From April 27th to May 1st, I spent a week at YO Bendigo for work experience. I had a staff member from my school suggest YO Bendigo and I went along with that because I was interested in learning how a workplace based around youth would run and I liked the Ambedo Magazine too.

Day 1: Monday 👩🏻‍💻✨

My day started with meeting Leon (the supervisor and youth lead) and everyone else that I’d be working with for the week. I had an induction of the YO Bendigo office and then walked over to Galkangu (the government hub in Bendigo) so I could get my visitor pass for the day and my laptop for the week. Plus I got to meet some of the staff that work there too! The laptop decided to be a little pest to begin with over there, but it worked! The laptop is new to the work experience thing too so that’s cool.

I got my own desk in the office, in-between Leon and Jesse. I started work on my resume a bit and then got started on proper work like writing an article for the Ambedo Blog which I finished writing today as well (surprisingly apparently according to Leon). I also helped Katie find things on Canva to make into stickers to decorate the printer with, which she’s named Perry the Printer.

Day 2: Tuesday 🤝🌟

As I was working more on Ambedo things today, Jesse sent me a list of things I could do so I brainstormed ideas for YO Chill Day that related to art and crafts as well as ideas for more articles I could potentially do.

Katie took me over to Galkangu and I met more staff over there. I even met Greg Harris who does all the volunteer and work experience stuff and he said he doesn’t normally meet work experience students so that was cool!

Day 3: Wednesday ♫✦

I finished my article today and got some photos and then got feedback from Leon about it. After that, I started working on my resume more and I had it almost finished which is great! I had Leon mainly help me with structuring it.

Chelsea sent me an email asking if I could find opportunities that people in the Youth Performers Program might be interested in doing. The program is for people who are young musicians and performers who want more experience and paid opportunities. I went through a lot of websites to find things, and I’ve found a few that I think could catch some people’s attention, having a mix of theatre and musical events depending on what they like.

Day 4: Thursday 🍟🌈

Emily and Katie took me along to Arena Theatre’s 60th anniversary and it was so cool being there and learning all of its history. A lovely lady and her daughter performed a song together and we got involved too with clapping and spelling out 'arena' for the song. There was a timeline activity to do in the middle of the room, and it was lining up arena and world events together. It was interesting, and Katie took it as her mission to finish it entirely. I met and talked to Mayor Cr. Thomas Prince before the whole speech started. It was cool meeting him and he was nice. Also, a funny thing happened as Katie was talking to someone else: she mentioned me and somehow called me her daughter instead of being a work experience student.

I had hot chips for lunch with the whole team! It was very nice just chatting with everyone, even just being quiet and listening to everyone as they talk to each other. Way after this, Leon took me over to the barista workshop before it started to see how Jesse’s going, and the guy running it nicely gave me a lanyard and a wrist band.

Day 6: Friday 🥳🎉

For my last day, I mostly just finished off tasks and everything I needed to do. I published all my articles (which is how you're ready this) I also came up with an idea for an end of year party so yay.

I’m so grateful for the experience I’ve had at YO Bendigo with everyone and everything.