Kezia Davies, our second HDRC Public Involvement summer intern, has finished her six-week placement with us. Read on to learn more about her time with us and her contributions.
For a second year the HDRC worked with the Warwick Institute of Engagement to recruit a student intern through their funded internship programme. Following a competitive interview process, we warmly welcomed Kezia to Coventry HDRC and the wider Public Health Team for a six-week internship over the summer 2025. Kezia is a student studying for her master's degree in social inequalities and research methods at the University of Warwick. She made a significant contribution to our project and team during her time with us.
Reflecting back on her internship at Coventry HDRC, Kezia said:
"I have loved working as a Public Involvement Intern with the HDRC and the public health team at Coventry City Council. Everyone I worked with was very friendly and welcoming, always happy to answer questions and give guidance. I attended a wide variety of workshops, training opportunities, and meetings with various organisations, opening my eyes to the incredible amount of work going on in Coventry.
A large part of my work here has involved interviewing some of the Public Voice Group (PVG) members who discuss local issues and input into local research. It has been a privilege to spend time talking with them and learning about their experiences of the group so far. Their passion for improving the lives of Coventry residents is evident, and they have so much value and insight to input into future projects and research.
The report that I have put together summarises what the members shared, their ideas for improvement, and their research interests. It will input into how the PVG and the HDRC is shaped going forward. Furthermore, this helped me to update the Public Involvement Principles document by outlining the PVG’s progress.
Also, towards the end of my placement, I helped do research for a rapid review on anti-social behaviour and interviewed Council Research Ambassadors to write articles on their work for the intranet and homepage.
Before starting this role, I was unfamiliar with public health and the HDRC, so I have learned a huge amount in my time here. Particularly, what it looks like to have active public involvement in projects and how to engage people in ways that are meaningful and productive. I am hoping to continue working with the Council to complete my master's dissertation and feel inspired to continue pursuing a career in research after working with such a lovely team."
We want to thank Kezia for all her hard work and wish her the best of luck for the future.