Although he knew of some existing Christian groups on campus, “I didn’t see the kind of connection between faith and activism and social justice work that personally was something that actually drew me to becoming more of an active Christian when I was a teenager.” he told Perspective. Now 21 and preparing for his final year of a double-major political science and public administration degree, Adair participated in the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa’s Youth Internship Program (YIP) for two years as a teen.

The Student Christian Movement is an ecumenical, social justice-oriented, youth-led international movement. Adair said he knew of SCM, but his interest in it was re-invigorated when he read a biography of the late Canadian politician Tommy Douglas, who had been involved with the SCM in his youth. Realizing that SCM was still an active organization and wanting to create something on campus to leave for others after he graduates next year, Adair decided to create a chapter of SCM. During the summer he wrote out a plan about what he would need to do to get it all started when he was back in Canada, but in the fall, the Student Christian Movement posted a notice that they were hiring someone to start a club at the University of Ottawa. “This seems like it’s perfectly aligned,” Adair thought. He applied, got the job and began working a couple of hours a week to get it up and running.

He describes the group’s first year as fairly active. “We held a prayer service for Palestine and Lebanon in November that had about 20 to 30 people show up, including members of the Ottawa Palestinian Christian community. And that was hosted at St. Albans, so we were very grateful that St. Albans was able to give us that space,” Adair said.

The group also co-organized an event in February on migrant workers with the Filipino group Migrante. “I thought that it made sense considering we have so many international students and so many people on campus from around the world to do an event about migrant workers and international students.”

In March, they hosted an online discussion with two theologians, Dr. Michel Andraos and Dr. Jane Barter, discussing the roots of Christian Zionism in Canada. And prior to the federal election, the SCM group worked with the campus chaplaincy and Citizens for Public Justice to host an event called Engaging Faithfully for the Common Good about connecting Christian faith with political engagement.

In June, Adair travelled to Calgary to participate in the G7 Jubilee People’s Forum, organized by KAIROS Canada, which took place from June 15 to 17. KAIROS gathered pilgrims and activists from across Canada and the world to discuss their visions for global economic, environmental and social justice, with a focus on Jubilee 2025, a global initiative to cancel debt for low-income countries. Adair received a travel grant from the World Student Christian Federation’s Lois Freeman Wilson Fund. Wilson, who was active in SCM in her youth, went on to become the first woman to serve as Moderator of the United Church of Canada, the first Canadian president of the World Council of Churches, and a Canadian senator.

“It’s been interesting seeing like how large SCM used to be and the goodwill from that,” Adair says, noting that he’s met many supportive alumni.

Starting the campus SCM chapter has been really fulfilling, Adair said. It was challenge was to build from the ground up because contemporary students had no knowledge of the organization. “It’s been interesting trying to explain it to people and get them involved,” he said. “I think they see Student Christian Movement, and they’re skeptical because it sounds like something that might be scary for a lot of people.”

The new chapter drew interest from a diverse mix of students, he said. ‘It’s some very devout Christians who have never really done political work or activist work in their lives, and then some political activists who maybe went to church when they were kids but who wouldn’t think of themselves as Christian, but they’re interested in the work that SCM is doing.” Both groups have seen value in connecting their faith with action, such as feeding the hungry, caring for others, he says. “We even have one or two Muslim members and one or two like atheist members who say, ‘I just like going to your events. You do interesting stuff.’”

Adair says he invited a friend who he knew used to go to church to a prayer service. “They went and they hadn’t been to church since they went to university, and I think probably before that. But now they’re back home for the summer, and they’re leading a church group back home. I don’t want to say it’s because of SCM, but I think they were having a crisis of faith [questioning},’What is the value of this in this world currently?’”

He suggests that might be true more broadly. “For the prayer service for Palestine and Lebanon, we were able to get about 30 people in a church on the Friday evening during exam season. People didn’t have to be there, and a lot of people personally inconvenienced themselves to go to that, so I think that’s something maybe church leaders should listen to. People want that connection and the community. … I don’t think people want to see a church that retreats away from the world or away from the world’s questions. They want to see a church that is saying, ‘You’re right. This is scary. This is hard, but also we can do something about it right now.”

More information on the work of the UOttawa SCM can be found at @uottawascm on Instagram.

Related reading;

G7 People’s Forum inspires faith and action

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The program began in 2016 and was focused on providing quality internships to about 12 youth from across the diocese each year. 

Bishop Shane Parker thanked Donna Rourke, youth animator for the diocese, for the wise and sensitive leadership and mentoring she gave to the young people in her care. “When I became Bishop, Donna quickly ensured that I was brought into the orbit of the interns, and I was struck by how she seemed to be both present and invisible—and always seemed to find the right balance of leadership, which set a very freeing tone for the interns and me as I answered their probing questions.”

He added that he was also struck by “the positive energy Donna exudes and by her firm belief in the ministry she was doing. That conviction contributed to the key successes of YIP and certainly touched the lives of interns over the years.”

Reflecting on her role, Rourke said, “The privilege has been mine to manage and coordinate this program, working with the 102 incredible young adults who applied, were interviewed and discerned their gifts for YIP.” 

The program involved a tremendous amount of collaboration, and Rourke thanked all those who participated in the program in a multitude of capacities. “Thirty-two of our amazing clergy have participated either as part of the faith formation team, in a leadership session, or as a mentor, supervisor or member of the advisory committee. We have had some of the most gifted facilitators deliver leadership sessions and work placements have included: 18 parish placements across our diocese, Carleton University, UOttawa, KAIROS, PWRDF, Citizen for Public Justice, the All My Relations Circle, L’Arche, Ottawa Police Services, youth division, the national planning team for CLAY, Centre 454, food banks, the Royal Ottawa, Extendicare, and Habitat for Humanity.”  

