Neha Dhaliwal is a 3rd year Peace, Conflict and Justice student from Victoria College. She is majoring in PCJ and Human Geography, along with a minor in History. Not only is Neha one of the PCJ Conference Directors this year, but she is also using her experience in PCJ to help refugees gain meaningful employment through Jumpstart.

When Neha first heard about PCJ, she immediately knew that she wanted to apply. She was particularly drawn to the program’s  small size, which allows students to cultivate closer relationships with professors and peers. Moreover, the PCJ curriculum aligns with Neha’s passions for justice and a strong interest in global affairs and peacekeeping. She was also excited by the  interdisciplinary nature of the program that would allow her to explore topics in peace, conflict, and justice through the lenses of difference disciplines.

This summer, Neha is creating change in our community by serving as an Outreach and Engagement Intern with Jumpstart Refugee Talent, a refugee-led nonprofit that focuses on the economic empowerment of refugees and refugee claimants. She works with the Welcome Talent Canada mentorship program, which matches refugees with professional mentors from all over Canada from various professional fields . This program aims to expand the mentees’ networks to help them gain meaningful employment sooner. She matches clients, follows up with the participants after the program, and creates the company newsletter.

In the future, Neha is interested in pursuing migration studies or working in refugee and immigration law. Her internship at Jumpstart has allowed her to gain early exposure to the field. It has also allowed Neha to channel  her passion for PCJ through a new platform, and using her honed interests in human rights and international affairs. The knowledge and understanding of conflict, positive peace, refugees, and justice issues she has gained through PCJ has helped her to  better understand the issues her clients have faced or continue to face.

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