I am a U1 student at 捆绑SM社区, and am currently planning to major in English Literature. I have always loved writing and reading, and I hope to follow a career path in which I can put both to use! I have also always been fascinated by the education field, and so am contemplating switching into the PIF program at 捆绑SM社区. I live in Victoria, BC, and will be studying remotely for the fall semester.
When I applied for this internship, I was drawn in by its description 鈥� the CRACPP was looking for a young student to carry out various administrative tasks, take over their Facebook page, update their website, and help with writing their annual report. As I am interested in someday pursuing a career in communications, this sounded perfect for me! I knew, too, that learning to use the various applications that the CRACPP uses, such as Hootsuite and WordPress, would be invaluable later in life 鈥� and so I took that into consideration as well. I knew that the internship would provide me with valuable skills that I could use in a later career in communications 鈥� and so it was with this in mind that I sent in my application.
The CRACPP is an amazing organization. It combats food insecurity in the Petite-Patrie neighborhood in various ways: by delivering food packages weekly to those in need; by organizing bi-annual events where community members can receive grocery store gift cards and other goods during particularly stressful times of year; by organizing weekly summer markets with free fruits and veggies for all; and much more. By re-purposing the food that local grocery stores are unable to sell, and that would otherwise go to waste, the organization also contributes enormously to the fight against food waste. Though I never visited the CRACPP in person, I could tell even via Zoom that the organization offers a genuine and warm atmosphere, and that it does just wonderful work within its community. I cannot begin to imagine the comfort that it provides for those in need, and the difference it makes in the lives of so many families.
As an intern, I had various tasks. I responded to Facebook messages, kept up the organization鈥檚 Facebook page, and responded to messages as one part of my work. In addition, I updated the CRACPP website, which had not been done for several years. I worked with a few other employees on a project called Les March茅s Engag茅s, which was a weekly market held in various parks around the neighborhood. I also translated a grant proposal from French to English, which was a lengthy task. My central project, however, was the annual report. I worked on this with my supervisor, along with almost every other employee at the CRACPP, using the Canva application. I designed and re-formatted the report, and helped with its first drafts. Together, each of these tasks filled up my months at the CRACPP.
This internship has, undoubtedly, provided me with many invaluable skills that will benefit me later in life. As I plan to, someday, pursue communications, the work I did with grant proposals and annual reports will surely serve me well! I now know that I am very passionate about causes such as the CRACPP, as well 鈥� I would love to someday work for a nonprofit, and promote it in much the same way as I did for this organization. Although I may not have played a very influential role within the CRACPP, I did love hearing back from members of the community about the ways in which our food packages helped them and their families 鈥� and I think that this is something that I would never tire of.
Though working remotely was a challenge, I certainly found ways to make each day interesting and motivating. I made daily to-do lists and made sure to take short breaks between each task. I also had frequent Zoom calls with my supervisor, during which she would assign me to new tasks, ask about my progress, and generally check-in! I found this to be extremely helpful.
The money I received from this internship went straight towards my tuition 鈥� and thus, by extension, the rest of my life and career! I am so grateful for the ISA and the wonderful experience and skills that this internship brought me 鈥� it was truly unforgettable.
