduate degree and I was awaiting an admission into the Honours program in anthropology. I was at a point in my career where it was necessary to ascertain some guiding principles moving forward.
I returned to Australia in 2018 for my final year in law after spending a month interning at a firm in Malaysia that specialised in native title. I really enjoyed my experience there, and was looking for more opportunities in that field that I could get into.
Are you a budding anthropologist that would like some hands-on work in this fascinating field? Or a curious archaeologist that wants to expand and further your knowledge? Do you have a great interest in the many cultures of the Indigenous people of Australia?
After completing my studies in History in late 2019 I spent 6 weeks interning as part of the Aurora Internship Program at South Australian Native Title Services (SANTS). I was placed in the Anthropology team, and the internship was a fantastic experience.
From mid-January to mid-February this summer of 2020, I had the opportunity to do an Aurora Internship at the South Australian Native Title Services (SANTS) organization in Adelaide. The road to being placed as an intern at SANTS was a long one, but worth it.
The Aurora Project provides an amazing opportunity to get involved in native title work but also more broadly in Indigenous affairs and social justice.
After reading the book ‘The Indomitable Miss Pink’ in preparation for my internship at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens, I knew that I was in for an interesting experience!
For six weeks over the summer holidays of 2012/13 I had the opportunity to be placed as an intern at Queensland South Native Title Service in Brisbane city as part of an Aurora Native Title Internship Program. Queensland South Native Title Service (QSNTS) is a Native Title Representative Body (
The Aurora Project provides opportunities for internships for students of Anthropology, Law and the Social Sciences with an interest in Native Title. The internship program is primarily designed to provide support to Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRB).
For anthropology students interested in working in the field of native title in Australia, an Aurora internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program is essential.
I did a 6 week Anthropology internship with QSNTS in Brisbane as part of the Aurora Internship Program. Although I have lived most of my life in a community with a large Indigenous population and am broadly acquainted with the post settlement history and issues faced by Indigenous Australians, t
I applied for the Aurora Native Title Internship Program with little knowledge of the range of organisations or the possibilities available in native title to those starting out, but hoping to learn, to discover and to perhaps uncover a career direction.
The Aurora Internship Experience: A review by Lauren Varley
When I first heard of an Aurora Internship what immediately caught my attention was the name Aurora and I was immediately intrigued by what this name might represent.
My enthusiasm to apply for another internship through the Aurora Internship Program perhaps came immediately after I completed my first internship with Barengi Gadjin Land Council as I felt I had experienced more and in some ways learnt more about the social, political, physical and emotional env
I applied for the Aurora Internship Program after hearing about it from a former intern. The opportunity immediately sounded like a great experience.
I was selected to participate in the Aurora Internship Program during the summer 2017/18 round, and was placed at Queensland South Native Title Services (QSNTS) in Brisbane as a legal intern.
In the June/July Holidays, I undertook a placement at Queensland South Native Title Services (QSNTS) via the Aurora Internship Program - an organisation devoted to letting students and graduates experience (and work in) organisations with an Indigenous focus.
I undertook an Aurora Internship at Queensland South Native Title Services (QSNTS) in Brisbane following numerous positive recommendations of the program from fellow university students. My experience was nothing but positive, eye opening and hugely interesting.
From August and mid-September I completed an internship with Queensland South Native Title Services through the Aurora internship program.
As a soon-to-be Bachelor of Justice (Honours) graduate with a thesis exploring far-right extremism, and previous Bachelor of Justice (Criminology and Policing) / Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) graduate, I am not the typical Arts or Anthropology student you would expect to be underta
Before undertaking my internship via the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, I have worked as a professional electrical engineer for 3 and ½ years in Perth.
Although I finished my anthropology degree seven years ago, when the opportunity arose to apply for the internship program I decided it was something I would like to experience.
The purpose of this report is to explore my experience as a intern placed at the Northern Land Council as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program winter 2012 round. This report will give some valuable feedback about my six weeks work experience in the Northern Land Council (NLC).
After completing a Bachelor of Arts, I happened upon the Aurora Project whilst wondering where my major in anthropology could possibly take me in life.
Land councils and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs organisations are employers of anthropologists.
I am a Bachelor of Arts (Anthropology & Archaeology) student at James Cook University. I did a 5 week Aurora Internship at the Northern Land Council, commencing in November 2013, as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program. .
