Laura Deimling (left), with CANADEM GPS IYIP Group 2010

As the summer wound down, CANADEM’s GPS program ramped up its deployment activities. With funding from the Government of Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency’s (CIDA) International Youth Internship Program (IYIP), CANADEM GPS assisted 20 Canadian youths on the road to long-term employment in the various areas related to international development.

Depending upon the placement, interns were deployed to assist in the design and delivery of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) humanitarian aid programs. Interns will get first-hand experience working at the international level in Mozambique, Tanzania, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Bolivia, Barbados, Ethiopia or Costa Rica and will be exposed to the complexities involved in international humanitarian work and the concomitant frustrations and rewards inherent therein.

The 20 internship opportunities provided contribute to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), and focus on promoting capacity development of local communities and peoples in ways that respect local cultural values and norms. Secondary areas of focus include effective delivery, prevention and control of high-burden, communicable, poverty-linked diseases, improving infant and child health, and addressing educational needs in crisis, and post-conflict situations. CANADEM’s IYIP placements will provide these talented young Canadians with the invaluable opportunity to receive the kind of professional training and international experience that will make them more marketable to international organizations working overseas and in Canada.

CANADEM’s IYIP project also provides interns with mentors who will impart knowledge on the MDGs and the interpersonal skills needed to contribute effectively such as leadership, teamwork, planning and management, and cross-cultural sensitivity. CANADEM will train and mentor them on culture shocks, gender equality, environmental sustainability, safety and security and codes of ethics/conduct, etc., to enhance their employability. Ultimately, CANADEM’s IYIP project will increase the participation of Canadian youth in the labour market of Canada and internationally, as well as in international development.

For more information on CANADEM's GPS program, click here!

Follow the CANADEM GPS Interns throughout their placement!