The BEST part of my job at YCI!

It’s Monday morning at about 8:30am. I’ve just rolled into the YCI office on my blades with my backpack full and heavy, containing a large box of granola bars and a whole lot of apples. There is still about an hour and a half before the 18 volunteers arrive to start their week of training prior to their departure to either Tanzania, Ghana or Ethiopia. I rush about making sure everything’s in order – brochures ready, apples washed, dishes clean, laptop and projector ready to go and then I plug in my iPod to some speakers to make the whole atmosphere just a little more inviting. Finally, I sit down with my cup of green tea and I wait.

As usual, I’m feeling a little nervous about meeting everyone in person and hoping they all enjoy themselves and feel more prepared. A lot of careful planning has gone into this week, starting almost a month ago arranging accommodations and billeting, looking for guest speakers and re-vamping some of the sessions with colleagues.  And then I think about how the volunteers must be feeling; it might be their first time in Toronto. Or it might be their first time traveling for this long and they could have some pretty serious pre-travel jitters. It’s also their first time meeting their team—the folks they’ll be living and working with for the next eight or ten weeks. They are definitely way more nervous than I am.

As soon as Katie and then Quinten arrive, I start to relax. I know things are going to go well when all 18 volunteers are on-time and ready to start just after 10 a.m. The week is packed full of activities and while I’m not facilitating each session, it’s like I’m the MC for the event. The stress still gets to me even after coordinating more than 12 pre-departure training sessions similar to this one.

On Monday after meeting our Executive Director, Bryan, a session on YCI history, risk management and staying healthy, the afternoon is like a circus show and the office is transformed. The volunteers split into four groups that take over different parts of the office. The Ethiopia group meet in my office for a conference call with Redmond from Ottawa, just back in August from his project, and an in-person meeting with Laura who went to Ethiopia a year ago. The Zanzibar group is on the couch talking with Justina, while the groups traveling to Morogoro and to Ghana meet with Davian and Heywon, respectively at different tables in our main space. Meeting alumni is almost always the favourite session during pre-departure for volunteers—all their last-minute questions are answered and many of their anxieties quelled. It’s been a really long day and everyone’s been really enthusiastic and energetic despite jet lag and first day jitters.

The rest of the week goes really smoothly with guest speakers arriving on time and everyone actively participating. Emanuel came in to talk about HIV/AIDS, which included inevitable giggles as a few condoms are passed around the room.  Two guest speakers came from the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation and openly shared their very personal stories about living with HIV. I’ve had the privilege of attending lots of PWAF speaks and during this particular speak, I was personally blown away and really moved by the way one of the speakers made his presentation – through a theatrical story-telling approach that had us all listening so attentively you could definitely hear a pin drop!

One of the highlights of the week was a workshop on teaching literacy and English as a foreign language in a social justice framework. Elizabeth and Jeff brought their personal expertise from Korea, Nepal, Bangladesh and beyond and activated the group through a series of games and activities. Talk about energy in the room! Oh… and maybe just a bit too much noise as we engaged in role plays, musicals and a bit of stomping. So much so that our neighbour from downstairs came for a visit to lodge a noise complaint. That was definitely a first for any pre-departure training session I’ve been a part of!

The week continued with sessions on gender, youth development and an afternoon dedicated to planning and facilitating workshops. The volunteers participating in the CIDA-funded Tanzania and Ghana projects also spent a couple of days with Kelly from the Centre for Intercultural Learning. This two-day session focused on intercultural effectiveness, where everyone spent time with a guest speaker from the host country where they would be traveling, to ask any question that they could think of. The volunteers going to Ethiopia spent their last day with Jessica and I exploring the concepts of culture shock and cultural adaptation. We were also lucky to be joined by Lula from the Ethiopian Association of Ontario, learning a bit of Amharic and more about Ethiopian culture.

Another highlight of the week was the chaos of the end-of-pre-departure YCI packing party! Packages had been arriving from family and friends for overseas field staff in the weeks leading up to pre-departure. Past participants had been sending in gifts for people they met on project. Field staff had made different requests for items such as books and disposable cameras, as well as informational resources for programming. The piles in my office and spilling over to Jane’s office are pretty huge and all of it has to go! Random suitcases found on the street or collected from secondhand stores with slightly odd smells and colourful interiors litter the storeroom. The volunteers also arrived with lots of donated items for programming purposes. With some creative approaches to packing, we managed to get everything ready with almost everyone traveling with an extra bag full of “stuff” for the field. Cooperation at its best! Hopefully everything makes it in one piece and to the intended location and recipient.