After graduating with my Bachelor Thesis Degree, having focused on the Mardu, a Western Desert people, I became keen on pursuing and deepening my understanding of Aboriginal culture. I applied for the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, aiming to improve my understanding of the social and po
Darwin. That sunny, Top-End city, characterised by red dirt, crocodiles and wild national parks. Being a relatively ambitious country girl, I had always dreamed about living in a city with the perfect combination of the city and nature.
My arrival in Darwin could not have been lovelier; leaving the airport, I was welcomed by a balmy 24 degrees, even at 1.30am. This was an auspicious start to my five-week stay to intern at the Northern Land Council (‘NLC’) and I could not have been more thrilled.
Aboriginal land rights and native title law are not considered mainstream areas of law and are therefore often overlooked as potential areas of practice by law students.
Spending six weeks working in a Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) is enough time to realise just how much work there is to be done and how few hours there are in one day to get through it. The job of a lawyer at the NTRB is very diverse and rewarding.
Introduction
The South Australian Law Foundation scholarship provided me with the opportunity to accept an interstate internship facilitated by the Aurora Project Internship Program, within the Northern Land Council (NLC) in the Northern Territory.
From early August until mid September 2016, I completed an Aurora Internship with the legal team at the Northern Land Council (NLC) in Darwin.
Just before the summer wet set in to cut through the humid mass of air sitting upon Darwin, I arrived to spend 5 weeks working with the Legal Branch of the Northern Land Council (NLC) as part of the Aurora Internship Program.
I knew a bit about Indigenous land rights before completing an Aurora internship as part of the Aurora Indigenous Program in July 2016.
In early 2017, I had the privilege of undergoing my second Aurora internship as part of the Aurora Internship Program at the Northern Land Council’s East Arnhem regional office in Nhulunbuy.
During the winter break of 2017, I completed a four week internship with the Northern Land Council (NLC) through the Aurora Internship Program. By way of background, the NLC is a statutory body that represents and consults with the Traditional Owners of Aboriginal land.
Travelling to the Top End for the first time, in November of 2017 I undertook a four week internship at the Northern Land Council (‘NLC’) in Darwin.
The one expectation I had of my experience as an Aurora intern was to begin to resolve the question that had been raised over my first four years at University regarding the value and legitimacy of Anthropology in relation to Indigenous affairs.
During the summer of 2018, I spent 5 weeks working as an intern in the legal branch at the Northern Land Council (NLC).
During the 2017/18 summer break I undertook a 5-week Aurora Internship placement at the Northern Land Council (NLC) in Darwin. The NLC is responsible for assisting Aboriginal peoples in the Top End of the Northern Territory to acquire and manage their traditional lands and seas.
The Aurora Internship Program places students and graduates in law, anthropology, and social sciences in internships with organisations that have a focus on the Indigenous sector and native title. I was lucky enough to be placed with the Northern Land Council (NLC) in Darwin.
The most beneficial aspect of undertaking an Aurora internship with the Northern Land Council (NLC) was that I was given practical work in a supportive environment.
Over the summer of 2020 I was fortunate to have undertaken an internship at the Northern Land Council (NLC) in Darwin. The NLC is a statutory body that assists Aboriginal people in the Top End to acquire and manage their traditional lands and seas.
Is your degree enough? The answer is ‘No’. Everybody has a degree these days. Good grades might get you an interview, but they won’t get you the job. What else can you offer to stand out from the crowd?
The Aurora Native Title Internship Program is a fantastic opportunity for law students (and graduates) interested in working the areas of Native Title, policy development, social justice and Indigenous affairs.
The Aurora Internship Program connects students and recent graduates in anthropology, law, or the social sciences more generally with various bodies that work in the field of native title as well as other organisations that deal generally with Indigenous affairs.
An Internship with a Difference
Last summer break was indeed a very enlightening break where I undertook a social science Aurora internship assisting the research unit at NTSCORP in Sydney. I always had a passion for land and an active interest to be involved in research work related to land affairs and Indigenous communities.
Ever thought about doing an internship? Ever wanted the chance to do some work that would really contribute to a major social justice issue? Then maybe it’s time you checked out the Aurora Program.
The Aurora Project is an initiative supported by a host of government, private, educational and philanthropic organisations that was originally established to offer much needed support to the Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) sector on a national level.
The Aurora Native Title Internship Program provides a fantastic and unique opportunity for students and graduates in anthropology, some social sciences and law to gain insight and experience in Aboriginal native title, policy development, social justice, human rights and Indigenous affairs.
