Alberta: Summer students are class acts [Feb 18 Calgary] by David Veitch--Deepali Goel suspected she’d pursue a career in health care.

That, in her mind, meant becoming a doctor. Period.

However, the 17-year-old Calgarian had her eyes opened wide when she worked for six weeks in Unit 74 at Rockyview General Hospital before starting her senior year at Henry Wise Wood high school.

“I came to Rockyview and saw physiotherapists, respiratory therapists, nurses – all of these other professions. In the end, the experience gave me a lot more (career) options and confirmed to me I like this field and want to do this,” recalls Goel, now a first-year student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.

Chalk up another success story for Careers: The Next Generation, an industry-driven private/public partnership dedicated to the career development of Alberta's youth.

Every summer, the best and brightest Grade 11 students can apply for paid internships at clinical and administrative sites throughout Alberta Health Services (AHS). These teens are interested in health-care careers and, after a stringent screening process, placed on the frontlines where they perform clerical duties, support educators, offer companionship to patients and, most of all, learn about the realities and rewards of working in the field.

Some students discover health care is not a suitable career for them, after all.

Others, like Goel, are energized and motivated by the experience. In fact, she became such a valued member of Unit 74 in 2007 that patient care manager Teresa Thurber hired her as a full-time nursing aide last summer.

Thurber points out Goel’s contributions went beyond “streamlining” the unit and offering company to patients.

“For some of the veteran staff, just having someone as young as Deepali working here reminds them how exciting the opportunity was for them starting their careers,” says Thurber.

“We’re facing a workforce shortage and our staff know that. Seeing young people around here investigating health care as a career provides hope that a new generation is coming into the workforce.”

Thurber’s appreciation for these students is shared among many other veteran health-care professionals, according to Denise Moroz, recruitment consultant for Alberta Health Services-Calgary region.

Moroz has seen the program expand, from 30 students placed in 2004 to nearly 100 in 2008. These students have been vetted, first at their respective schools and later by Moroz, AHS educators and AHS managers in a job-interview situation.

“They are the cream of the crop,” Moroz says of the selected students.

“More and more, we are hearing from the managers: The student is great and really added to the unit. Having a 16-year-old come along and say, ‘It’s so cool you’re a nurse!’ is a great way to bring that spark and energy and motivation to a unit.”

Thurber rewards this enthusiasm by ensuring her students see much more than the work being done on her unit.

“We used our contacts with other patient care managers and our students went through the intensive care unit, the recovery room, the morgue, the lab, diagnostic imaging – many different areas,” Thurber says. “Overall they get a very good idea of what jobs are available in health care and how huge the opportunities are.”

Adds Goel: “The staff also showed me a lot of the procedures they did. I really enjoyed being with them.”

Moroz hopes this program will not only produce more health care professionals but also build a loyalty with these students so, one day, they’ll return to Alberta Health Services to practice.

“That,” says Moroz, “is our ultimate recruitment goal.”

A goal Thurber is pleased to support.

“I know this is very Pollyanna of me,” she says, “but, if we do the best by the students who move through our life and our units, then the likelihood of keeping our professions staffed is much better.”

Action Against Hunger-USA
Recognized worldwide as a leader in the fight against hunger, Action Against Hunger delivers programs in more than 40 countries, specializing in emergency situations of war, conflict, and natural disasters and longer-term assistance to people in distress. www.aah-usa.org/jobs.html

Action Contre la Faim

L'organisation humanitaire Action contre la Faim, a été créée en 1979. Elle fait partie de la seconde génération des ONG (Organisations non gouvernementales), celle des "French Doctors", ces médecins français qui en 1968, au moment de la guerre du Biafra, se sont révoltés contre le silence des humanitaires, liés par le secret et pourtant témoins des pires horreurs. Voulant forcer ce silence en dénonçant l'injustice, ces ONG ont ajouté le témoignage à l'action.
http://www.actioncontrelafaim.org/nous-rejoindre/

Action Without Borders Search for over 48,000 nonprofit and community organizations in 165 countries by name, location or mission; thousands of volunteer opportunities in your community and around the world; and a nonprofit career centre with hundreds of job and internship listings. http://www.idealist.org/

The Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) is an apolitical, and non-confessional international relief agency created in Afghanistan. As of today, ACTED is active in 23 countries (Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Nicaragua, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo DRC, Iraq, Chad, Haiti, Sudan, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Central African Republic, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Myanmar).

http://www.acted.org/get-involved/jobs-available/

Aid Workers Network This practical site gives advice on finding your first job, as well as highlighting openings for experienced practitioners/LEPS. "When working in relief and development projects, we often face situations others have encountered before us. Sometimes we ask around and consult a few colleagues for their opinions and advice. Other times we "jump in at the deep end" and do as best we can under the circumstances. Aid Workers Network links relief and development field staff to share support, ideas and best practice. This web site is being developed by a team of experienced aid workers to provide a comprehensive resource for busy field workers needing practical advice and proven resources to help with their current work." www.aidworkers.net  

