Sparkplug Sarah Rides

Sarah, YCI’s administrative assistant, finished up her last day at YCI two weeks ago. Apart from keeping YCI smoothly operating, her time here was also full of big announcements–first, she got in to grad school. (Three times, to be exact. But just for the record, we only had cake once.) And then, Sarah announced that this summer, she would be joining the Otesha Project on a bike ride across Alberta and British Columbia.

Read about how Sarah chose to engage in volunteer work in Canada on her blog, Being the Change.

Good luck Sarah! We miss you!

“I am in Calgary! Woo! After a very long couple of days, I am so glad to be here and settling in before my big ride begins tomorrow. . .”

YCI @ Toronto Timeraiser 2009

This past Saturday night, YCI representatives Jane and Jessica had the pleasure of attending the Toronto Timeraiser in the Distillery District.

Jane with the YCI setup!

Timeraiser is an event that has been described by its founder, Anil Patel, as “like speed dating for volunteers.” Volunteers have an hour to talk and meet with agency representative before selecting organization that fits their interests. Once they’ve selected their top agencies, they’re able to participate in a silent auction for art by local artists–but instead of bidding with money, volunteers bid with time, or the amount of hours that they will dedicate to volunteering in their community in the next year. 

Jessica gearing up to talk to volunteers at the YCI booth

While YCI offers a number of opportunities for prospective volunteers and returned alumni, including the Volunteer Action Network, the Volunteer Advisory Committee and our in-office volunteer program, we were present at the Timeraiser to highlight some  new volunteer opportunities! (Including the very exciting opportunity to get involved with planning our anniversary. Did you know that YCI has been sending volunteers overseas for more then 20 years?) Volunteers at the event came from a diverse range of backgrounds, but many were young professionals looking to get more involved in their community, and in some cases, looking for opportunities to apply their professional skills to help out organizations like YCI.

Jess chats up some prospective volunteers. (Credits to Timeraiser’s Flickr album for this photo.)

The event was a success. If the Timeraiser is, in fact, like speed dating, then Jane and Jess both met tons of prospective volunteers that would be solid second-date material.

The crowd at the 2009 Toronto Timeraiser.

By the end of the night, more than 10,000 volunteer hours had been raised for Toronto organizations. A big thank you goes out to the Framework Foundation for having us. We’re excited to welcome new volunteers into our office–regardless of whether they’re seasoned pros, or first-time volunteers.

For more information about how you can get involved and volunteer with YCI in Toronto, or in your home community, check out our website or email us at generalinfo@yci.org.

To learn more about Timeraisers in your city, check out www.timeraiser.ca.

-Jessica Lockhart, International Programs Coordinator, and Jane Baldwin, Volunteer Programs Liasion

March 18th: A Day Like No Other!

Today started off like any other typical day.  After studying a little for my economics course before work at the local King Street Starbucks, I made my way to the office, battling the morning rush-hour traffic, with a double-tall vanilla non-fat latte in hand (yes, I know, I’m THAT kind of Starbucks customer!).

 

I was mid-way through a full day of e-news writing, email-answering, and bank-depositing, when some bad news fell into my lap.  I was causally checking my personal email after lunch, and learned that I had been unceremoniously rejected from one of the graduate programs I had applied to.  I turned to my coworkers and, dejected, let them know that I no longer had as great of a chance of going to grad school in the fall.  They gave me pats on the back and a couple of words of support and encouragement – talking about creating “plan Bs” and unabashedly ridiculing the school that had sent me the unfortunate news.  I managed to crack a smile, thinking about how great the YCI team was for keeping my spirits high.

 

And then, not even 20 minutes later, I felt the need to check my email just once more.  This time, I noticed an email from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario – another graduate school I had applied to.  Before I even had the chance to click on it, the words “we are pleased to tell you” popped out at me from the subject line, and I immediately knew what I would find inside!

 

With a whoop, I jumped out of my office chair, and right away the YCI staff were at my side, giving me hugs and high-fives.  I couldn’t believe that in the span of half an hour, I had been rejected AND accepted to grad school!