The Aurora Internship Program is a rare and rewarding opportunity for students and graduates to understand history and anthropology as they are practised in the native title system.
The wisdom of Google, defines an aurora as follows:
1.
I arrived at NTSCORP as an Aurora intern at an exciting time, as it was during this time that 2 historic native title claims were being finalised. The first was a native title claim that had been over 10 years in the making for the Barkandji people at Broken Hill.
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to complete an Aurora Native Title internship during 18 January 2012 – 24 February 2012. Whilst I was based in the Native Title Services (NTSCORP) head office at Redfern, I was doing work for the National Native Title Council (NNTC) and NTSCORP.
Aurora was established in 2006 to address the professional development needs of lawyers at Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs). Aurora is focussed on increasing recruitment and retention of staff working at NTRBs.
I was fortunate enough to be chosen for the Aurora Native Title Internship Program this July. The Aurora Project was established in response to the report on the professional development needs of the lawyers working for Native Title Representatives Bodies (NTRBs).
Throwing Light on a Dark Past of Injustice
The Aurora Project was established in 2006 following Richard Potok’s ‘Report into the Professional Development Needs of NTRB Lawyers’ in April 2005 which identified the recruitment and retention of in-house lawyers as two critical stumbling blocks for Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs).
The 10th December 2012 marked the 20th anniversary of Paul Keating’s ‘Redfern speech’ which is still considered one of the most important addresses in Australia’s history.
As part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, I arrived for my Aurora winter internship at the NTSCORP office in Redfern – the Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) for New South Wales and the ACT – with little idea of what to expect, having had no experience in native title and only a
Newsletter Article for the Public Interest Law Internship
I have always had an interest in environmental, planning, native title and resource law that has extended beyond just the pure academics and into some of the social aspects and outcomes that these laws create.
It was an overwhelmingly positive experience undertaking an Aurora internship at NTSCORP as part of the Aurora Internship Program. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but the work has been educational and inspiring, to say the least.
I arrived in Sydney excited to be spending the next six weeks working at Native Title Services Corporation (NTSCORP) as part of The Aurora Native Title Internship Program.
When I was given the opportunity to complete an internship with Aurora at NTSCORP in Sydney, I didn’t immediately say yes.
The Aurora Project is an initiative supported by a host of government, private, educational and philanthropic organisations that was originally established to offer much needed support to the Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) sector on a national level.
Over July, while many of my fellow students at Sydney Law School embarked on the perennial winter exodus to the fairer shores of Europe, I kept jumping on the 8 o’clock train to Redfern.
During the winter of 2016, I was fortunate enough to undertake two internships via the Aurora Internship Program. For my first, I was placed with Aboriginal Legal Services NSW/ACT (ALS) and for the second, with NTSCORP.
With international travel and voluntourism filling the bucket lists of many young Australians, our own (very big) backyard can be the last place many of us look for new and enriching experiences.
I completed an Aurora internship in the Strategic Development Unit of NTSCORP Limited from Monday 9 January to Friday 10 February 2017. NTSCORP is the Native Title Service Provider for Traditional Owners in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
I was placed as an intern via the Aurora Internship Program with the NTSCORP legal team from mid January to late February 2017.
I have been passionate about Indigenous issues since I was first exposed to NAIDOC Week when I was in primary school. Over time I have been aware of some of the issues that were impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
I completed an Aurora Native Title Internship in the Strategic Development Unit of NTSCORP Limited (NTSCORP) from Monday 2 July to Friday 27 July 2018.
Through the Aurora Project, I undertook an internship with NTSCORP’s legal team from late November to late December 2018.
Between November and December 2019, I had the opportunity to undertake an Aurora Internship at NTSCORP.
NTSCORP Ltd (“NTSCORP”) is the native title service provider for New South Wales established under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (“NTA”). My experience at NTSCORP has refined my thinking about the practice areas that I hope to engage with when I graduate from law.
The Birthplace of Native Title:
The 3rd of June 2015 marked the twenty-third anniversary of the historic Mabo decision. By happy coincidence, it was also the day I was selected for a legal internship in the Torres Strait as part of the Aurora Internship Program.
The Aurora Native Title Internship Program places students and graduates from anthropology, some social science, and law disciplines at Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs) and other Indigenous organisations, government bodies and corporations all around Australia, working in land rights, s
As the wheels on the Dash 8 touched down and the propellers shifted down a gear I realised that I had no idea what I was expecting, what I would be doing or even who I was meeting.
