Work Placements

While CWY is an educational and cultural exchange program, we also fall into the category of a development organization with our support from DFATD. With this, we have specific objectives to developing skills, awareness, and contributing towards projects related to gender equity and sexual health.

In this light, our volunteers are to be working 35/hours a week towards our themes, which is a bit of a change from past CWY programs. I will be looking for relevant work placements for 3-4 days a week, and the remainder of the hours will come from group educational activities and skills development as well as community outreach. Youth are to be place in pairs (one Vietnamese and one Canadian). In work placements youth can contribute to ongoing projects, work on new or independent projects, or assist with any sort of ongoing operational duties. Additionally, a large expectation is that youth gain a greater understanding of these issues in the Kingston community, as well as the resources and support systems available, and gain relevant skills to delivery of services, advocacy, training, etc. We are very open to your suggestions! The youth are required to submit a criminal record check to CWY. We can work with specific needs you may have or skills you are looking for if possible.

The volunteers from Vietnam and Canada has a diverse set of skills, knowledge, and experience but will all have a background in gender equity, HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health and gender based violence. This exchange starts in Vietnam (from Aug 16 - Oct 16) and our project overseas involves using theatre, facilitating a series of workshops for youth, and creating a facilitation guide on these topics. 

The project supervisors will work with partner organizations to establish appropriate work plans for the youth before the exchange begins, and we will work with partners throughout the two months to ensure youth are meeting the expectations of the program and their placements. 

As part of our project we will also be participating in a Women's Safety Audit, based on METRAC's model. For this we hope to work with a diversity of interested community members and relevant organizations (that are ideally some of our work placements too) to both orient our youth the Kingston and look at different barriers and opportunities to safety. Please get in touch if you area interested in being involved!