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Internships/Volunteer Opportunities

The field of International Development Studies (IDS) necessitates study outside the classroom. Its very nature demands certain qualities from a student that cannot be attained through a textbook. Students learn everyday in their core courses that the one of the beneficial tools of development is awareness and respect for the cultures they deal with. They also become familiar with the complex dynamics of poverty and development.

However it is a reality that the majority of students have little or no familiarity with the vast array of cultures and civilizations studies. Through overseas internships, volunteer positions or study abroad programmes, students of the International Development Studies programme at York University can have the ability to add a more practical dimension to their academic studies. Students are likely to get a first hand experience of development planning and implementation through these programmes.

By participating in Internship / Volunteer programmes, IDS majors are expected to:

  • acquire cross-cultural skills for working and interacting in an international setting

  • enhance their skills and knowledge acquired in Canadian educational and work environments

  • learn about how an international development agency functions (both internal systems and relations with community & donors)

  • acquire contacts for future work in an international context

  • learn how southern partners implement development processes and programs.

Students can also gain valuable experience by volunteering in any of these organizations during their academic year.

Program Eligibility

Students are required to obtain a written permission from the coordinator of the IDS program before they undertake any Internship / Volunteer programme for which they may get academic credits. Please note that all internships/voluntary programmes are not eligible for academic credits.

General Eligibility

Most of the organizations listed below require candidates who have, through demonstrated achievements in academic studies, work or research, have shown interest in the creation and utilization of knowledge from an international perspective.

  • Candidates can be Canadians (or permanent residents) or citizens of developing countries. Most of the federal run organizations such as CIDA require that candidates be Canadians.

  • Candidates need not be affiliated with an institution even though some organizations may require that one have an undergraduate degree or be in university/college.

  • Candidates who are in school may participate in internships as part of an academic requirement.

  • Some organizations require that candidates be of a certain age group preferably 19 to 30 years.

On the following page you will find a list of organizations; governmental, non-governmental and voluntary organizations, that offer internship positions. International Development Studies (IDS) majors who are interested in any of the organizations listed below can visit the websites for further information. Some of these organizations offer internships yearly based on availability of funding. The internship programs are for a minimum of 6 weeks to a maximum of 6 or 8 months.

York International Internships

Three month length terms are available to all York Students who meet eligible criteria. Includes a $3000 York International Internship award to offset expenses plus up to 85% of flight costs. For additional information please visit York International's website as well as Las Nubes @ York University.

Additional Programs/Opportunities

AFS Interculture Canada

AFS Interculture Canada is an educational movement that promotes global education and intercultural understanding through quality exchange programs for youth and adults. From one person to another and one culture to another, the AFS experience promotes the core values of the organization: dignity, respect for differences, harmony, sensitivity and tolerance. AFS enables its participants to act as responsible, global citizens working for peace and understanding in such a diverse world.

AFS Interculture Canada offers student exchange programs (one year, a semester or during the summer) to young Canadians aged between 15 and 18 years of age. Adults aged between 18 and 29 can choose from International Community Service, Dialogue, Internship or Young Worker’s programs. Whichever program, the AFS experience abroad allows participants to experience cultural and linguistic immersion in a foreign country.

Contact information:
AFS Interculture Canada
1290 St-Denis Street, Suite 600
Montreal (Quebec) H2X 3J7
Phone: 514-288-3282 (Montreal) or 1-800-361-7248 (toll free)
Fax: 514-843-9119
Email: info-canada@afs.org
Website: www.afscanada.org

Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC)

Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) is a non-profit international development agency. As part of the worldwide Aga Khan Development Network, the Foundation supports social development projects designed to benefit the poor in Africa and Asia without regard to race, religion or political affiliation. It works in partnership with CIDA.
Contact information:

Aga Khan Foundation Canada
199 Sussex Dr
Ottawa, ON
K1N 1K6 Canada
Phone: 613-237-2532 ext. 102
Fax: 613-567-2532
Email: info@AKFC.ca
Website: www.akfc.ca/index.htm or www.akfc.ca/akfc/Youth/index.htm

AIESEC

AIESEC is the world’s largest student organization. It is a global network of 50,000 members across more than 83 countries and territories at more than 800 universities worldwide. AIESEC facilitates international exchange of thousands of students and recent graduates each year. Whether in a paid traineeship or as a volunteer for a non-profit organization, the experiences that students or graduates gain abroad will undoubtedly affect them forever.