In July-August 2015, I spent 6 weeks interning at the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) on Thursday Island, Queensland.
YOU MUST GO TO THE TORRES STRAIT
As I began writing notes for this final article, I was sitting watching the rain absolutely bucket down on Thursday Island, and I found it hard to reflect on my last six weeks (and nearby Cyclone Nathan was not exactly helping lift my spirits as it dampened my final week).
Sit down, be humble
The Aurora Project is a program that facilitates internships between tertiary students and Indigenous organisations with an emphasis on native title and social justice for Indigenous peoples.
A lot of my mates were surprised when I told them I was going to spend five weeks in the Torres Strait. Some had never heard of Thursday Island, and those that had couldn’t name another island in the strait.
I imagine my future self will look back on my time with The Aurora Project as a pivotal moment in my life’s journey.
For four weeks over the summer holidays, I moved several hours out of Melbourne to do an internship with the Barengi Gadjin Land Council (BGLC) in Horsham, as part of the Aurora Project’s Internship Program.
My enlightenment into the colourful world of anthropology began with an article entitled; ‘The Original Affluent Society; The paradox of development’ by Marshall Sahlins and a very coincidental conversation with a peer about the Aurora Internship Program.
There is valuable knowledge in reading and in books, but my time as an Aurora intern with Barengi Gadjin Land Council (BGLC) has taught me that certain things can’t be learned at university.
An Aurora internship is an excellent, pragmatic means to exploring and deepening one’s theoretical knowledge, through applied experience. It is more than that however.
I recently completed my summer 2020 Aurora internship placement with Barengi Gadjin Land Council (BGLC) in Horsham, western Victoria.
Throughout my degree in History and Archaeology, I became increasingly conscious of the effect that unearthing the past has on the living descendants of those cultures.
The major work that I was involved in throughout my Aurora internship canvassed a considerable range of areas of law. I was exposed to cultural heritage and native title law through research tasks as well as the observation and minute taking in the Native Title Holders and Directors meetings.
The Aurora Project seeks to introduce students to career opportunities in the area of native title and Indigenous affairs and at the same time provides assistance to under-resourced and over-worked staff who work in Australia’s Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs), Native Title Service Prov
The Aurora Project is an organisation which places students and graduates at Native Title Representative Bodies and Aboriginal social enterprises and policy organisations in unpaid full-time 6 week internships.
I was lucky enough to be able to participate in two separate Aurora internships as part of the Aurora Internship Program. My first internship was at Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV) and the second one was at the Myuma Group.
Sunburnt dirt, stretching as far as the eye can see. Spiky spinifex, bleached wheat-white by the unrelenting sun. Harsh rocky terraces rising up sporadically over an otherwise flat expanse. And a wall of heat. Inescapable, indescribable. Like a furnace burning.
June this year saw me travel to Western Australia for the first time to work as the very first Aurora intern placed at Kuruma Marthudunera Aboriginal Corporation (KMAC), a corporation that represents the K&M people in the Pilbara, who currently have a native title application underfoot and se
In November of 2014 I was flown to Karratha to complete an internship with Kuruma Marthudunera Aboriginal Corporation (KMAC). I gained this placement through the Aurora Internship Program. The process for gaining the internship was straight forward; it was like applying for a job.
Leaving my new home in Adelaide, I wondered what I was getting myself into with my Aurora internship placement to KMAC in Karratha. Especially given that Karratha was as far away from Adelaide as my home town in England was from the North Pole, it certainly put things in perspective.
Native Title as a legal concept first caught my attention during Property Law, when I completed my major essay on the subject. Native Title attempts to reconcile two systems of law and their respective proprietary rights.
Broadening my horizons and gaining an enhanced understanding of the interaction between the law and Aboriginal people were the main reasons why I undertook a legal internship via the Aurora Project. Throughout the lengthy enrolment process, I knew that I wanted to immerse myself in a new environ
My experience as an Aurora Native Title Intern based in the Pilbara, WA.
I was accepted to intern at Kuruma Marthudunera Aboriginal Corporation (KMAC) in the winter break of 2015. This was made possible through the Aurora Internship Program for myself as a third year university student, along with many others just like me stationed across the country.
Within just a couple of weeks, I found out that I would be jetting off to Broome to complete a 6 week internship as part of the Aurora Internship Program based in the Community Development Unit at Nyamba Buru Yawuru (NBY).
As I peered with excitement out of the aeroplane window, laying my eyes for the first time on Australia’s west coast, I felt immensely privileged to have been placed in Broome.
