Adelaide University Volunteer Experience - Lancy Lanxi Zhang
Welcome Lancy!
Lancy Lanxi Zhang joined our SAcommunity Data Analytics Team for her University of Adelaide SET (Sciences, Engineering and Technology) Internship for her Masters of Computing and Innovation Semester 2, 2024: 13 August 2024 - 22 October 2024.
She has completed a 140 hour internship onsite with SAcommunity at the Connecting Up Office, Infoxchange for 2 days (15 hours) a week for ~10 weeks around her classes finishing her internship on the 22 October 2024.
Total Hours 140 Joined 13 August 2024 last Check-in 22 October 2024
Personal Biography
Lancy Zhang is currently in her final semester of a Master’s degree in Computing and Innovation at the University of Adelaide, with a background in Electrical Engineering and Automation from Henan Polytechnic University in China.
Before her journey to Australia, Lancy gained valuable experience as a course instructor, where she spent two years teaching students about Photoshop and film-editing software. Her passion for drone technology also led her to work with the drone club, where she acquired foundational knowledge of drone operations.
At Connecting Up, Lancy is focused on building her professional network and drawing insights from industry experts. She is enthusiastic about enhancing her data collection and analysis skills through hands-on experience with real-world data.
In the future, Lancy aspires to become a full-stack developer or UX designer, where she aims to leverage her problem-solving abilities and solid programming skills to tackle complex challenges and drive innovative solutions.
Work Experience - Council Project
Lancy has selected the West Torrens Council for her Power BI and Canva council reports, a database of approximately 401 community services in the area for the financial years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. The completed reports can be found >>here.
Presenting council-based analytic summaries on community services and information demands, provides an indication of social and demographic needs of a council. In the process of analysis, Lancy is using this Analytics Project as an opportunity to examine, evaluate and clean the data, whilst learning how to utilise Power BI reports to check database records for accuracy.
Working in the Connecting Up Office: Lanxi, Holly Hongjie Xiang, and Ho Khan Vy Vo
Work Experience - Internal and External Events, Connections and Networks
Volunteers and interns are encouraged to attend monthly SAcommunity Team meetings and Connecting Up staff meetings. Relevant meetings Lancy has attended include the staff meetings for August, September, and October:
Connecting Up Monthly Staff Meeting 8 October 2024 with Volunteers and Interns
The October monthly staff meeting was organised by Eric, accounts manager. This meeting included updates from the Customer Service Team, the Website Rebuild Team, the Marketing Team and the Data Analysis Team. Each team summarized their accomplishments from the past month and highlighted their key priorities for October. This collaborative approach ensures that everyone is aligned on goals and can effectively strategize for the upcoming month.
Connecting Up Monthly Staff Meeting 10 September 2024 with Volunteers and Interns
The September monthly staff meeting aimed to foster collaboration and teamwork while aligning everyone with the organisation’s goals. Participants had the opportunity to hear updates from various teams. Pankaj Chhalotre, head of Connecting Up, emphasized the importance of collaboration within teams and shared valuable insights on team development. Mostafa discussed the progress of the Website Rebuild Team, focusing on efforts to restructure data and identify the best solutions to enhance clarity and efficiency.
Connecting Up Monthly Staff Meeting 13 August 2024 with Volunteers and Interns
The August monthly staff meeting invited Kylie Love, Senior People and Culture Business Partner from the People and Culture Team in Brisbane. Pankaj began by welcoming all interns and volunteers, helping them understand the main purpose and goals of SAcommunity. He then summarized the next steps for the organisation, outlining key initiatives and encouraging active participation from all team members.
Progress Catch-Up 20 September 2024
The Head of Connecting Up Pankaj Chhalotre met the Volunteer and Internship group to find out more about the student's experience. He inquired about the challenges and obstacles they faced, as well as their successes and benefits. Additionally, he tasked each student with identifying their goals for the internship and providing recommendations to enhance the overall experience for both volunteers and interns.
Connecting Up Introduction Meeting 13 August 2024 with Volunteers and Interns
The introduction meeting welcomed all new interns and volunteers, helping them become familiar with the office layout, departmental functions, and available facilities. Existing staff and new interns introduced themselves, fostering connections and sharing insights with each other.
Data Catalyst Network: Working with Government data 1 October 2024
The Data Catalyst Network is made up of close to 50 organisations working with data from the not-for-profit community sector to break cycles of disadvantage through the innovative use of data.
