Highlights

This week, most of my project time has focussed on working to boost the response rate to my feedback survey, drafting emails and producing flyers to try to maximise engagement before the response deadline on Sunday 2^nd August. Following the first reminder email, our response total increased by 25%, and following the final persuasive email we received a further 20 responses. It was rewarding to see my research into effective survey design and engagement reap tangible results, especially in far exceeding the preliminary target of 100 responses (115 was the running total at the end of Friday!).

Furthermore, I have also worked on planning and preparing for what will be a busy final week of my time at BGH, preparing a summary and recommendations report collating findings from the survey. This will include preparing for a presentation summarising findings to senior leadership at BGH at the end of next week. I have enjoyed blowing the dust off my university skills in analysing quantitative and qualitative data, and I am feeling well prepared for producing a report which I hope will be useful for BGH after my departure.

Finally, in my last full week in Melbourne I have continued to try and pack in seeing as much as possible! Highlights from this week included visiting a retro cinema near my accommodation, with one of the last analogue black and white photobooths in the world, going to see SIX the musical in the CBD, and seeing the famous decorated Brighton Beach Huts on a 20km city coastal path walk along the eastern waterfront of the city!

Challenges

Although those suffering in the extreme heat in the UK/Europe will be jealous, I admittedly have found this week the most mentally challenging so far, with long commutes every day in sub 5°C conditions and working in the warehouse where the shutters are open and there is little heating! It has also seemed to be a perpetual war against the public transport system this week, on more than one occasion making an already 1hr30 each way commute over 2 hours. That being said, I am remaining appreciative of the well-connected nature of Melbourne and my ability to do activities after work most evenings relying purely on public transport, something which would be much more challenging living in my countryside home in the UK!

Furthermore, despite feeling pleased with the progress on response rates to my survey, the still relatively low survey completion rate out of a large sample size has been at times disheartening. I have been trying to remain conscious that expectations for a survey this size have to be realistic, especially when the email send list was so large and includes individuals who may have only interacted once with the organisation nearly a year ago. That being said, I am hopeful that the survey responses we have received represent a not insignificant proportion of the people who regularly use BGH’s service, and thus findings and recommendations will be helpful to BGH’s continued development to best support them and the families they work with.

Using the 3Cs: Applying character, values and leadership capacities:

This week, I feel that Drive is the character dimension I have used the most. In my project work, my determination to reach 100 responses has driven me to continue to work to boost engagement as much as possible, including right up until the deadline. Furthermore, I have also had to use drive to continue to shape a mentality that reminds me of what an amazing opportunity my time here is, allowing me to continue despite the often poor weather with my head held high!  

I have also felt reflective in my capacity as a leader this week, with this week providing the most opportunities to take autonomy in both my project management and continued work alongside volunteers in the warehouse. As I have grown in confidence in mass communication platforms, for example, I have needed less support to construct eye-catching, bold emails and sending these to the right people. On the warehouse floor, taking responsibility for potential issues as they arise is something I have worked to increasingly implement, boosting my confidence to talk to seniors and discuss particular items which may be low in stock and need action to resolve for example.

Finally, outside of work I have also tried to implement leadership capacities to involve myself in social experiences, particularly this week where I have had less interactions with interns and others my age at BGH. This has included reaching out to a group of friends I made at a working holiday friend-making social a couple of weeks ago, and organising a final meet-up with them next week. Whilst this is perhaps quite a minor aspect of leadership, I am still proud of myself for being confident in my ability to reach out and arrange a meet-up with people who I have enjoyed connecting with whilst being here.

Looking forward:

My last week at BGH looks to be a busy one pulling together everything I have worked on during my time here, with the aim to leave a finished project report and recommendations which I hope will be useful to BGH in the future. On Saturday morning I am also looking forward to flying to Sydney for a few days before I begin my journey back to the UK, and I am excited to explore a new city despite the fact it will be bittersweet to say goodbye to Melbourne and the amazing people I have met here.