All in all, it really was a successful week. We all got to know each other better and I’m so excited for everything the volunteers will experience while they’re overseas. I truly appreciate how much of themselves everyone gave to the week to stay engaged and learn despite their overwhelming sense of “come on already, let me on that plane!” And that’s where we usually say goodbye – at the airport. There we were in terminal three near the KLM check-in kiosks. Just picture it – 15 volunteers with two bags each (still re-packing stuff!) plus all their carry-on, and me handing out evaluation forms, making sure baggage tags are properly filled out, and seeing everyone check-in before that final hug.

 

 

The volunteers travelling to Tanzania and Ghana ready to go at the airport! That

It’s always hard to say goodbye to each group, especially because I’m not getting on the plane with them! But I am grateful and appreciative to hear all about their experiences, see their fantastic photos and how their contributions on project make change over time. Pre-departure training, while being probably one of the most stressful parts of my job as a Volunteer Program Manager at YCI, is also so rewarding. It’s the culmination of all of our hard work – volunteers and staff at YCI - getting to that point. It’s a pleasure to meet them in person and contribute to their learning before their overseas journey begins. I wish them all the best on project.

With the fall Africa country program pre-departure sessions over and the projects currently in action, it’s time to step up all the preparations for winter departures already!

The group en route to Ethiopia! This photo was posted by Olivier on his travel blog.

-Amanda Stephens, Volunteer Programs Manager

Volunteer in Guyana

Volunteer in Ethiopia

Volunteer in Kenya

Volunteer in Ghana!

Summer School

For 10 weeks, I rolled out of bed at 6:30 A.M in order to catch the train that took me into downtown Toronto. I would get off the Spadina streetcar and walk over to 20 Maud Street. On most days, I would be the first one to arrive at YCI’s office. I would prepare for the coming day by looking over my To Do List. Now that school has started, I almost miss the 6:30 AM alarm clock.

To put it simply: my time at YCI was fantastic! When I first started the internship, I didn’t realize how much I was going to learn about not only the organization and international development, but also about myself. YCI is just so… real! The people, the mission, and the values are aligned with everything that I think makes an excellent international development agency. As nerdy as this may sound, I loved learning about the history of YCI; it’s really impressive that the organization evolved so much over the past twenty years and has partnered with a variety of grassroots organizations.  As an International Development student, I loved seeing the things I’ve been learning in school put into practice. Due to my YCI internship, this was the summer I put things into perspective. I now know that I want to whole-heartily pursue a career in international development and hopefully work in the non-profit sector.

In early July, YCI alums were invited to attend a reception at La Citadelle hosted by the Governor General in honour of Quebec City’s 400^th anniversary. Although I was never an YCI overseas volunteer, I asked Erin if I could go. Lucky for me, she said yes! So three YCI alums and I drove to Quebec City to attend the reception, and it was just beautiful! There was great live music and performances, good food, and the backdrop was the Saint Lawrence River.

Although my internship at YCI has ended, I’m happy to say that I’m still involved. I’m the Campus Connector for McGill University, and I’m hoping to become a volunteer next summer. And of course, I will one day become an YCI alum!

 

-Ahila Poologaindran, Summer Intern

YCI greets the Governor General at the World Youth Congress

The Great American South

I have always enjoyed volunteering, which I suppose is why I went to Tanzania with YCI in the first place. I find that there is an honesty, humility and energy when you are volunteering that is not present in the rest of our every day lives. Unfortunately, since I’ve been working in the office here for the past two years, I’ve found it much more difficult to volunteer than I did when I was a student. I give a lot of respect to people who have full time jobs and volunteer on a regular basis, because it can be tough to stay active. So, when I got the idea to plan a trip down to New Orleans to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity I was very excited to spend some quality time working as a volunteer again.

