Project profile — Atlantic Council for International Cooperation - IAYI Internships 2011-2012

• Chile (50.00%)
• Bhutan (50.00%)

• Other Social Infrastructure And Services: Social/welfare services (16010) (9.08%)
• Agriculture: Agricultural education/training (31181) (45.46%)
• General Environmental Protection: Environmental education/training (41081) (45.46%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (principal objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (significant objective)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (principal objective)
• Indigenous Issues (principal objective)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project is part of CIDA'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. CIDA provides up to $15,000 per internship to Canadian organizations that manage the internships and recruit interns. The IAYI initiative is part of CIDA’s Global Citizens Program that seeks to raise awareness, increase knowledge and provide opportunities for youth to participate in international development.

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Project Summary: ACIC’s internship program matches Atlantic Canadian organizations with Southern organizations to create North/South linkages that promote solidarity and sharing. Four ACIC interns worked in Atlantic Canada, Chile and Bhutan. Interns first worked with ACIC member organizations where they gained foundational experience working in an NGO and exposure to the many facets of international development. While overseas, interns worked with organizations that strive to combat the effects of environmental degradation, promote development projects focused on sustainable livelihoods, and seek innovative means to address the health issues their communities face, drawing on the links between environment and health. Since August 2011, development results include : increased understanding among interns of international development issues; improved networking and partnership development between community organizations; increased social and environmental action by young people in their host and home communities, strengthened recognition by policy makers of youth strengths and contributions to the community. Interns gained skills and experience to compete in the labour market such as conducting Aboriginal community outreach, , public speaking and presentations, time management and working with deadlines, work plan development, independent working skills, team working skills, leadership skills. Upon completion of the internship, three interns found full-time employment and two intend to return to full-time post-secondary studies. Through public engagement activities, interns have in effectiveness in communications skills as results that 21 presentations were conducted, including classroom and public presentations, articles and 2 videos. Interns’ awareness of gender equality within a development context was increased through involvement in a participatory community development project to improve livelihoods. The project was based in the small Bhutanese community of Umsang, a village of approximately 40 individuals, 95% of whom were women and children.

• Proactive disclosure