Engagement Experience and Employability

This project is part of DFATD’s International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) which is within the Career Focus stream of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy (YES). The IYIP is designed to offer young Canadian post-secondary graduates the opportunity to gain professional experience through international development work. The Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives University of Victoria provides 20 young Canadians (women and men) the opportunity to work alongside innovative and dynamic civil society leaders who are improving the livelihoods of marginalized migrant communities. Interns work collaboratively with Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) and local partner organizations (LPOs) that form a network of over 230 civil society organizations focused on migrant rights. The interns assist these organisations to address the needs of migrants particularly women and children who are especially vulnerable to poverty food insecurity precarious employment and human rights abuses. When interns return they receive assistance with transitioning their skills to the Canadian workplace and have the opportunity to tell Canadians about their experience.

The expected intermediate outcomes for this program include: 1) increased access by Canadian interns (young men and women) to Canadian labour market opportunities including in the field of international development; and 2) increased engagement of Canadian interns (young men and women) as global citizens in supporting international development in Canada and abroad.