AIESEC’s mission: to contribute to the development of countries and people with an overriding commitment to international understanding and co-operation.
Contact information:

AIESEC Canada
8 King Street East, Suite 208
Toronto, Canada M5C 1B5
Phone: (416) 368-1001
Fax: (416) 368-4490
Email: info@ca.aiesec.org

Amnesty International (AI)

AI is a worldwide movement of human rights activists and financial supporters. They work together to prevent violations of people’s fundamental civil and political human rights by governments and opposition groups. AI received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 and today is among the most highly respected human rights organizations in the world.

Amnesty Canada has a program to involve two people in internships between May and August each year in the National Office in Ottawa. Applications are received between November and December of every year.

Contact information:

AI Canada
312 Laurier Avenue East
Ottawa, ON K1N 1H9
Phone: (613) 744-7667 or 1-800-AMNESTY
Fax: (613) 746-2411
E-mail:info@amnesty.ca
Website: http://www.amnesty.ca or http://www.amnesty.ca/jobs.htm

Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE)

The CBIE is an umbrella non-governmental organization comprised of 200 colleges, universities, schools, school boards, educational organizations and businesses across Canada. Internationally, it engages in cooperative projects in capacity building, institutional strengthening and human resource development. It focuses is on education at all levels, specialized training programs, civil society and public administration.

Contact information:

Canadian Bureau for International Education
220 Laurier Ave. West, Suite 1100
Ottawa, ON K1P 5Z9 Canada
Phone: (613) 237-4820
Fax: (613) 237-1073
Email: info@cbie.ca
Website: http://www.cbie.ca or http://www.cbie.ca/scholarship/yip_intern_jobs_e.htm

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

CIDA supports sustainable development activities in order to reduce poverty and to contribute to a more secure, equitable and prosperous world. It works with partners in the private and public sectors in Canada and in developing countries, and with international organizations and agencies to support foreign aid projects in more than 100 of the poorest countries of the world. It’s to work with developing countries and countries in transition to develop the tools to eventually meet their own needs.

CIDA's International Youth Internship Program is part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy, which gives young Canadian graduates aged 19 to 30 the opportunity to spend several months overseas.

Contact information:

Canadian International Development Agency
200 Promenade du Portage
Hull, Quebec
K1A 0G4
Tel: (819) 997-5006 or Toll free: 1-800-230-6349
Fax: (819) 953-6088
For the hearing and speech impaired only (TDD/TTY): (819) 953-5023
Toll free for the hearing and speech impaired only:
1-800-331-5018
E-mail: info@acdi-cida.gc.ca
Website: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca
or http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/Youth

Canadian Crossroads International (CCI)

CCI is an international non-profit organization, supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), other government and non-government funders and many individual donors around the world. It is dedicated in building a constituency of global citizens committed to voluntarism, international development and social action in the new millennium.

CCI is a unique volunteer and staff driven organization with more than 300 volunteers worldwide and 25 staff members in Canada who are actively involved in all aspects of programming. Volunteering with CCI provides an invaluable opportunity for volunteers to share their skills, expand their experience, meet new people and contribute to global citizenship.

Contact information:

Canadian Crossroads International
66 Gerrard St. East, Suite 300
Toronto, ON
M5B 1G3 Canada
Phone: (416) 967-1611
Fax: (416) 967-9078
E-mail: info@cciorg.ca
Website: http://www.cciorg.ca or http://www.cciorg.ca/ontariopostings.html
http://www.cciorg.ca/westpostings.html
By browsing these sites students can also get links to other sites that offer internship programs.

CARE Canada

CARE Canada's mission is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. It promotes innovative solutions and advocates for global responsibility. CARE Canada offers a limited number of internships each year. These internships are funded through the Youth International Internship Program, a federally-funded program which aims to give recent graduates a first international work experience in development programming.

Contact information:

Care Canada
Box 9000
Ottawa, ON
K1G 4X6 Canada
Tel: 613.228.5600
Fax: 613.226.5777
Website: http://care.ca or http://care.ca/empl/intrn_e.shtm

Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation

CECI's mission is to fight poverty and exclusion. More specifically, it strengthens the development capacity of disadvantaged communities; it supports initiatives for peace, human rights and equity; it mobilizes resources and promotes the exchange of know-how.