In July of 2017, I was given the opportunity to be part of The Aurora Internship Program. Aurora places a range of students and graduates from different disciplines with Indigenous sector host organisations that may lack staff or funding.
As a mature aged student, I came to La Trobe University with the intention of earning a certification, which would allow employment within the field of native title, or at least somewhere within the Aboriginal sector.
During the past six weeks I have been in Darwin undertaking an internship through a placement program named The Aurora Project, which places anthropology, law and some social sciences students and graduates in internships with Native Title Representative Bodies.
I was buzzing when I heard the news that I would be heading off to Darwin as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program. I knew it would be a world away from growing up in brash Sydney and living in cosmopolitan Melbourne.
Having just graduated with my double degree, I knew I wanted to continue my studies and undertake honours. But I felt I was lacking in the practical experience that often comes with anthropological work.
I was first introduced to the Aurora Internship Program during my Graduate Diploma at Melbourne University by a fellow student. They emphasized the fun and possibilities it had opened up for them, particularly if I wanted to work in Indigenous affairs.
When I received confirmation of my Aurora placement with the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) in Darwin for six weeks over the winter break I was overjoyed. The prospect of working for such a unique organisation was extremely exciting.
I came to Australia for the first time in 2009 to conduct my honors research thesis focused on Australian Aboriginal Land Rights.
I decided to apply for an Aurora internship in the final semester of my Bachelor of Arts, in which I took an extended major in anthropology. At that point in my degree, getting a taste of ‘real life anthropology’ was exactly what I wanted and also felt I needed to do.
Tackling Health Inequality through Policy
**Please note the term Aboriginal will be used to be inclusive of the terms ‘Torres Strait Islander’ and ‘Indigenous’, unless stated in a title.
Advocating for change in the Aboriginal Health sector
**Please note the term Aboriginal will be used to be inclusive of the terms ‘Torres Strait Islander’ and ‘Indigenous’, unless stated in a title.
Advocating for change in the Aboriginal Health sector
**Please note the term Aboriginal will be used to be inclusive of the terms ‘Torres Strait Islander’ and ‘Indigenous’, unless stated in a title
I decided at the start of this year that I would become more proactive in my own individual development. For the past few years as a uni student, I had watched as others were given great opportunities and promoted the various organisations that they had been involved with.
**Please note the term Aboriginal will be used to be inclusive of the terms ‘Torres Strait Islander’ and ‘Indigenous’, unless stated otherwise.
Please note that the term ‘Aboriginal’ will be used to be inclusive of the terms ‘Torres Strait Islander’ and ‘Indigenous,’ unless otherwise stated.
Just at the end of the road.
Over winter I have had the privilege of undertaking a five week internship in Darwin via the Aurora Internship Program.
I arrived in Darwin on the 1st of November 2016 with very few expectations.
Reflecting on my time as an Aurora intern with Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory (APO NT), I could not be happier that I made the choice to apply to the Aurora Internship Program for the 2017 winter round.
Having just returned from a six month trip for my semester abroad where I studied at Trinity College in Dublin, Darwin was a real shock to the system. Firstly, my body struggled to handle the relentless and sweaty humidity, and I was shaken by the tropical rain every evening.
Over this past winter I completed an Aurora internship at Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory (APO NT) in Darwin. APO NT is an alliance of key Indigenous organisations in the Northern Territory.
Spending six weeks at APO NT via the Aurora Internship Program was the perfect end to my time at university and start of a next chapter. I just finished my Honours year and stepping out of the books and into the real world was a difficult but much needed and welcomed change.
I had a fantastic time in Darwin, where I interned at Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern
Territory (APO NT) for five weeks in June/July 2019 as part of the Aurora Internship Program. I had
The Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements (ATNS) project has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my Law degree.
I jumped at the opportunity to apply for the Aurora Internship Program because of my interest in native title and Indigenous affairs.
The Agreements Treaties and Negotiated Settlements (ATNS) project falls within the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne.
The Aurora Project was created to strengthen Indigenous organisations by supporting staff and facilitating employment opportunities within these organisations. The Aurora Internship Program is part of this endeavor.
As a final year Arts/Law student, I was motivated to apply for the Aurora Internship Program because of the distinct lack of focus on Indigenous affairs and the impact of colonisation on the law throughout my education.
I undertook an Aurora internship at ATNS, the Australian Treaties and Negotiation Settlement (ATNS). I was thrilled to have been provided with this wonderful opportunity to learn about Indigenous rights, land agreements and native title.
