Alternatives launched the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) in 2018 for three years. Each year, this program offers young Canadian men and women the possibility to participate in six-month internships with partner organizations in more than a dozen countries.

As part of this program, young Canadians get the opportunity to work with Alternatives’ international partners to advance important issues on women’s rights, the self-determination of peoples, environmental protection, freedom of expression, the right to privacy, free access to digital technologies, and more generally respect for human rights.

As a continuation of the many initiatives Alternatives has carried out with young people in Quebec and Canada over the past 25 years, the IYIP demonstrates a real desire to train the next generation of young people in the field of solidarity and international cooperation.

Prior to the internship, interns are required to undergo training that provides them with the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out the internship mandate. This training also prepares them to live, in complete safety, an enriching international and intercultural experience.

During their overseas internships, young people work with women and men from different backgrounds to explore the potential of digital technologies as a tool for social change. The issue of digital technologies and gender equality is at the centre of their work.

Upon their return, training and reintegration activities strengthen their employability and help promote international solidarity among the Canadian public.

The partners in the field are numerous and do inspiring work. Association for Progressive Communications, a partner in South Africa, uses technology to promote gender equality. APC is the South African partner, but also an umbrella organisation for this initiative, which hosts several interns per year. Its campaign “Take back the Tech”, taken up by several of its members, calls for people to take ownership of technology to end violence against women, including violence committed through the internet and social networks. APC also works on internet governance and supports advocacy for better management of computer waste, an issue of growing concern in many countries in the North and South. One World Platform, an APC member in Bosnia and Herzegovina, teaches women how to make better use of the internet and social media to promote their candidacy in local elections. In Uganda, WOUGNET seeks to democratise access to information for women living in rural and urban areas, strengthen the sharing of experiences and improve the quality of life of these women. In Malaysia, the Sinar Project partner wants to use digital technologies to map forest areas to help preserve the environment.