Hello from Secretariat UCLG ASPAC has continuously provided opportunities for youth to contribute to the city development through internship programme. In 2019, two interns have joined the Secretariat Team and been exposed in the Asia-Pacific works. Meet our interns, Novita (Indonesia) and Belinda (Australia).
Novita Aini Putri, or Novita, has joined UCLG ASPAC internship programme since November 2018 and will complete it in February 2019. As an undergraduate student of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta (Indonesia), Novita has a particular interest in community development and urban sustainability. The works of UCLG ASPAC has inspired her to know more, learn, and at the same time contribute to the works. Novita has been involved in the works of Member Services Division, LOCALISE SDGs project, and currently the Public Space programme. This has allowed Novita to gain insights on the relations among cities as well as the community development through public space development.
Belinda Jenkin will have her internship period in UCLG ASPAC for six weeks. Having background in Education, Geography, and History, she is currently studying a Masters of Planning at Deakin University, particularly cultural heritage stream. Her interests include the role of culture and heritage in urban planning, the intersection between large-scale social issues and the local urban environment, child-friendly planning, and urban resilience, in Australian and Asian-Pacific contexts. She is keen to contribute to the community and to the important work UCLG ASPAC is doing and that she is looking forward to learning about how UCLG ASPAC works with local government to build capacity and develop peer learning networks, and to learn more about Jakarta, Indonesia, and South East Asia. She is also ready to translate her university
experience into practical industry experience, to develop skills and professional networks.