Wendy Wu is fourth year student double majoring in Peace, Conflict and Justice studies and and International Relations. For her PCJ499 internship in Fall 2020, Wendy  served as a Program Development Intern at Jumpstart Refugee Talent. 

In PCJ, we have been learning about conflicts around the world and how to promote peace and justice. Interning with Jumpstart made these concepts more tangible by providing an opportunity to put them into action. Throughout my four-month internship with Jumpstart, I helped refugees overcome systemic barriers to finding meaningful employment in their field. In the process, I gained important skills and got to connect with many newcomers and Canadian professionals. It is incredibly rewarding to know that I can make a positive impact on someone’s life in small ways, even if my work doesn’t necessarily contribute to world-peace or sweeping large-scale changes.

Throughout my three years studying in PCJ, I realized how complex certain world issues are and that there are many barriers to addressing them. Thus, for a time before my internship, I felt that changing the world was difficult and I began to question my love for international affairs. However, my role at Jumpstart renewed my passion and confidence in making small changes to improve the world. My role as a Program Development Intern was to connect refugees with a mentor in their field, which gave me renewed confidence and a sense of accomplishment. Although I also worked on other projects, such as creating a poster and follow-up plan, interacting with mentors and mentees was my favourite part, especially when talking to the latter. The mentees came from varying backgrounds and had different stories and because I was also a newcomer to Canada, I could relate to their challenges and concerns. It was a really great feeling when I followed up with them and they said that they appreciated this program and having me as their client manager.

Through my internship, I began to understand that I love helping people, which offers me a clearer picture of what I want to do after graduation. As we keep seeing conflicts erupt within and between states, it is reassuring that the work of organizations such as Jumpstart contribute to a more peaceful and inclusive society. Although helping one refugee find a mentor might seem like a minor contribution in the grand scheme of things, my internship at Jumpstart taught me that I am capable of contributing to society by making even one individual’s life better.