 

Well, this called for a celebration.  Myself and a couple of my colleagues headed down Queen Street West to a little place called Dufflet, an expensive pastry shop, and picked up the richest, most delicious chocolate mousse cake we could find (see accompanying photo – mmm).  The YCI gang gathered around the lunchroom table and talked and laughed about our lives, the future, and all the awesome things that it can bring.

 

Sarah holding the delectable Dufflet chocolate mousse cake!

And to think, I was nearly hit by a cab this morning.  It’s amazing what 20 minutes can do to change your day, and your life, in the most profound of ways!

 

- Sarah Tuckey, Administrative Assistant

Are We There Yet?

This is my third month with YCI as the new International Programs Director and my first blog. After living away from Canada for the past four years and skipping the last four winters, its been great to be back in Toronto. The transition has been relatively seamless and I’ve really enjoyed being back.

Prior to working with YCI I spent time in Chad, Sierra Leone, Angola, South Sudan, Sri Lanka and Palestine, as well as York, England for a graduate degree in Post-war Reconstruction.   I’ve been managing diverse programs in the field from health and education to de-mining, which has provided a great foundation in programming and management and will hopefully mean I’ll be well-placed to take on this new challenge here at YCI.

The past two months have been a steep learning curve. Leaning about YCI programs in East and West Africa as well as Central and South America, meeting staff and volunteers, participating in a strategic overview and budget design for the coming financial year have meant a busy and thorough induction. YCI has a long tradition of volunteer engagement, strong partner support and youth focused programming and the coming year will see a renewed commitment in how YCI views programming and how we can ensure maximum impact within the communities we work.

The IPD position includes oversight of staff in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda for our CIDA funded program as well as collaboration with out Alliance partners in South and Central America and the Group Leaders who facilitate volunteer groups. There is also a focus on financial management, reporting to donors and working on the quality and expansion of YCIs programs.

Next month I head back to the ‘Continent’ for a five-week trip to Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Uganda.  An opportunity to see our programs up-close, meet our local partners and volunteers and assess the possibility of expanding YCI programs into Uganda. This will be the first time I’ve traveled as a visitor compared to being a field staff and have a lot to condense into a short time.

Ghana and Tanzania are new countries for me so I look forward, as always, to seeing a new place. I traveled briefly in Uganda and spent a lot of time in Kenya traveling back and forth from South Sudan and this will be my first time back after a long hiatus, and with four countries in five weeks, I’ll have lots of time in airports, on the road and back in the field. I can’t wait.

- Steve Cumming, International Programs Director

My first intercultural experience

She was instantly recognizable as an exchange student. It wasn’t her red hair or her unusual dotted red shirt that made her stand out—it was the pocket translation dictionary that she held in her hand.

I met Helka on school registration day for my final year of high school. Apart from family trips to Mexico and the United States, I had never really met anyone who wasn’t Canadian before. I envied my friend Angela because her grandmother was British (which, for a born and bred northern Albertan, seemed very exotic) and asked my friend Mike endless questions about his time in Germany. So when I saw Helka struggling to thumb through the pages of her Finnish-English dictionary, I knew I had to meet her. That same afternoon, I called her host family and asked her to coffee.

 The questions came quick and fast. I wanted to know anything and everything about Finland. But the first question was, by far, the most memorable. “So what language do you speak in Finland, anyway?” I asked Helka. “Spanish, right?” The fact that Helka was willing to humour me instantly solidified what would become a pivotal relationship in my life.

Helka and I celebrate Albertan culture at the Calgary Stampede

Born half a world apart, Helka and I had a lot in common. Seinäjoki, her hometown, was comparable in size to Cold Lake. She instantly understood the dynamics of our small northern town—much like I had grown up in Cold Lake my entire life, she had grown up in Seinäjoki her entire life. Helka and I were also both interested in traveling, politics and music. So when she asked me to sign up for a multimedia class with her, I instantly agreed. I knew it would be a challenge—she was still far from fluent in English, but I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to learn more about her and explore our mutual interests.

