Paid Internship
Program
When I first joined AMaGA Victoria as the 2024 Project Officer Intern, I wasn’t sure what to expect—but the program turned out to be a transformative experience that offered hands-on learning, sector-wide connections, and the space to contribute meaningfully to some incredible projects. From the outset, I was encouraged to work across the organisation’s core programs and even had the opportunity to sit on the Branch Committee as an observer, gaining valuable insight into governance and strategic decision-making. The following sections detail my contributions over the year.
COMMUNICATIONS
Working with the Communications Manager, Maria Pia Dunne, I was involved in shaping, launching, and co-hosting Closer Look, AMaGA Victoria’s podcast that takes listeners behind the scenes of museums and galleries across the state. Helping to shape its direction, tone, and outreach strategy gave me insight into how we communicate cultural work to broader audiences.
VICTORIAN COLLECTIONS
With the Victorian Collections team, I contributed to the early-stage development of a scoping project to improve the Cultural Safety of the Victorian Collections program. This work helped me understand both the technical and community-driven considerations that underpin ethical digital practice. I’m also finalising a new VC Story unpacking the colonial mythologies of the Burke and Wills story.
ACCREDITATION PROGRAMS
With the Accreditation team, I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes, attending site visits and serving as a panel member for three remarkable institutions: Golden Dragon Museum, Koorie Heritage Trust, and Melbourne Holocaust Museum. Initially, my past experiences with accreditation in other industries led me to approach this process with some skepticism in terms of its relevance and effectiveness in the cultural sector. However, my involvement in this program has completely changed my perspective. Each visit revealed the depth and care within Victoria’s cultural sector, and it was a privilege to contribute to organisations doing such important work.
PROGRAMS & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The internship also included opportunities to get out into the field. I joined the GLAM-Show across the Mornington Peninsula and the southwest coast—a whirlwind of collection, exhibitions, coastal drives, and conversations with local sector professionals.
But perhaps the most meaningful part of my internship was the opportunity to develop and deliver my own public program. The panel session, We’re Decolonising—Now What?, was the magnum opus of my time with AMaGA Victoria. This panel discussion offered some nuance to discussions about ‘decolonising the museum’ through bringing to light some of the less visible barriers facing heritage practitioners of colour in the ‘decolonial turn’. It was also an opportunity to foster solidarity between emerging and current BIPoC museum and heritage practitioners.
Image: We’re Decolonising—Now What? logo.
This session brought together powerful voices from across the global sector (see Acknowledgements for full list) and was informed by culturally safe facilitation principles. The following safety measures were implemented to ensure respect and care for both panellists and participants:
No recording: To protect privacy and encourage honest dialogue, the session was not recorded, with a brief executive summary distributed to attendees.
Respect for privacy: Attendees were asked not to share identifying details of what was said outside the event.
Two-part structure: The event was divided into two sessions. The first, exclusively for BIPoC-identifying attendees, allowed for deeper peer-to-peer conversations. The second, a listening session open to all, invited a broader audience to learn from lived experiences.
No chat or Q&A in the public session: This created a focused, respectful space where listening was prioritised over responding.
This model of facilitation had a significant impact, with attendees praising the event for creating a safe, considered, and supportive environment. It allowed for candid sharing among professionals who are often asked to speak about their experiences without the necessary protections in place. By separating peer-to-peer discussion from broader audience engagement, the event modelled a thoughtful approach to public programming, one that others in the sector have expressed interest in adopting. I’m thrilled to share that the success of the event has led to a follow-up scheduled for July 2025.
Closing out the year, I attended the AMaGA National Conference in Ballarat where I co-presented a session with Ash Robertson as a part of the Day One: Victoria in Focus program. So, You Wanna Pay an Intern was a fireside chat-style session reflecting on AMaGA Victoria’s paid internship program and advocating for meaningful, compensated early-career experiences. While we took a tongue-in-cheek approach, the message was clear: paid internships matter. Several applications for the 2025 program were submitted as a result of this presentation, which felt like the perfect way to close the loop.
Another personal highlight from the conference was participating in a special talanoa evening. It was such a rare and meaningful gift to be able to celebrate my Fijian-Indian heritage with my AMaGA Victoria peers at a sector event!
Image: Sharing bowls of kava at the AMaGA National Conference’s special talanoa evening. Photo: Kavita Peterson.
CLOSING REMARKS
The AMaGA Victoria internship was a game-changer. It gave my early sector career a real boost—not just through hands-on experience and professional development, but by backing me with recognition and trust. It helped me grow my network across the sector and access opportunities that would’ve been hard to reach alone. I’m proud of what we achieved together—and grateful for the experience.
KAVITA PETERSON
Project Officer, signing off!