AlertNet [Jan 11 06 London UK]-- www.alertnet.org/thepeople/jobs/index.htm This relief community orientated site highlights in a very clear way key humanitarian jobs around the world. "Reuters AlertNet is a humanitarian news network based around a popular website. It aims to keep relief professionals and the wider public up-to-date on humanitarian crises around the globe. AlertNet attracts upwards of three million users a year, has a network of more than three hundred contributing humanitarian organizations and its weekly email digest is received by more than 10,000 readers. It was started in 1997 by Reuters Foundation - an educational and humanitarian trust -- to place Reuters' core skills of speed, accuracy and freedom from bias at the service of the humanitarian community."

Beijing International Volunteers Association (BIVA) [Feb 24 06]--Beijing International Volunteers Association (BIVA) is a not-for-profit organization established in China with the support of China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). BIVA is committed to human resource-based work with individuals and organizations involved in social improvement and development, with a special emphasis on volunteerism. www.civa.org.cn/english/home.htm

Careers Without Borders [Jan 11 06 Ottawa ON]-- www.careerswithoutborders.com The first fully inter-active website devoted to employment needs in the development sector. "GDG created CWB in response to requests from our partners and members who indicated they wanted a simple, cost-effective web based tool specifically designed for international development and emergency response recruitment. We recognize that organizations are challenged to find quality candidates to fill their needs. The options are to advertise in newspapers, which tend to be too expensive for the specialized market, or online through personal job boards or public job boards."

DEVJOBS [Jan 11 06 Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines]-- www.devjobsmail.com/main/homepage.html An internet service that provides international job announcements of various development fields. "DEVJOBS is being operated by a small company called "DEVJOBS Information Service". This company was formed by a person who is deeply involved in development. Carlos Ani has been engaged in the development field for the past 23 years and he started DEVJOBS in 1999. Carlos is an international microfinance consultant, by profession, serving a number of international development organizations. In 1999, seeing the need by development organizations for qualified professionals, Carlos created an international mailing list service called DEVJOBS, which announces all kinds of jobs related to development. It started like a hobby and it was run on volunteer basis."

Dev-Zone [Jan 11 06 Aotearoa NZ]-- www.dev-zone.org/jobs   This New Zealand based site includes details of a large number of humanitarian and development positions globally. "Dev-Zone is an independent Aotearoa New Zealand based resource centre on international development and global issues. We work to inform and educate New Zealanders about international development and global issues. We run a library and a website, provide email updates, publish our magazine Just Change, engage in information related projects and work with like-minded organisations to raise awareness about issues. Dev-Zone, alongside the Global Education Centre is a programme of the Development Resource Centre (DRC). The DRC is an independent, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation governed by a charitable trust and core-funded by NZAID Nga Hoe Tuputupu-mai-tawhiti, a semi-autonomous body of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade."

EU-CORD [Jan 11 06 Brussels Belgium]-- eu-cord.org/vacancies.html The vacancies page for EU-CORD, a network of 12 European-based Christian relief and development agencies. "EU-CORD asbl, Christian Organisations in Relief and Development, was formed in 1998 with the goal of serving the poor more effectively and improving the conditions of disadvantaged people in the developing world. In 1999 a secretariat was set up in Brussels in order to help the members become more active in the institutions of the European Union. By 2001 the network had grown to 12 members from 8 EU Member States with a total annual turnover of 127 million euro."

Expats Network [Jan 11 06 Paris France]-- www.expats-network.org  This French based site both provides job information and is a forum for international exchange. "Expats Network is a web site managed by AVESI ,
an international aid workers association created in 1998. AVESI is a non-profit and independent organisation initiated by Aid Workers, for Aid Workers. Almost 6000 membres registered in the Directory. An average of 700 daily visits, 20 000 monthly. More than 30 French and International NGOs, regularly advertising. 250 job ads online less 3 months old, and continuously updated."

Geekcorps [Feb 24 06]--Geekcorps is a US-based, non-profit organization that places international technical volunteers in developing nations to contribute to ICT projects while transferring the technical skills required to achieve long-term stability. Ultimately we strive to cross-pollinate developing nations with the skills needed to maximize the benefits of modern telecommunications. Our current applicant database contains more than 3,500 technical specialists willing to share their talents and experience in developing nations. In all cases, we carefully match applicants with projects based on the skills that are needed based on our assessments and the scopes of work provided by partner businesses. Much of our past work has been performed in conjunction with ICT SME’s, but we have also contributed directly to government projects and other organizations while retaining the skills-transfer element of our programs. http://geekcorps.org/

