Project profile — Aboriginal People to Explore the World!

This project is part of DFATD’s International Aboriginal Youth Internships (IAYI) initiative. The internships focus on increasing the awareness, engagement, and participation of Aboriginal youth in international development, while providing them with opportunities to expand their employment skills or further their education. The Centre de solidarité internationale du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean initiative offers 16 internships for Aboriginals in three countries (Burkina Faso, Senegal and Equator) in the fields targeted by the eight local partners, namely ancestral knowledge, maternal health and nutrition, sustainable agriculture, valorisation and transformation of non-timber forest products, adaptation to climate change, environmental education, HIV/AIDS prevention, family planning and reproductive health. The project contributes to increasing male and female Aboriginal youth’s employability, providing them the skills and knowledge they need to secure employment or pursue their studies.

Expected results include: (1) increased access by Canadian interns to Canadian labour market opportunities, including in the field of international development; and (2) increased engagement of Canadian interns as global citizens in supporting international development efforts in Canada and abroad.

Results achieved as of March 2017 include: (1) 15 interns (7 female and 8 male) were recruited and sent abroad, four to Senegal and 11 to Ecuador; (2) the 15 interns stated that they were well trained on development-related issues, including environmental sustainability, governance and gender equality; and (3) 73 % of the interns stated that the skills acquired during the placement would help them enter the labour market.