We have reached the end of Ashley Ng's time as our communications intern here at Habitat Ireland. She now returns home to New York City after six months in Northern Ireland. Read on for Ashley's thoughts as she finishes her internship with us.
I came to Habitat for Humanity Ireland as part of my studies in international business and I was excited to learn all that I could in communications. Thinking back, I dug into many aspects of my work, whether it was the website, e-news, or social media. Social media has continued to be the majority of the work I do. The scavenger hunt series that I created is still going strong, with twenty-three videos currently posted. The series was created from my wish to see and learn more about the people supporting Habitat. There was plenty about work that Habitat does and about the people who benefited from it, but I was curious about the people who made change happen. That curiosity aligned with Habitat's goal of promoting ReStore to create a light-hearted series that would feature volunteers and staff from different backgrounds.
Looking back at my first blog, I write about looking forward to visiting more ReStore locations and attending more events. Little did I know that I would visit all ReStore locations in the span of a month, which is impressive considering that there are now six stores across Ireland. I would also go on to represent Habitat for Humanity in several events during my time here and subsequently develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for Habitat for Humanity's mission.
My second blog was about my experience volunteering in ReStore Lisburn every Friday. I made a joke there that I still struggle with the accent and that I'd never answer the phone at the till. That is no longer the case. I honestly still surprise myself whenever I immediately reach to answer the ReStore phone because it's not easy. But I've grown my capabilities to the point where I can "hold down the fort" if need be (in the words of David, the ReStore managers in Lisburn) and that's something to be proud of. It's a smart move for Habitat to place me in ReStore as a volunteer because it keeps me in touch with the content I create for social media, and it gives me better chance at adjusting to life in Northern Ireland. I met people from all walks of life in ReStore and I was so impressed that I thought this experience was the extent of it. Surely, there was no better way to get to know the community.
I was too hasty in my assumption because my experiences supporting local programmes such as Love Your Home 2025, House to Home, and school events proved me wrong. Like my experience in ReStore, I met so many people from different backgrounds. But what elevated my experience was seeing Habitat's impact outside the context of ReStore. In many cases, I've met people who first got involved with Habitat through global village, their churches, or their family members. Habitat for Humanity acts as a bridge between individuals who believe in the organisation's mission, and I'm fortunate to have those opportunities where I got to see this in action from several angles.
I had the perfect chance to synthesize my learnings with my involvement in developing ReStore Lisburn's global information hub. All ReStores create their own information hub to engage customers with Habitat's impact beyond our local community, through the Community Connections programme. The timing of the project aligned with the tail end of my internship and by then, I developed a strong understanding of Habitat's mission, programmes, and goals. This is due to the nature of my role as a communications intern, where I support wherever extra hands are needed. What surprised me was how easily ideas came to mind. Anyone unfortunate enough to share a group project with me knows that ideation is a personal struggle of mine, but the ideas kept flowing.
The information hub you see today in your local ReStore might not be the same one you see tomorrow. There's a group of volunteers behind every decision to modify the information hub. The organisation, content, and location of each information hub will periodically change to fit the demands of each ReStore. I personally think it's one of the coolest projects I've worked on because of its hands-on aspect. The work I did with the information hub certainly falls under the umbrella of communications, and it was refreshing seeing the progress over time.
The learning environment that's fostered here at Habitat for Humanity has blown me away. Thanks to my manager, I've had so many different opportunities to touch various aspects of Habitat's work, and it's made me a more effective communications intern. I also find that when I try something new that's out of my comfort zone, I will rise to the occasion.
I'm not the same person I was in January. Living on my own overseas has given me the chance to become more comfortable with being independent and has therefore given me the chance to grow into my own. I was able to try things I otherwise would never have tried as well, whether it was a matter of fear or lack of opportunity.
I never expected a year ago that I'd end up in Northern Ireland. That also means I didn't have my typical self-imposed weight of expectations to live up to the "ideal life" here. Without that pressure, I enjoyed my time here, especially with the kindness and hospitality from everyone around me. I've been saying goodbye to everyone who has made my time in Northern Ireland special. Amongst the usual well wishes and being told to visit again, one response stands out to me. One of my fitness instructors immediately informed me that I'll come back and the conviction of that statement made me pause. She continues to say that everyone has a way of making their way here to stay and well, I couldn't say never to that. By the end of my six months here, I've gotten a bit attached to Northern Ireland.
