Hello, my name is Aoife, and I am the 2024/25 JPIT Comms Intern. This means that I will be running the social media, podcasts, and you may have already received the Stay and Prays I have been sending every day (now that I’ve figured out the system!). My journey to this internship has been one that intertwines my passions for justice, learning, creativity, and my ever-strengthening relationship with God. I’m driven by a desire to help solve problems, and create a more just world, whether that is through large actions such as policy reform or global change, or smaller community action, inviting others in for a cuppa, or just a small act of kindness.
My A-levels were Politics, Sociology and Economics, and this really strengthened my knowledge in social justice. I also recently completed my degree in Interdisciplinary Problems and Methods. Rather than studying one subject for three years, this degree involved studying a range of subjects, from art to politics to neuroscience! I was also taught methods of research, such as coding, thematic analysis, statistics and many more. This has allowed me to see the world through many disciplinary perspectives, rather than just focusing on one. I’ve developed my perspective on the challenges our world faces, an understanding of how interconnected our world is, how we can combine knowledge to find new ways of thinking, and begin to solve complex problems. My academic background fuelled my desire to be more than just an observer of these problems, I want to be a part of the solution.
But my life isn’t just education! I am a keen gardener, and currently house over 100 houseplants – a full time job in itself! You can normally find me tending to a plant or two, or with a crochet hook in hand in my free time. Gardening gives me a deep sense of peace, and I enjoy seeing the fruits of my labour in the form of deep greens and gorgeous flowers. Crocheting is my favourite creative outlet, and I love making little gifts for my friends and family.
My faith is at the core of everything I do. My relationship with God guides me as I navigate life, and I firmly believe we are called to love and serve others, while also being served, like Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. My faith inspires me to work towards a more just and compassionate world, and I see JPIT doing just that work. It is through this lens that I approach social justice – motivated by the belief that we can create a society where everyone is valued, where the marginalised are lifted up, and where we care for each other as stewards of God’s creation.
The areas close to my heart are Poverty, the LGBTQ+ community, Disability Justice, and Racial Justice. This is not to say I’m not passionate about other social justice issues, but these are the core areas I have knowledge and experience in.
I hope to learn more about other social justice issues during this internship, to develop my skills in the areas in which I work, to meet others who share my passion for change, and to learn more about God’s work in this world.
