Abstract

The present qualitative research is primarily centered on interviews with five interns who participated in Canada’s 2013 International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) for a period of six months. The research seeks to explore learning acquired by participants in IYIP programs based on their own narratives, and to make recommendations to be integrated into strategies for more effective IYIP planning. Specifically, it investigates the level of participant satisfaction in reaching two out of the three IYIP objectives for Canadian youth: preparing for future employment and promoting Canada’s international development efforts at home and abroad. An experiential and critical learning theoretical lens is applied to that end.
The findings reveal that participants gained professional and personal competencies following their experiences and these gains indeed helped them to prepare for future employment or academic field of study. The findings also show little attention is paid to promoting Canada’s international development efforts, both at home and abroad. Rather, participants were moved by their experiences in their host communities and they discovered some new strengths and experienced personal growth. Unforeseen key findings emerged as well when some participants disclosed their lack of faith in Canada’s IYIP model, particularly their discomfort in imposing their values on host communities. Recommendations and suggestions for further research point towards a revised and enhanced strategy for a more enriching IYIP.