 We became partners in writing, filming and editing weekly segments for a cable news show. It may have only been a local news network, but the positive feedback we received from the network producer made me start to realize that there were two key things that I wanted in a career—the opportunity to explore and experience different cultures, and the opportunity to share those experiences.

 More than a full year after we first met, I boarded a plane, and met Helka in Berlin. We spent two months traveling through Eastern Europe together, before returning to Finland for her high school graduation. During Helka’s time in Canada, she had became very close with my family, so I was eager to meet hers—I wasn’t even daunted by the fact that neither of her parents spoke English. Soon, the very same worn pocket dictionary that Helka used during her time in Canada became dog-eared from my own page turning. It was challenging at times, but the relationships I formed and the experiences I had during my short time in Finland only solidified my desire to travel more extensively.

 And much like my interest in Finnish culture, Helka has also remained a fixture in my life—in 2005, she joined my family on a sailing trip in British Columbia. And last summer, nearly five years to the day since we first met, her boyfriend Touko came to stay with me in Toronto. Helka and I still share our common interests as well—while I currently work for Youth Challenge International, Helka and Touko now reside in London, where Helka is studying international development with a focus on youth.

 For me, Finland wasn’t just the start of my love of international affairs—it was also the start of a lifelong affair with learning more and with exploring the unique distinctions each culture has to offer.

-Jessica Lockhart, International Programs Coordinator

Life and the City

A bustling street in downtown Addis Ababa

Jane Baldwin, YCI’s CIDA Intern in Ethiopia, has just returned to Toronto from Addis Ababa.  Read about her first impressions of the city she calls home…

 

 

 

 

January 2009. Upon arrival in the wondrous city that is Toronto, the first impression is bleak, gray and cold. Literally and physically cold. In the winter, Toronto, on street level, is a quiet place, seemingly dead to the world.

 

I love Toronto. Toronto is my home. I have talked up the virtues of Toronto to many a foreigner, defended it zealously to many an Ottawan and I have supported the Toronto Argonauts, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Raptors, the Toronto Rock and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

During my travels, I have missed perusing Queen West with a big cup of coffee and good friends in tow, I have missed big, greasy spoon breakfasts, I have missed proximity to New York City and I have missed Street meat.

 

Yet, now that I’m home, in my beloved city, I feel disconnected. The city is missing something; the liveliness of people chattering in the streets, the noise, the hustle and bustle of a big city. What happened to the city I love? Do I really feel more at home in cities of squalor, that continually bombard the senses, without the luxuries of modern plumbing, consistent electricity or water than in a clean, sterile, aloof first-world city? The TTC is full of lifeless faces, resigned to inaction unless a chance encounter with an acquaintance or friend sparks the seeming rag-doll of a passenger into a life-filled being with thoughts, opinions and a smile. This transformation takes mere seconds, the catalyst only a familiar face. Perhaps harking back to an animal instinct, the people of Toronto tend to hibernate in the winter. I’m not use to this. I’d forgotten this defence mechanism existed.

 

Then, this weekend, something wonderful happened: temperatures soared to above zero. And the sun came out. Suddenly, the grey, bleak quiet dissipated and there was chatter, and there were people, and it was busy. The Toronto I knew, and the Toronto I love, is still here, just hidden, retreated into a big fur-hooded parka and a pair of sorrels. It took over a month to find it, but with a little sun and the remembrance that spring will come, and the city will come back to life.

 

- Jane Baldwin

A Taste of Georgetown

I have plenty of favorites when it comes to Georgetown, and Guyana on the whole.

It’s a place that, for me, always revives. And a place I have had many new experiences.

 One experience well worth noting has been in exploring the many different tastes Georgetown has to offer. Yes, this one is about food. Guyanese style. Keep in mind I’m only talking about Georgetown here. A taste of Guyana’s countryside will have to wait for the next blog…

 Here are my top ten picks:

 

1. The Eggball, With Sour

 

Hands down favorite. It’s like a kinder-surprise, but of the breakfast sort.

Place to get it: the little shacks by Cheddi Jagan Airport (possibly soon to be bulldozed!)

 

2. Pepperpot

 

Sweet, tangy and stewed for days – this one is a Christmas treat in Guyana.

