Soumaya, Conflict Studies and Human Rights
Canadian NGO: Forum of Federations
Although I knew it might be harder to adjust to a virtual intern experience, I was pleasantly surprised at the Forum where I got to jump right into my role!
In my first month as a communications intern, I had the opportunity to get involved in a variety of projects and campaigns. Some of these included creating social media graphics for the Forum of Federations 20th anniversary webinar, helping with the website reconstruction, and assisting with the annual report. These experiences have allowed me to develop new skills as well as learn more about the Forum and their role as an organization. As I become more comfortable with these tasks, my supervisor has begun to assign projects for me to start on my own and I’m looking forward to seeing what I will be able to achieve.
Although I am mostly working with the team based in Ottawa, I am still learning a lot about the Forum’s international programs – mostly those based in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as well as in Sudan and Ethiopia.
Of course, the pandemic and the lockdowns have really shaped our work environment. Getting accustomed to virtual work was not that difficult – especially after taking courses online this past semester. However, it did create some challenges for me as a new intern to meet my supervisor and new colleagues and connect with them all. Fortunately, in my experience everyone has been really welcoming and patient with my questions and I do feel like I’m now part of the team!
My internship so far has been a wonderful experience and although I do have many tasks on my plate now, I’m excited for the possibilities.