International Youth Internship Program
Eager to gain skills and work experience that may lead to employment or further education? Consider joining the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP)!
Program Overview
With the support of Global Affairs Canada, the purpose of IYIP is to prepare youth in Canada for future employment or studies. The current focus is on supporting youth ages 18 to 30 who are Indigenous, racialized, living with disabilities and/or 2SLGBTQIA+ and face employment barriers.
The placement portion of the program allows individuals to acquire experience related to International development and community work through a four- to six-month internship with partner organizations in Africa and South America, thanks to a collaboration between YMCA of Greater Toronto and YMCA Cali, YMCA Bogota, YMCA Colombia located in Bogota, YMCA Togo, YMCA Ghana and YMCA Sierra Leone.
Each cohort will have the opportunity to become part of the global YMCA network. The work they do during the program will focus on the pillars of World YMCA’s Vision 2030:
Community well-being
Meaningful work
Sustainable planet
Just world
- Who Can Participate
- Eligibility
- Application and Participation Process
- Key Dates
IYIP is intended for youth who:
- Are curious, adaptable, and open-minded
- Wish to develop new skills and gain professional experience internationally
- Want to apply their knowledge and talents in impactful ways abroad
- Have encountered challenges in finding meaningful employment
As part of the internship experience, participants can expect to be challenged by differences in: climate, local customs, transportation, work place etiquette and norms among others.
Applicants should be able to:
- Adjust to new environments and conditions quickly and effectively
- Recover from difficulties or stressful situations
- Learn and understand different cultures, practices, and perspectives
- Handle unexpected changes and pivot plans as needed
- Take initiative and work independently, even in unfamiliar settings
- Identify issues, think critically, and devise practical solutions
- Build and maintain positive relationships with others
- Remain calm and composed in the face of delays or frustrations
- Maintain an optimistic outlook, even when handling challenges
- Adjust to local culture, learning from the locals in different context, with host families, local volunteers and local communities.
To be eligible for this program, you must:
- Be 18- to 30-years-old when the internship begins
- Be A Canadian citizen or a permanent resident
- Be Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, or a youth living with a disability who has faced employment obstacles
- Not have previously completed an IYIP program.
Work experience or formal education is not a requirement for this program. Language classes will be provided for participants placed in Colombia or Togo.
If you have questions about whether the program is a good fit for you, please contact the IYIP team at Internationalinternship@ymcagta.org.
Attend an Information Session
- Information session dates will be announced soon. Please check back shortly.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
IYIP is a seven-month commitment involving three weeks of virtual training, one week of in-person pre-departure training, a four to six months in-country internship placement, and a week-long reintegration training, accompanied by YMCA Career Planning and Pre-Employment Support. The participants get to share their experience once they return to Canada through Public Engagement activities.
- Application form: Fill out all the required information on the form.
- Screening call: Expect a phone call at the number you provide within seven days after applying.
- Interview: After a successful screening call, the next step is an interview with us.
- Provide semi-professional/professional references: We'll contact your references if your participant candidacy continues after the interview.
- Provide a police reference check: Successful candidates must be willing to provide the IYIP team with a Vulnerable Sector Check police report.
- Onboarding process: After being chosen as a participant, you’ll undergo an onboarding process that includes visa applications, travel clinic visits, and more.
- Pre-departure training: Before departure, you must attend all virtual and in-person workshops and training.
- Departure: You will depart for the four- to six-month placement abroad.
- Public engagement activities: During the program, you will work on an individual project with the intention of sharing your experience as a participant with the public.
- Re-orientation sessions: When you return to Canada, you will be expected to participate in a week-long re-orientation process.
- Pre-employment services support: You’ll receive support from YMCA Employment Services for three months after you return.
Applications for future cohorts are open on an ongoing basis.
Application deadline: On going basis
Pre-departure training: April 21, 2025
Departure date: June 28, 2025
Return date: December 16, 2025
Reintegration training: December, 2025
Applications for the next cohort will remain open.
| Cohort | Departure Date from Canada | Return Date to Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1 | June 28, 2024 | Dec 16, 2024 |
| Cohort 2 | January 7, 2025 | June 16, 2025 |
| Cohort 3 | June 28, 2025 | Dec 16, 2024 |
| Cohort 4 | January 7, 2026 | June 16, 2024 |
| Cohort 5 | June 28, 2024 | Dec 16, 2024 |
What IYIP Includes
- All flights
- Visa fees and travel insurance
- Required vaccinations and travel medicines
- Allowance for in-country food, transportation, and communications
- Modest accommodation with a local host family
- All accommodations
- Food and accommodation for in-person pre-departure and reintegration training (when training is not delivered virtually)
- Employment services
- Support to implement individual Public Engagement project
*We cannot reimburse costs associated with passport renewals and applications.
Please ensure you meet all of our criteria before applying.
Arriving in Colombia
Interns with volunteers
Interns working in the garden
Orientation
Training and pre-departure orientation
Working with children
Contact Us
Email InternationalInternship@ymcagta.org for more information.
