Communications professional Sam Mattila, Senior Media Adviser with Austrade, is mentoring Masters of Communications student, Shakun Devi, on a media campaign with the NSW Reconciliation Council.
Shakun's work will promote a education resource pack for teachers and students, and events organised across NSW by more than 60 local Reconciliation groups for Reconciliation Week 2009, 27 May to 3 June.
Both Shakun, the mentee, and the Council will benefit from the support of Sam, a professional with 18 years experience in corporate, government and NGO organisations who has worked on a number of large campaigns, including a Referendum, a Federal election and London’s Millennium celebrations.
Sam and Shakun are participating in the second year of the PRIA NSW + UTS Mentor Program: Students working with Industry for the Community.
This program allows quality communication outcomes for under-resourced community groups and Public Communication students to develop as professional practitioners by doing free, community-public relations projects through UTS Shopfront with industry supervisors from the Public Relations Institute of Australia NSW’s Mentoring Program.
Sam Mattila said, "I think this is a really worthwhile program for new PR professionals and was really pleased to be able to support our emergent talent."
"We all have to start somewhere and with the state of world economy it is more and more important for organisations to be able to clearly articulate their positions—so there will be an ongoing demand for good PRs."
PRIA NSW Development Officer, Caroline Cook, said: “We are thrilled Sam is one of the six industry mentors who have generously committed their personal time to participate in this very important program to support our developing PR talent.
Image L-R: UTS Masters student, Shakun Devi, and her mentor, Sam Mattila, Senior Media Adviser for Austrade's EMEA region.
Further Reading: an article on the PRIA NSW + UTS Mentor Program pilot in 2008