In 2005, I was selected by the University of Victoria to participate in a 4 month Canada Corps International Intership, with the Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA). The University of Victoria was selected as a university partner to participate in the Canada Corps University Partnership Program, through the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), which funded the internship with PRIA.

PRIA is a non-profit organization and an “international centre for learning and promotion of participation and democratic governance. Since its inception in 1982, PRIA has embarked on a set of key initiatives focusing on participatory research, citizen-centric development, capacity building, knowledge building and policy advocacy. With a combination of training, research and consultancy, it has grounded its work with conceptual rigour and understanding of social reality to command the strategic direction of interventions. PRIA works with a diverse range of partners at the local, national and global levels.”

During my internship with PRIA, I worked with the Continuing Education Department in PRIA’s head office in New Delhi, India. My job was to help develop distance education course materials for courses on urban governance. During my internship I had the opportunity to participate in a knowledge capacity building workshop on gender that was training local leaders to talk about gender and gender stereotypes, within the context of their work and community engagement.

To view the media release from the University of Victoria, for this event please see Canada Corps UVic Media Release

In 2006, upon return from the internship at the Society for Participatory Research in Asia, I was interviewed along with my mom Joan Verwoord, about my experiences during the internship and returning to Canada. This interview was published as an article in the Spring 2006 issue of the Torch, the University of Victoria Alumni Magazine. To view a copy of the Spring 2006 issue of the Torch, and the article entitled Internship to India click Torch Spring 2006 Issue

In 2007, an article profiling University of Victoria interns who participated in international internships with the Society for Participatory Research in Asia, was published on the University of Victoria’s Office of International Affairs website. To read the article entitled Collaborating for Mutual Learning: UVic’s Partnership with Indian NGO click here

In 2008, the Continuing Education Department of the Society for Participatory Research in Asia, launched a formalized international internship program. I was asked to provide a testimonial from my experience as an international intern with PRIA, which can be viewed here