After four months as our incredible Communication Support Officer, we are sad to be saying farewell to our Food Fairness intern Natasha Lilly Atelj-Smith. To say goodbye, here’s a little peek into this public health superstar who’s been creating our social media and newsletter content to help keep you educated and up-to-date with all things fair food in the Illawarra!
Tell us a little bit about your passion for health and food, and how it led you to your studies
Whilst growing up I had a natural love and passion for nutrition, health and wellbeing. These passions were influenced by personal and family values; my mother Jules went to great lengths to ensure I was eating fresh and homemade meals every day. Eating my daily dose of fruit and veg was instilled into me from a young age. My mum sometimes had to get creative, whether that was incorporating carrot, zucchini and onion through a delicious Spaghetti Bolognese or telling me that yogurt was ice cream! Although I haven’t exactly inherited her cooking skills, I have learnt to appreciate the physical and mental benefits of having a healthy and holistic diet.
I was never certain as to what career path in health I wanted to take initially, so I figured the best way to find out was to try them all. In 2017, during Year 10 of high school
I was fortunate enough to of had the opportunity to complete work placement within the allied health department at Wollongong Hospital. I completed work experience there for five days and explored a variety of departments including Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Physio, Dietetics/Nutrition. The experience was eye-opening and solidified my desire to work in the health field. However, allied health was still not entirely the right fit for me. Fast forward one year later to a career’s day organised by my high school, I grabbed a pamphlet labelled “Public Health at UOW”. Six years later and I am in the last semester of my degree, for a Bachelor of Public Health. Public Health is a discipline that speaks to me on a personal level, as it is a fusion of my passion for community health and my commitment to enhancing access to food security, whilst addressing barriers that prevent equitable access to food. Through this field, I can explore the connections between health, the environment, and policy, working towards solutions that improve population health outcomes and foster healthier communities for all.
What have you most enjoyed about volunteering with Healthy Cities?
My role at Healthy Cities with Food Fairness Illawarra is a Communication Support Officer. Throughout this role, I have gained invaluable experience in the areas of health literacy, food security and health promotion. What I enjoyed most as a volunteer and in my role as a communication support officer was the chance to create a meaningful impact in the community by sharing valuable resources and information about events, nutrition and food security through a quarterly newsletter and Food Fairness’s social media channels. I found great fulfilment in connecting with the organisers and hosts of the upcoming Illawarra Edible Garden Trail. It has been a pleasure to promote such an amazing grassroots community event that supports gardeners and advocates for more equitable food systems in our community.
Now that you’re wrapping up your studies, what do you hope to do with your career?
My main career aspiration after completing my Public Health degree is to work as a Health Promotion Officer. I would hope to work for the council or a like-minded NGO to Healthy Cities Illawarra. In particular, I would like to work with children, youth and First Nations peoples. A role in Health promotion would best serve my passion for community health and allow me to contribute to initiatives and programs that promote food security, nutrition outcomes, health literacy and access to health resources.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would have to be a salmon and avocado sushi roll, with a side of edamame. It is my absolute go-to comfort meal and I can’t remember a week I have gone without eating this combo!
Interested in volunteering with us? Find out more and get in touch with us today!