Hands On Network --Hands On Network is at the forefront of a growing civic movement of people coming together to strengthen communities through meaningful volunteer action. Hands On will support the mobilization of 6.4 million volunteers and 100,000 volunteer leaders over the next two years. The Hands On Campaign will engage volunteers in projects designed to have immediate, tangible impact on children and education, health and wellness, and the environment. Hands On Network’s Corporate Service Council, an alliance of CEOs and civic leaders, is leading the campaign to engage volunteer participation and leadership in meaningful projects across the country. We are launching a people raising campaign. Join Us. Raise your hands. http://www.handsonnetwork.org/home/

Médecins sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors without Borders--Recruits health professionals and logistics as volunteers for overseas humanitarian assignments. "Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organisation that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in more than 70 countries. In countries where health structures are insufficient or even non-existant, MSF collaborates with authorities such as the Ministry of Health to provide assistance. MSF works in rehabilitation of hospitals and dispensaries, vaccination programmes and water and sanitation projects. MSF also works in remote health care centres, slum areas and provides training of local personnel. All this is done with the objective of rebuilding health structures to acceptable levels." www.msf.org

UN Volunteers -- "The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) is the volunteer arm of the United Nations. It was created by the UN General Assembly in 1970 to serve as an operational partner in development cooperation at the request of UN member states. It reports to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and works through UNDP's country offices around the world. In 2004, its seventh consecutive year of growth, the UNV programme mobilized some 7,300 volunteers, representing 166 nationalities, who served in 140 countries. Since 1971, more than 30,000 UN Volunteers from developing and industrialized nations have supported peace, relief and development initiatives worldwide." www.unv.org/index.htm

Voluntary Service Overseas--VSO was voted top international development charity in the International Aid and Development category at the Charity Awards 2004 for its work in promoting innovative approaches to globalising volunteering. Our approach to volunteering has changed dramatically over the years. We no longer send school-leavers - today the average age of a volunteer is 38 and most placements are for two years. We are a leading development charity with almost 2,000 skilled professionals currently working in over 40 countries. We respond to requests from governments and community organisations throughout Asia and Africa. The volunteers aim to pass on their expertise to local people so that when they return home their skills remain. Volunteers can be aged between 20 and 75 years old and must have a formal qualification and some work experience. Regular postings are for two years and volunteers are provided with accommodation and a local level allowance as well as air fares and insurance. We are actively recruiting volunteers all the time. The range of jobs is vast, and includes small business advisors, teachers, social workers, health professionals, management consultants, marine biologists, accountants and farmers. www.vso.org.uk/ 

Volunteer Match--VolunteerMatch is a leader in the nonprofit world dedicated to helping everyone find a great place to volunteer. The organization offers a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer and business leaders committed to civic engagement. Our popular service welcomes millions of visitors a year and has become the preferred internet recruiting tool for more than 30,000 nonprofit organizations. Read more in our latest annual report. http://www.volunteermatch.org/

Volunteering South Australia--South Australia has always had a strong culture of volunteering. In 1982 Mavis Reynolds and Joy Noble were instrumental in establishing Volunteering SA, formerly The Volunteer Centre of South Australia. Our Mission, as a peak body, is to promote volunteering and play a key leadership role in advancing volunteering in South Australia. Our Core Business advances our mission and we are guided by our Core Values. We will advance our mission over the next three years via our Strategic Plan. Our team is staffed by a combination of paid and volunteer staff who carry out a number of different roles in providing a wide range of services and advice to those working with or as volunteers. Volunteering SA provides an extensive range of services, support and resources for volunteers and volunteer organisations. http://www.volunteeringsa.org.au/
 

World Service Enquiry --What job opportunities are there for me in a relief or development agency in the UK or abroad? How do I transfer my skills into the development sector? What qualifications, courses or experience do I need to be an aid worker? What work opportunities are there for me in a relief or development agency? How could I use my training and experience to work in international development? Why am I not getting any positive response from my applications to agencies? If you have questions similar to these then there is no doubt this service is right for you. A One to One provides you with advice and information about working within the development sector and comprises: a conversation that lasts an hour and half which provides an opportunity to consider your qualification, experience, skills, values and attitudes, motivation, expectations, opportunities, present and future goals and strategies to achieve your goals; space for you to get your questions answered by an expert; CV review. www.wse.org.uk

World Volunteer Web --The World Volunteer Web is brought to you by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in partnership with the following organizations: CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation; Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE); International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC); Merrill Associates; Millennium Campaign; OneWorld.net; Portal do Voluntário. The World Volunteer Web supports the volunteer community by serving as a global clearinghouse for information and resources linked to volunteerism that can be used for campaigning, advocacy and networking. It is an online hub where the community can meet, share resources and coordinate activities to mobilize volunteer action in support of the Millennium Development Goals. www.worldvolunteerweb.org/