By Derek Schlennstedt
Healesville’s Jayden Crozier always knew he wanted to be involved in International Relations and said he always had a passion for human rights.
Now as part of an exclusive internship Jayden, 21, will travel to Switzerland on 12 February and intern for six weeks with the United Nations.
The internship will see Jayden placed at the Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations for the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Speaking to The Mail, Jayden said he was bristling with excitement about the opportunity.
“Going to Geneva and Switzerland will be my first time going overseas, so I just got my passport and all that sorted and I’m really excited,” he said.
Jayden is studying a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws, majoring in Politics and International Relations and is currently in his third year at Monash University.
He said the internship would help him gain a better understanding surrounding international politics and help to hone his interest in that sector.
“It’s experiencing everything, seeing the Human Rights Council in action, seeing behind-the-scenes work of the diplomatic processes … I’m really excited in just the terms of the experience I’ll gain … it will be a really good chance to see what the international sector is like.”
Jayden grew up in Healesville attending both Healesville High School and Healesville Primary.
With Indigenous Australian heritage on his mother’s side, Jayden also works as the Indigenous Office Bearer at the Monash Student Association and is involved in various policy committees relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues.
That Indigenous heritage he said is a pervading theme in his studies and he hopes to further learn and improve the rights of all Indigenous peoples around the world
“I really like Indigenous affairs, especially related to human rights … you see a lot of issues in the way Indigenous peoples are treated around the world, and it gives me a good perspective at least, especially in politics.”
His mother Gail said she was slightly nervous about his internship but was very proud of his accomplishments.
“He’s a young man with big ambitions … I’m very nervous and extremely worried but at the same time very proud, and slightly jealous,” she said.
Though the biggest challenge, said Jayden jokingly, will be the cold winter weather, which in Switzerland can drop below -5 degrees Celsius.
“I’ll have to get a lot of thermalwear and jackets,” Jayden said.