Contact information:

CECI
3185, Rachel Street East
Montreal (Quebec)
H1W 1A3 Canada
Tel: (514) 875.9911
Fax: (514) 875.6469
Email: info@ceci.ca
Website: http://www.ceci.ca

Canadian Institute of International Affairs

Contact information:

Canadian Institute of International Affairs
Glendon Manor, 2nd floor, Glendon College
2275 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, ON M4N 3M6
Phone: Phone: 416-487-6830 or 1-800-668-2442
Fax: 416-487-6831
Email: mailbox@ccia.org
Website: www.ciia.org

Canada World Youth

Canada World Youth is a national, non-governmental organization that provides young people from Canada and around the world with the opportunity to travel, live and work in different communities, to learn about local and international development, and to gain important job skills for the future.

Canada World Youth programs operate in Canada and countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Central and Eastern Europe.

Contact information:

Canada World Youth
317 Adelaide Street West, Suite 404
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 1P9 Canada
Phone: 1-888-421-9761 or (416) 596-9702
Fax: (416) 596-9642
E-mail: central@cwy-jcm.org
Website: www.cwy-jcm.org
or www.cwy-jcm.org/programsE.html

CUSO Canada

CUSO provides recruitment, selection and orientation of cooperants in preparation for overseas placement, support to cooperants during their placements, and facilitate the continued involvement of returned cooperants in the work of CUSO and Canadian/international social movements. They also develop and implement public education programs to raise awareness of and support for international volunteerism and development issues. In addition, CUSO networks and build alliances to strengthen connections between cooperant placements and the social movement in Canada. It also contributes to national and international policy debates on development issues.

Contact information:

CUSO Canada
500-2255 Carling Ave
Ottawa, ON K2B 1A6
Phone: (613) 829-7445 or 1-888-434-2876
Fax: (613) 829-7996
Email: cuso.secretariat@cuso.ca
Website:www.cuso.org

Department for Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)

Internships are offered through the Youth International Internship Programme.

Contact information:

DFAIT
Information Services (SXCI)
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
Tel: 1-800-267-8376 Toll-Free 1-613-944-4000 National Capital Region
Fax: 1-613-996-9709
Email: enqserv@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Website: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Global Policy Forum

Contact information:

Global Policy Forum
777 UN Plaza, Suite 7G
New York, NJ 10017
USA
Phone: 1-212-557-3161
Fax: 1-212-557-3165
Email: globalpolicy@globalpolicy.org
Website: www.igc.org/globalpolicy or www.igc.org/globalpolicy/visit

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)

Please find below the links for the different internships programs that
are currently open at the Inter-American Development Bank:

Junior Professional (deadline January 15, 2005)
< http://www.iadb.org/hrd/jppackage.asp >

Summer Intern (deadline January 15, 2005)
< http://www.iadb.org/hrd/summer_internship.asp >

Summer Employee (deadline January 15, 2005)
< http://www.iadb.org/hrd/summer_emp.asp >

Diversity Employee (deadline January 15, 2005)
< http://www.iadb.org/hrd/divers_emp.asp >

Diversity Intern (deadline January 15, 2005)
< http://www.iadb.org/hrd/divers_Intern.asp >

The Junior Professional Program is for people who have not reached the age of 33, are fluent in English & Spanish, hold a Master's, or Licenciatura degree or equivalent, and have one or more years of professional experience. Participants selected for the Program are offered a 24th month contract with the Bank, with two twelve month assignments in different Departments. This is the starting point for careers at the Bank.

The Summer Intern Program is for people who have not reached the age of 31 and are working towards their Master's, Doctorate or Licenciatura degree in the following areas: Social Science, Finance, Administration, Computer Sciences, Engineering, law or Economics. This paid program begins in June or July and lasts for 2 months.
The Summer Employee Program if for people who have not reached the age of 26 and are working towards their undergraduate degree. This paid program begins in June or July and lasts for 2 months.

The Diversity Intern Program is for people who have not reached the age of 36 and are working towards their Master's, Doctorate or Licenciatura degree. in the following areas: Social Science, Finance, Administration, Computer Sciences, Engineering, law or Economics. This paid program begins in June or July and lasts for 2 months. This program is for Afro-descendents or Indigenous Peoples.

The Diversity Employee Program if for people who have not reached the age of 31 and are working towards their undergraduate degree. This paid program begins in June or July and lasts for 2 months. This program is for Afro-descendents or Indigenous Peoples.

We also have an unpaid Knowledge & Experience Program (for 2-6 months).
If someone is interested in this program, they should submit their resume, preferred Departments, and availability to internships@iadb.org.
The bank does not provide any remuneration.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) seeks to preserve a measure of humanity in the midst of war. Its guiding principle is that even in war there are limits: limits on how warfare is conducted and limits on how combatants behave. The set of rules that were established with this in mind and endorsed by nearly every nation in the world is known as international humanitarian law, of which the Geneva Conventions are the bedrock.