 I took off for two and a half weeks and drove with my boyfriend all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico and back again, leaving time to take in sights of the ‘great American south’ along the way. I was surprised to experience culture shock on the trip that reminded me of times when I’ve been overseas. I was reminded that North America is a huge continent with lots of differences in culture and history to experience.

Some of the road trip highlights included activities like swamp touring in Louisiana, chili tasting in West Virginia and line-dancing lessons in Tennessee. We visited historic sites like the birthplace, assassination site and tomb of Martin Luther King jr., and learned about the history of American music by strolling Beale Street in Memphis, the ‘Honky-Tonk Highway’ in Nashville, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Once in New Orleans, we spent 4 days on site with HFH working on new builds in the Lower Ninth Ward. We had the honour of meeting one of the homeowners-to-be and getting to know the local community in the area. We experienced the learning, motivation and inspiration that are common when volunteering in a new environment. We heard stories of loss and devastation and saw for ourselves the astonishing lack of progress rebuilding the ward that was hit hardest by the Katrina floodwaters. Only a small percentage of pre-Katrina residents in the lower ninth have returned to their homes. Many are still waiting for insurance money or other finances to come through and many more have given up entirely and have relocated to other states where they will start again.

Beyond the poverty and controversy that has been plaguing New Orleans since 2005, I found that there is still hope. I really enjoyed taking part in the productive and important work HFH is doing in the Gulf of Mexico. I was encouraged by the people I met and to see that some small steps have been made. My time painting, hammering and insulating on the build has refreshed my spirit and enthusiasm to be engaged and work to make a difference. Now that I am back in Canada I plan on continuing my volunteer commitment by working with HFH in Toronto and taking part in other activities in the Toronto area as I am able.

 As we head into fall, I will be stepping down from my role of Volunteer Coordinator at YCI so that I can pursue a master’s degree. I’ve been accepted into Ryerson’s Public Policy and Administration program and will be focusing on my studies for the next year - but I will still be around the YCI office and volunteering with the Volunteer Action Network and the youth engagement program.

I want to say thank you to all the volunteers who I have connected with over the last couple years – it is your spirit and hard work that keeps YCI moving forward. I have confidence this will continue for many years to come.

-Laura Gourley, Volunteer Programs Coordinator 

Emergency Exit Aisle Seat?

Ahh.. that familiar tarmac. The steam rising up from it, brought on by the morning rain and the hot sun that soon follows. Its 8am. I just killed an hour at the Piarco airport in Trinidad after flying through the night. That red eye never gets easy, even if it is my seventh time doing it. I’m in Guyana - where it all began 8 years ago. But I’m getting ahead of myself – lets skip back four months where this latest burst of adventure began….

When February of this year rolled around I started to mentally prepare for the intense months ahead. Four YCI trips in four months. All for different reasons, all to present different challenges and rewards.

 First came Guyana in March. Purpose: The annual YCI alliance meeting. Every year representatives from five of YCI’s oldest partners come together to review lessons learned over the year and discuss new opportunities within our networks. This was my third alliance meeting and I revel in the opportunity to get everyone together. I see many of these faces independently throughout the year, but it is only on this occasion that they are all in the same room. Australia, Vanuatu, Costa Rica, Guyana and Canada…..it’s YCI’s own little world summit.

 

Following this trip, April brought Grenada. Well….Carriacou to be more specific. We have been running a YCI program here on this beautiful tiny island for a few years now and this is my third trip. I’m greeted by an old friend - Mrs. Rosemary Ballen, the head of Carriacou’s ‘Adolescent Development Agency’ and a fantastic partner of ours. Purpose: I’m here to help close out YCI’s one-year project and discuss moving forward together with CIDA internships and new program directions. In the midst of all of this I get taken out to a ‘maroon’ in a tiny town called Mt. Pleasant.  A maroon is essentially a celebration of harvest; appreciation of the current and well wishes for the future. Its roots are entrenched in African traditions, with big drum and regional dance being a huge part of the whole thing. I’m reminded of why I love this little island so much.

 After a week and a half back home, I hop on another plane - this one headed for Accra, Ghana. A significantly longer journey then the previous two trips to the Caribbean, I find a hidden gem in the Amsterdam airport at the halfway point. It’s a lounge upstairs…with reclining chairs and images of the city tossed onto a large screen.  Those of you who have spent any time traveling to and from Africa may have found it. If you haven’t – I recommend you do. It brings tranquility to even the weariest of travelers.

