Carleton University students have partnered with the National Newcomer Navigation Network (N4) as e-interns on projects aimed towards supporting professionals who provide services to new Canadians.
The collaboration involves 21 students from the Global and International Group Project class. The students will work as e-interns, alongside a supervisor from N4, a national network funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and hosted by the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), designed to help and connect professionals who provide important services to newcomers. This collaboration provides a space where service providers can learn and communicate about how to best help new Canadians navigate the health and social services systems.
“The Bachelor of Global and International Studies (BGInS) program at Carleton is honoured to partner with N4,” said Marylynn Steckley, an instructor with BGInS. “This collaboration gives students a meaningful professional experience that takes seriously our objective to enhance student engagement with global issues. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, e-internships are the new norm, but this class offers a model that can carry forward beyond the pandemic. This class gives all students—regardless of income—an international experience, and there are no aviation miles attached, so we can feel good about a learning model that is eco-friendly.”
Students will help N4 with infographic design, N4 thematic areas, monitoring and evaluation, a comparative study of Canada and Europe, member response to COVID-19, a virtual conference, blogging support and project publicity.
“N4 is excited to partner with Carleton’s BGInS program to contribute to the success of the next generation by supporting the students with essential internships that are instrumental in developing their professional skills,” said Seeta Ramdass, N4 spokesperson, who is overseeing three of the projects. “The students have demonstrated passion and creativity in helping to shape the N4 platform and in contributing to improving the experience of newcomers to Canada.”
Several Carleton students will be working with N4 on a news and blogging support project. Their responsibilities include writing articles focusing on the needs and experiences of different groups that may immigrate to Canada and showcasing the positive contributions that newcomers bring to our nation. They are gaining experience in a professional work environment while improving their problem-solving skills, fine-tuning their research techniques and raising awareness of sensitive sociocultural issues.
This collaboration offers students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience safely and responsibly from their homes during the current public health crisis. The pandemic has paused traditional workplace experiences for students.
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Thursday, November 26, 2020 in News Releases
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