I decided to study Arts and Law at Monash University because I wanted my professional career to contribute towards fostering a society that is inclusive, respectful and empowering.
As an undergraduate student studying a BA (Anthropology), I am just entering the final semester of my third year.
Just at the end of the road.
I left Melbourne University with my Bachelor of Arts degree in my hand and a bunch of enthusiasm, yet still unsure how to approach the big scary job market.
A jam-packed six weeks with Artback NT
Over the 2012/2013 summer – autumn period I undertook a twelve-week part-time Aurora legal internship as part of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program,, where I was fortunate to receive my first preference with the Australian Capital Territory Corrective Services (ACTCS).
ACT Corrective Services (ACTCS) is part of the ACT Government which has responsibility for offenders within Community Corrections, and detainees within ACT correctional centres. ACTCS seeks to do this in a way that maintains the safety and security of detainees, offenders and the community, whil
Over the winter holidays of 2018, I undertook a four week placement with the ACT Corrective Services (ACTCS) through the Aurora Internship Program. This required that I find temporary accommodation in Canberra on the land of the Ngunnawal people, who are the traditional custodians.
While governance seems such a theoretical concept, AIGI successfully translates governance into effective practice and assists Indigenous led organisations across Australia achieve their overall goals and create positive changes in the communities in which they operate.
The Australian Indigenous Governance Institute (AIGI) is a non-profit organisation that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians achieve self-determined economic, social and cultural aspirations through strong governance.
After graduating from Arts/Law at ANU in mid-2016, I decided to take some time off to try some different things and learn some new skills. I was fortunate enough to complete two Aurora Internships during this time via the Aurora Internship Program.
When the call for applications for summer placements with the Aurora Internship Program once again came up at the end of last year, I jumped at the opportunity.
After graduating from the University of Melbourne with Honours in Australian Indigenous Studies I took some time off and realised two things.
Based in Canberra and owned and operated by Indigenous Australians, the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre (AILC) empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders through the provision of accredited courses in Indigenous Leadership and Business (Governance).
I was fortunate to spend 5 weeks over the winter break working at the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre (AILC) in Canberra. Slightly miffed that this also meant I could not escape a very cold Canberra winter, I began nonetheless with an open mind and excitement!
American cultural anthropologist, Margaret Mead once wrote to 'never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.' The small team lead by Rachelle Towart at the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre (AILC) is that ex
There comes a time in many a student’s journey where life simply seems to revolve around what is important for them as an individual.
Approaching community development projects as an educated privileged white person can be awkward, and in some cases, highly insensitive. When you choose to work in communities with a background in systemic poverty, post-colonial trauma and discrimination, you are often the elephant in the room.
As a student of International Development at ACU I have learnt a lot about the inequality and injustice affecting people in developing countries.
Having recently graduated from a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology, I was interested in doing an Aurora internship to broaden my understanding of the Indigenous sector and to gain practical research skills.
The Ngunnawal Centre at University of Canberra provides support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and it was through those offices that I heard about the Aurora Native Title Internship Program.
Canberra, Government, Politics. Three words that go together automatically for most Australians. When I think of Canberra the connotations are much more specific to my personal experience. Indigenous issues, native title, policy, research.
The Aurora Internship Program is an exceptional program designed to support law, anthropology and social science students and graduates to undertake work experience with key organisations in the area of native title and the broader Indiegbnous sector.
After successfully applying for the winter 2014 round of the Aurora Native Title Internship Program I was placed at AIATSIS in Canberra for 5 weeks.
Canberra: one name that automatically dredges up memories of visiting Parliament House and the War Memorial on primary school excursions. Canberra: one name that immediately conjures vivid imagery of inescapable round-a-bouts, Questacon, fireworks and Lake Burley Griffin.
Over the winter break of 2013 I decided to seize the opportunity to be an Aurora Intern. Friends, classmates and lecturers had recommended the Aurora Native Title Internship Program as a great way to engage with issues of Indigenous Australian anthropology firsthand, in particular native title.
Located on the edge of Canberra’s beautiful Lake Burley Griffin, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) is an eminent centre for Indigenous affairs, housing a vast collection of artefacts and resources, and home to many celebrated researchers and pra
On our first day of the Aurora internship program, we were bombarded with many new acronyms: AIATSIS, NTRU, NTRBs, PBCs, ILUAs and the NTA.