Contact information:

Website: www.icrc.org

International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) assists developing countries find long-term solutions to the social, economic, and environmental problems they face.

Internships are considered for programs of training and research responding to IDRC’s research priorities. IDRC’s research activities focus on three program areas: social and economic equity; environmental and natural resources management and information and communication technologies for development.

Contact information:

IDRC
250 Albert Street.
P.O. Box 8500
Ottawa, ON
K1G 3H9 Canada
Phone: (613) 236-6163
Website: http://www.idrc.ca

Ontario Council of International Cooperation (OCIC)

The Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC) is a membership association of Ontario-based, not-for-profit, voluntary organizations and individual Associates working both in the North and South for global justice. OCIC Members include development NGOs with overseas programming, volunteer-sending organizations, solidarity groups, global education centres, faith organizations as well as networks and individuals working in international cooperation and global education. As a council, OCIC strives to increase the effectiveness and collective impact of all its Members' efforts to promote sustainable, people-centred development, and to educate and engage the Ontario public on global issues.

Contact information:

The Ontario Council for International Cooperation
590 Jarvis Street, Suite 612
Toronto, Ontario M4Y 2J4
Phone: (416) 972-6303 Fax: (416) 972-6996
E-mail: info@ocic.on.ca
Website: www.ocic.on.ca

Oxfam Canada

Oxfam Canada is a non-profit international development organization that supports community programmes in food security, health, nutrition and democratic development with an emphasis on working with women. Oxfam Canada is one of the 12 Oxfam organizations around the world that form Oxfam International. The work involves looking at the root causes of poverty, social injustice and inequality.
Several volunteer positions are also available.

Contact information:

Oxfam Canada
215 Spadina Avenue, Studio 200
Toronto ON
M5T 2C7 Canada
Tel: (416) 535-6767 or 1-800-466-9326
Fax: 416 537-6435
Email: enquire@oxfam.ca
Website: www.oxfam.ca

Rooftops Canada/Abri International

Rooftops Canada is the international development program of co-operative and social housing organizations in Canada. Rooftops Canada works with partner organizations to improve housing conditions, build sustainable communities and develop a shared vision of equitable global development.

Contact information:

Rooftops Canada
2 Berkeley Street, Suite 207
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5A 2W3
Telephone: 416-366-1445
Fax: 416-366-3876
E-mail: info@rooftops.ca
Website: www.rooftops.ca

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Contact information:

United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Avenue, Gigiri
PO Box 30552,
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (254-2) 621234
Fax: (254-2) 624489/90
Email: winnie.mutua@unon.org (for internship information only).
Website:www.unep.org/

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

UNHCR is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country.

Contact information for internship opportunities:
The Staff Development Section UNHCR
Case Postale 2500
CH-1211 Geneva 2 Depot Switzerland
Email: interns@unhcr.ch
Website: www.unhcr.ch/
Fax: (+41 22) 739 7369

SWAPs Internship Programme - USA

SWAPs Internship Programme enables a student to undertake a period of practical training in the United States for 1 to18 months. The programme is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn practical skills and knowledge, which one can incorporate into future career plans. Applications are accepted on a year-round basis, and the processing time takes approximately 6 - 8 weeks from the time we have received your completed application. (Please note that this is different from our summer SWAP USA programme.)

This programme offers a worthwhile opportunity for Canadians who would like to gain international experience and to be immersed in some American culture. It is also a great way for foreign students to improve their English.

Contact information:

SWAP Internship
Phone: (416) 966-2887 x203.
Website: www.swap.ca

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Canada

It is the world's largest independent international development agency working through volunteers. Volunteers share the skills they have with people in developing countries to make a difference.

Contact information:

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Canada
806-151 Slater Street
Ottawa ON
K1P 5H3 Canada
Tel: 1888-876-2911 or (613) 234-1364
Fax: (613) 234-1444
Email: inquiry@vsocanada.org
Website: www.vsocanada.org

Youth Challenge Canada

Youth Challenge is a non-profit, non-religious, charitable organization, sponsored by the public and private sectors in Canada and abroad. Its mission is to help young people build skills, gain experience and confidence while working or volunteering. The Canadian International Development Agency supports Youth Challenge Canada.

Contact information:

Youth Challenge Canada
305 - 20 Maud Street
Toronto, ON
M5V 2M5 Canada
Tel: 416-504-3370
Fax: 416-504-3376
Email: generalinfo@yci.org
Website: www.yci.org

Young Professionals International Program

Website: www.langara.bc.ca