 As I touch down in Accra I am greeted by the friendly face of our new Ghana program officer, Robyn Agoston. Following two successful pilot projects in Ghana, YCI is now moving forward with an extensive 2-year program. Purpose of this trip: to get Robyn up to speed with YCI, her role and the program. Together we comb through countless resources, develop new risk management systems, work through budgets, reporting requirements and meet with new potential program partners. The excitement of starting something new and promising is in the air.

 

 

Back in Canada and doing a load of wash before another trip back down to Guyana. It’s June and it’s the last of this four-legged journey.  It feels appropriate to begin and end this adventure with Guyana - it iswhere YCI began for me. In 2000 I was a YCI volunteer in Guyana. After that a GL and later HIV program coordinator here. It’s my home away from home. I have some great friends here and am lucky to be able to visit as often as I do. Purpose of this trip: to assist where necessary in the CIDA-commissioned evaluation of YCG’s programming, as well as a few reporting projects on the go.  It is also the last time I will see my former boss, Eve Patrick, in her role as Executive Director at YCG. She’s moving on and as I walk off the runway and condensation from the ‘Welcome’ sign at the airport drips onto the back of my neck I think about how many adventures I have had in this country.  How many times I’ve grown here and how full of life I feel every time I walk off of this particular plane. I think I’ll share that thought with Eve when we go out to dinner this week. 

-Ryan Tucker, International Programs Director

How I arrived at YCI…

I consider myself very lucky to be the summer student intern at Youth Challenge International. As an international development student at McGill University, I’m fortunate to be working for a youth international development agency; I get to see how an international development organization actually works! The work that YCI does is simply astonishing. My interest in international development and affairs has just deepened. However, it took me a long time to get here.

My interest in international issues began in high school. I was curious about the world and just wanted to know more about it. For most of high school, I was an executive member in Interact Club, a high school version of Rotary International. Our biggest project was hosting the first 30 Hour Famine event at our school. The work leading up to the event was… challenging. With the help of devoted teachers, my fellow Interact members and I worked diligently to organize event and construct a fun itinerary. All the work was worth it! It was a huge slumber party but without the pizza. But I think the turning point for me was when I took the grade 12 politics class; it was one of the best courses I’ve ever taken. It taught me why changing the world matters.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t until I arrived at McGill that I realized that you could actually study international development. With the combination of Political Science and International Development studies, I’m constantly engaged in world affairs. Although it can be very exhausting and at times, demotivating, I’ve absolutely enjoyed it! Like many other academic institutions, McGill was full of student organizations that promoted and advocated for various causes. However, STAND caught my eye.

STAND (a student anti-genocide coalition) advocates for the eradication of genocide. The STAND chapter at McGill focuses on the ongoing Darfur crisis. One of the things I immediately noticed about the organization was that it was completely student run. Of course, this shouldn’t have come to me as a surprise. (Hello… you ARE in university!) But I guess the reason why I was surprised was because in high school, I was so used to seeking the permission of the sponsoring teacher. The students couldn’t do anything without their approval. That’s not to say that STAND McGill runs around campus doing anything it wants but it certainly doesn’t have as many restrictions as a high school organization. This is another reason why I like YCI so much. I sometimes feel like I’m part of a student organization except it has a really cool office. The atmosphere feels young, energetic and committed.

This summer I wanted to work at a place where I can be productive and helpful. But I was out of luck – I searched high and low but I couldn’t find anything I was interested in. So I decided… why not volunteer? Although I wouldn’t get paid, I could still be productive and helpful. So I e-mailed a bunch of NGOs and thankfully, Jessica e-mailed me back! I started volunteering at YCI for a few hours a week in May. This is when I was told that YCI was looking for a summer intern. Although I applied for the position, I wasn’t holding my breath. As a student at McGill, I know how competitive these positions can be. But luckily, I got the position!

So far I’ve learned that YCI is not only a youth oriented but also youthful! I’ll write back in a few weeks to tell you about how it’s all going!

- Ahila Poologaindran, Summer Intern