Lancy's takeaways from the October 2024 meeting are below:
The aim of The Smith Family Learning for Life program was to support children experiencing disadvantage by equipping them with essential resources to engage with school and enhance their educational outcomes. By leveraging real-time educational data through a partnership with the South Australian Department for Education, the program seeked to provide timely and targeted support to students and their families, addressing issues as they arise.
The program emphasized the importance of accessing real-time data on student attendance, academic achievement, and behavior management. This enabled proactive support for students, allowing for early identification and resolution of issues.
Additionally, this project underscored the positive impact of data-driven approaches on students and families, demonstrating how effective data management can lead to enhanced educational support and better life outcomes.
Peer-to-peer Learning in the Connecting Up Office: Stathis(The lead of Data-Analysis Team), Eily Lee Selvam, Mihir Desai, Alex Thi Ngoc-Bich Nguyen, Lanxi
Work Experience - Develop & Training Sessions
Volunteers and interns are encouraged to attend several develop and training sessions to build their professional skills. Relevant sessions Lancy has attended include:
Telephone technique training with Holly Hongjie Xiang(left) and Ivy Ling Luo(right) 8 October 2024
The telephone techniques training aimed to assist members of the Data Analytics Team in enhancing their communication skills for phone interactions with organisations and councils. This training provided valuable tips for introducing oneself and our organisation, inquiring about information, and leaving effective messages.
During this training session, I learned essential greeting phrases and how to introduce both myself and my organization. I also gained skills in checking information on the website and asking for the necessary details to complete our community site. Additionally, I practiced my telephone skills with Holly and Ivy, who provided valuable feedback on improving my communication and helped boost my confidence in answering calls. By honing these skills, I feel more confident and prepared during phone calls.
Mentor meeting with Liezl Thomas 15 October 2024 (Lancy & Holly Hongjie Xiang)
Connecting Up Interns are provided with the opportunity to select staff members from across the wider Infoxchange organisation for an informational mentor meeting. Here they have the opportunity to ask more about staff members job roles and employment journey, and learn about their career and professional development, to gain insights and guidance that can be applied towards their own success.
I prepared 5 questions for mentor and then recorded 5 aspects I felt were helpful to share on my portfolio for both myself and other interns. I shared my experience in meeting Liezl Thomas – Project manager, Infoxchange.
In our mentor meeting, Liezl shared her career path and the experiences she has encountered over the years, which helped me gain a better understanding of her journey. Then we discussed the distinct roles of a product owner and a developer. The key difference lies in their focus and responsibilities. As a developer, one has more control over their daily schedule. Developers will determine what tasks to prioritise, how to tackle coding challenges, and set personal goals for the day. They need to know how to manage their workflow effectively, focusing on problem-solving and technical execution.
For product owner, should prioritise collaboration and team dynamics. The role resembles that of a guide or facilitator, akin to a parent guiding their children. A product owner needs to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team members, learning from their individual styles to foster a productive environment. This involves not only setting priorities but also motivating and supporting the team to achieve collective goals.
We also talk about what a typical day looks like for a product owner in Australia and how seasonal demands can affect the work environment.
A typical day often begins with going into the office, as Liezl highlighted. This presence encourages team members to approach her with various issues, fostering a culture of open communication. Her role involves coordinating with engineers, communicating with customers, and ensuring the quality of ongoing projects. It helps streamline processes and enhances overall productivity.
For Australia culture, the most demanding times often terminate with the end of the financial year. December and January are typically quieter months, as many employees take leave during the holiday season. Understanding these patterns is crucial for me looking to find a job, as opportunities may be limited during slower periods.
This insight is invaluable for my future job search. Being aware of these seasonal dynamics will help me time my applications effectively.
I also ask for some suggestions about conflict resolution and problem solving, it’s variable to learn from the experience people about the soft skills.
An effective approach to conflict resolution involves asking questions in various ways to better understand what motivates individuals, whether they are exhibiting positive or negative behaviours. The first step in resolving conflict is to initiate a conversation with the person involved. Engaging in open dialogue helps clarify misunderstandings and paves the way for resolution. It’s important to show respect and sincerity when starting this conversation, as these qualities can foster a more productive and empathetic exchange.
