We followed our interns abroad as they put their international development skills to the test

Twenty post-secondary graduates across Canada are heading off to some of the world’s most vulnerable countries to see for themselves what it means to be an international development practitioner. They have been selected as our part of the 2015-2016 International Youth Internship Program, an initiative funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade & Development (DFATD), as part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy.

For six-months, the interns will gain hands-on learning experience working for international and grassroots non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across nine developing countries: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Malawi, Nicaragua, Peru, and Tanzania. This transformative program will help build their knowledge of international development, develop their cross-cultural and adaptability skills, and set in motion a career in Canada or overseas.

While the program has been designed for interns to gain meaningful professional experience through international development work, its main goal is to support sustainable international development initiatives in partnership with local organizations. Interns are working with our partners Save the Children International, Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief, Amref Health Canada, Tarango, Caritas Bangladesh and Centre D’insipration Jeunesse- Haiti, in their efforts to strengthen private sector development and improve health systems in their respective countries. This work is directly in line with DFATD’s development priorities of increasing food security, securing the future of children and youth, and stimulating sustainable economic growth.

As part of their mandates, the interns will also be engaging the Canadian public in international development priorities and creating awareness about the successes and challenges they faced during their internships. Explore the world of international development with them through their stories and photos on our website, Facebook page and Twitter feed. 

Meet our Interns for the International Youth Internship Program 2015-2016. From left. First row: Sharna Dey, Alexandra Belaskie, Estela Ulloa, Caren Barrientos. Second row: Kevin Hempstead, Ashley McIntyre, Rebecca Tischart, Ben Spierenburg, Jennifer Cleary (Internship Coordinator). Third row: Cimoan Atkins, Rose-Lynne Amoah, Rhona Rahmani, Amanda Cox, Sikander Panag. Fourth row: James Cullin (Associate Dean, The Business School), Michelle Tembo, Natasha Dobrijevic, Celestine Name, Evan Frost, Daryl-Ann Sdao. Absent: Amanda Giacomazzo, Maria Gutierrez, Jennifer Wilson-Lee (Manager, International Initiatives).