Today in Victoria, during a cross-country tour to highlight International Development Week, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, announced $24.5 million in funding for the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP).
For over 25 years, the program has been offering youth living in Canada the opportunity to gain skills and professional experience abroad in the field of international development, allowing them to prepare for future employment or continue their formal education.
During the announcement, Minister Hussen recognized that Canada has historically denied the rights of Indigenous Peoples, who still face systemic racism, discrimination, and injustice. Young people between the ages of 18 and 30, especially those who identify as Indigenous, racialized and 2SLGBTQI+ as well as youth living with disabilities, will be recruited by IYIP partners and paired with organizations in developing countries to work in sectors such as communication, education, social services, law, human rights, agriculture and more.
Minister Hussen was joined by representatives from the British Columbia Council for International Cooperation and several IYIP‑funded organizations. Partners receiving funding include the Victoria International Development Education Association; Alternatives, réseau d'action et de communication pour le développement international; the YMCA of Greater Toronto; Empowerment Squared; McMaster University; the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University; the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation; and the Canadian National Institute of the Blind.
Together, these IYIP partners will select over 800 eligible youth to complete internships in more than 40 developing countries.