For problem solving, if a situation becomes chaotic, it can be helpful to break it down into manageable parts. Identifying individuals who have faced similar challenges can provide valuable advice.
For instance, Liezl provided me the mental models and the Cynefin Framework, which help clarify how to approach simple and complex problems. I plan to study these tools further to enhance my problem-solving skills.
At last, Liezl encouraged me to believe in my abilities and to have confidence in my qualifications for any job. This mentor meeting has been a valuable experience for me during my internship.
Launch of the IX Way on 13 August 2024
IX Lunch & Learn Sessions
This session will explore the IX Way, our playbook for effective collaboration, with the objective of enhancing my ability to perform the job while engaging with the organisational culture. I have gained clarity on accountability and expectations for interactions with colleagues and customers, as well as a deeper understanding of who SAcommunity is, what SAcommunity do.
Health & Wellbeing Webinar - Foods to Boost Your Mood on 20 August 2024
The session provided a comprehensive overview of how nutrition impacts mental health and overall well-being, offering useful advice that I am eager to incorporate into my daily routine. One of the key takeaways from the webinar was the emphasis on eating a diverse range of colorful foods. The concept of "eating like a rainbow" really resonated with me. I learned that incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables into my diet—two fruits and five vegetables each day—can significantly enhance both my mood and physical health.
Infoxchange RU OK Cake & Connect Day 10 September 2024
IX Community & Cultural Events & Activities
Volunteers and interns are encouraged to attend cultural events and activities held in SAcommunity to get them involved in Australia culture.
The activity was a wonderful celebration of connection and support. The delicious cake was a sweet touch that brought us together, and the conversations we shared, filled with laughter and joy, truly highlighted the essence of the day. It reminded us that checking in on one another and sharing moments of care and kindness is important every single day, not just on Are You OK Day.
Digital Training & Development
Volunteers and interns have access to the Connecting Up Digital Learning Platform providing live webinars and recorded webinars, workshops and webcons presented by subject-matter experts to understand more about a range of technology topics for the not-for-profit sector.
The training sessions Lancy attended include:
Boost your Microsoft Teams presentation skills 30 August 2024
Lancy's takeaways:
This webinar aimed to enhance participants' skills in using Microsoft Teams for effective presentations and meetings.
From this webinar, Lancy understood how to efficiently schedule Microsoft Teams meetings and gained insights into recording meetings, poll into meetings, active live captions for meeting.
This webinar equipped Lancy with practical skills to enhance her presentations and make meetings more interactive and inclusive.
Getting started with data: Fundamentals, strategies and setting up quick wins 27 September 2024
The certification of Lancy's completion
Lancy's takeaways:
The aim of the "Getting Started with Data" webinar series was to empower not-for-profit organisations to effectively leverage data in order to enhance their operations, demonstrate their impact, and achieve their mission. Ultimately, the goal was to foster a data-driven culture within not-for-profits, enabling them to make informed decisions and better serve their communities.
There were five points Lancy learns from this webinar:
1. Emphasize the importance of developing a data strategy with the organisation's purpose and the data strategy.
2. Gather insights from senior leadership and conducting stakeholder interviews to ensure that data initiatives are aligned with their goals.
3. Analyze interview findings to identify key themes and consensus on data goals.
4. Organisations should perform a comprehensive review of existing data to determine what is currently available and what additional data is needed for effective decision-making.
5. Use insights from interviews and the data review, organisations can identify priority areas and gaps, which can inform the development of targeted projects and strategies.
Overall, this webinar highlighted the value of identifying and implementing quick wins—data projects that can be executed easily and deliver immediate benefits—thus demonstrating the value of data initiatives to the organisation.
The Valuable Experience for Lancy!
Thanks for the my supervisors and all the interns, volunteers.
The training, guidance, internal meetings, and cultural activities provided by SAcommunity have made me feel warmly welcomed as part of this amazing team. This has allowed me to quickly engage with the SAcommunity culture and immerse myself in its collaborative atmosphere. With the support of my peers and supervisors, I now feel well-equipped and confident in my role.
Through creating Power BI and Canva reports, I have become more familiar with data analysis and gained valuable insights using Google Analytics 4, enabling me to actively contribute to the organisation.
This internship has deepened my understanding of what makes an organisation successful, highlighting the importance of professionalism and fostering both personal and professional development. I now feel more confident as I look toward future workplaces.