Place to get it: Arawak Steakhouse 

 

3. Pouree & Curry

 

Pouree is a bit like a roti on steroids.

Place to get it: Shanta’s 

 

4. Salt Fish & Bake

 

Looks a bit like packman with a head cold in this shot, but trust me – it’s good.

Place to get it: Hotel Ariantze does a nice one. 

 

5. Callalou

 

If there’s a popeye in Guyana, he’s eating this.

Place to get it: most family-owned food bars

 

6. Ital

 

Possibly the most all-around rewarding dining experience you can have in GT.

It’s vegetarian, salt-less and cooked by sound of mind (and heart) rastas.

Place to get it: Steppers or House of Flavors 

 

7. Cookup

 

Rice, beans, coconut and assorted meat. You can’t go wrong.

Place to get it: This one can be a little tough; best to visit a friend’s house.

 

8. The Mango – ‘Buxton Spice’

 

A staple in Guyana. Just don’t cut your hand trying to be fancy with it.

Place to get it: Bourda Market 

 

9. Sugarcane

 

Guyana almost wouldn’t be Guyana without sugarcane.

Just be sure to spit out the fibers when finished, otherwise it’s a little rough going down.

Place to get it: The seawall on a Sunday night.

 

10. Sorrel

 

For those who have had ‘brio’ and usually drink coke, sorrel offers that same, weird first moment of ‘oh….OH……hmm. Yup, I like it!’

Place to get it: Juice Power

  

 If you have just returned from Guyana and are missing it dearly (I’ve been there) or even if you’ve never been and want a taste then try making your own!

For all of the above and more check:

 http://www.guyanaoutpost.com/recipes/recipes_alpha.shtml

 

Enjoy!

- Ryan Tucker, International Partnerships & Development Director

The YCI Office Magical Mystery Tour

Hi all, my name is Gabe Camozzi.  I just started working with YCI in the fall, and moved here from my home in Montreal to do so.

In the months since moving here I have become enamored with Toronto’s ‘lovable quirks’ and feel very at home here.  I come from a town famous for yelling and bad driving, but Toronto is very competitive on this front.  I am also discovering the ‘local flavor’ in terms of some favorite community events – the York University student union strike, the making of loud noises outside my window on Queen St West early every Sunday morning, and, of course, Monster Jam.

Since I’m new to Toronto I thought it might be a good idea to show you one of my favorite parts of the city, up-close-and-personal: the YCI office.

notice the sneaky way I included the YCI URL in this one?

Here is one of the first landmarks you see when you enter the office – our pet plants Kofi and Ban.  You’ll notice they aren’t doing well; I guess that’s why we’re not called Plant Challenge International.

Here is YCI’s Ghost Advisory Council, hard at work.  That’s our ghost chairperson with the pink stationary, making an important point about deliverables.

Don’t be fooled – this isn’t Elvis!  It’s just our recent hire, Langstrom, getting ready for his part-time job after work.  Langstrom has a few things to learn about being an Elvis Impersonator (he isn’t even wearing blue suede shoes!), but please support him if you see him on Queen St.

Our sign and our door, located on the third floor of 20 Maud – challenging youth to climb two flights of stairs at this location since 2001.

I have difficulty with this pillar.  Kick it, yell at it, call it names, it still won’t move.  Plus, it makes it hard to practice my personal blend of pilates and high-kick gymnastics in the office.

Well, that is about everything I can show you for now!  If you’re interested in seeing the rest of the office, you should check out some of our projects online at our website, www.yci.org .  Thanks for stopping in!

The VAC Retreat: YCI’s active youth leaders doing what they do best!

This weekend YCI’s Volunteer Advisory Council met in Toronto for the first ever VAC Retreat.  It was an exciting two days packed with training and project planning.  Folks came in from as far away as Victoria and as close as St. Clair and Bathurst!  As a refresher for those who might not be aware of what the Volunteer Advisory Council is or how it functions within YCI here is a brief description:

Youth Challenge International’s Volunteer Advisory Council is the leadership body for our active, national Volunteer Action Network.  Our Volunteer Advisory Council members are youth leaders inspiring and encouraging others to Make a World of Difference through the development of innovative community initiatives that focus on pressing global issues.

