This project is part of CIDA’s International Youth Internship Program (IYIP), funded by the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy (YES). The IYIP contributes to the YES by providing a large spectrum of Canadian graduates with valuable international development work experience abroad.
The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (i) increased awareness among female and male Canadian youth of the equal possibility of working internationally; (ii) enhanced equal employability of female and male International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) interns in Canada and in the field of international development; (iii) improved capacity of female and male IYIP interns to contribute to international development in a gender-sensitive way.
Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2014) include: coordinating four internships in four countries (Honduras, Cambodia, Mozambique and Senegal). The interns helped local partners to strengthen their ability to ensure food security, or access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food, and environmental management. The interns undertook field research and training on sustainable agriculture techniques, including green manure application, System of Rice Intensification (SRI), and family gardening using tires. Interns also enhanced monitoring and evaluation systems by improving the design of program questionnaires and refining the template for collecting questionnaire data. The interns acquired new skills and abilities, such as: (1) program management skills including community development principles; (2) proposal writing; (3) project planning and management; (4) results based management; and (5) monitoring and evaluation. The interns also acquired cross-cultural skills including adapting to a new environment and culture, developing communication and language skills, being open minded and flexible, and understanding the importance of gender sensitivity and conflict management