The two main goals of YCI’s Volunteer Advisory Council are:

To encourage grassroots initiatives in Canada that generate awareness, solutions and action on pressing global issues – through the leadership of action teams in the Volunteer Action Network; and to support and inform YCI’s activities through interaction with the Board of Directors.  (The Chair of the Volunteer Advisory Council sits on YCI’s Board of Directors.)

YCI’s Volunteer Action Network facilitates youth-identified grassroots projects aimed at developing creative ideas and policy solutions to pressing global and local issues and provides a supportive platform from which to nourish those ideas into action!  Each team is made up of 5 to 8 volunteers working on a specific goal or objective over the course of a year.  Ultimately, the aim is to develop a greater understanding about global development issues, but also to produce a distinct contribution through action and an output.

Stay tuned for some of the awesome initiatives coming out of this year’s super talented council!

Cheers,

Erin, Canadian Programs Director

To learn more about the Volunteer Advisory Council, go to http://www.yci.org/html/inCanada/council.asp.

If you’d like to see what our Volunteer Action Network is currently working on, or for how you can get involved, check out http://www.yci.org/html/inCanada/network.asp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections for the Future

As an individual who just recently graduated from university, I had put little thought into what I wanted to do down the road – in 10 years time; 5 years time; or even what I wanted to do next month!  I had completed one of the toughest and most character-building chapters of my life, and all I wanted to do was live up the time I finally had to myself.

 

Only after a summer of light travelling, working, and relaxing did I started thinking about that eventuality known as the future.  It was then that I realized I didn’t have a game plan; no road lay before me.  I knew it was all up to me – I had long ago grown out of the age when other people planned my life for me, and I needed to do something about it.

 

I thought back on my interests that I focused on while in school, and realized that a pattern began to emerge in my last few semesters of my undergrad.  I, unlike many of my peers, did not know what I wanted to be “when I grew up” and so my undergraduate degree began to look like a mosaic; I took courses that I thought were interesting, thought-provoking, challenging, diverse, and fun.  I realized that I had developed a strong interest in international development, gender, human rights, and the issues that surround these when they become intertwined.  With that in mind, I began the process of asking myself what I wanted to do with this knowledge.

 

I decided on applying to graduate school and looking for meaningful work and volunteer experience.  The work experience I was lucky to attain: that is where Youth Challenge International comes in!  I am currently learning so much about what it takes to be a part of a development organization, and what kind of role I eventually want to take in this diverse field.  For school, I decided on graduate programs related to international development – specifically those that tie in many comprehensive courses and faculty so that I can continue to keep my education diverse and creative.  I realized after my time off from university (which was much needed!) that I enjoy the learning process, I enjoy the challenge that school provides, and I thrive on research and discovery.  Plus, with my love of travel and curiosity for people and places the world over, this path seems like a step toward being able to one day live and make a place for myself outside of Canada.

 

I am also looking for ways to make myself useful as a volunteer.  Anyone can tell you that a strong education is a great asset, but without meaningful experience, you haven’t got a leg to stand on.  As the only member of the YCI team who has yet to go on a volunteer trip, I am looking to try my hand at some volunteer experiences right here in Canada – after all, you need to know where you’ve been before you can know where you’re going!

 

- Sarah Tuckey, Administrative Assistant

 

If you’re interested in graduate programs in International Development, check out these select links:

http://internationaldevelopmentstudies.artsandsocialsciences.dal.ca/index.php

http://globalization.mcmaster.ca/

 

http://globalgovernance.uwaterloo.ca/index.html

 

http://www.carleton.ca/npsia/

 

http://www.queensu.ca/devs/

 

 

For more information on volunteer experiences in Canada and abroad, check out:

http://volunteer.ca/

 

http://www.globalcitizensforchange.com/en/index.php

 

http://www.otesha.ca

  

http://www.katimavik.org/section/index/id/1

 

http://www.habitat.ca/