She extended her heartfelt thanks to “our funders, the dream team [the Rev. Ross Hammond, Susan Farrell, Roger Soler with collaboration from Leslie Giddings and the Rev. Arran Thorpe and advice from Archdeacon Mark Whittall], Bishop John Chapman, the advisory committee, our faith formation team, leadership facilitators, incredible mentors, workplace supervisors. “Thank you for helping me to accompany these amazing young people. Thank you for caring for them and about them and for supporting this programme. We could not have done it without you.”

She had a special message to all of the interns. “Thank you for participating in YIP. Everyone one of you taught me something and has made me a better person. Remember, you are loved, you are needed and you have many gifts to offer the world. You are so important in my eyes and more importantly in God’s eyes! You are, exactly the way you are, absolutely one of God’s masterpieces!”

As YIP co-ordinator, Rourke has poured her heart and countless hours and effort into making each intern’s experience a positive and transformative one. As a testament to that, Crosstalk has received many tributes to the program and to Donna. We only have space to quote from some of the messages from participants, but we hope these excerpts will convey the essence of the love expressed. 

Robert Woods

YIP helped me see how my faith can inform my engagement with my community through my work with All My Relations. I learned the valuable skills of responsibility, clear-communication, and an openness to others. I know that I now have a strong foundation to be able to embody my Christian spirituality in my future career(s).

Donna is the reason for the beautiful and powerful character of YIP that has been witnessed in our church. She truly cares for the personal, spiritual, and career development of all the youth in the church.

Olivia Pelling

I first came across YIP and met Donna Rourke, the amazing woman spearheading it in 2016. At the time, I was a new volunteer youth ministry leader at St. Helen’s Anglican Church in Orleans. Donna came to tell us about YIP….We immediately had youth interested. Every year following, we had youth sign up to participate in this transformative program. Seeing the immense growth in the five youth who …participated,,,. I knew that YIP was a deep fruit-bearing program. Two of the St. Helen’s youth who participated in YIP went on to become further involved in youth ministry and all hold dear their time spent with YIP and with Donna.

Isabel Macfarlane

As an intern with the original YIP cohort back in 2016, it’s amazing to think of how many young people have received invaluable work and life experience through this program. My time as a YIP intern with KAIROS Canada was instrumental in helping me determine what to pursue in university and was a fantastic learning opportunity. Donna’s exemplary leadership made for an accessible, engaging experience, and her work will surely have a lasting impact on the lives of former YIP participants.

Calum Douglas

Through YIP, I met friends and mentors with whom I still communicate today. And I learned and refined skills which have served me well in my continuing university career. I will fondly remember the YIP retreat in autumn 2019, hurriedly learning songs on the guitar to play around the campfire.

Alexis Udechukwu

Donna’s dedication, passion, and mentorship have not only shaped the program but have also equipped us with invaluable life skills essential for adulthood.

Through YIP, I’ve gained practical skills in communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership….The connections I made as an intern three years ago have grown into friendships and professional networks that continue to improve my personal and professional life.

Sydney Sharpe

YIP has given me opportunities and opened doors for me that wouldn’t be possible without it. It has given me a new perspective. YIP came to me when I was going through a hard time and gave me a community and a sense of belonging. Donna has been a pillar of the program and my life for the time that I’ve known her. She has given me the hope, support and strength to make the next step in my journey.

Emily Walker 

The Youth Internship Program (YIP) … has been a meaningful, soul-nourishing, and educational opportunity for everyone involved….The program’s design including education sessions, the choice of a career or spiritual mentor, weekly check ins, supportive supervision, a dedicated prayer team to pray over concerns, and an eight-month work placement selected based on each individual intern’s skills and interests was the foundation of the program’s incredible success. However, the most impactful part of YIP was the community created around it. 

I was a YIP intern at the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) where I worked with their youth council bringing the idea of a social justice podcast series to life….

As a first-year student at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law, my time at PWRDF still comes up on almost every job application. [It] allows me to prove demonstrated interest in social justice, crafting compelling narratives, and public speaking….

[Donna] is a fantastic listener, always has sage advice, and names all of the good and beautiful things inside you making them burn even brighter…. Ultimately, she embodies the love of Christ in every virtual, physical, and in-between space she occupies. 

Maritsa Odabashian

Donna’s leadership style is remarkably personal and professional, deeply resonating with every participant. Her direct involvement with us, her genuine interest in our stories and her commitment to our individual growth have been nothing short of inspirational. Professionally, Donna has a unique ability to unearth and cultivate each participant’s strengths, encouraging us to step out of our comfort zones and seize new opportunities with confidence…. This program has been pivotal in shaping my aspirations, including my journey towards medical school, by instilling in me the confidence and skills needed to pursue my dreams. 

Stay updated on diocesan led youth activities here: https://ottawa.anglican.ca/what-we-do/programs-partnerships/youth-activities-programs/

The post Saying goodbye and thanks to the Youth Internship Program appeared first on Perspective.

Sid prefers to be described as a disabled person. “Different people have different preferences,” they explained. “My disability is central to who I am and has affected me so much that it is a part of me. It can’t really be taken out of the equation of who I am.”

Every intern has a mentor. Sid’s mentor, Chantal Huinink, who is a motivational speaker, author, social justice advocate, and an elected counsellor for the Region of Waterloo with a physical disability participated in the leadership session with the interns as well. 

She added a bit more about how the language preferences about disability are changing. “In an effort to avoid labelling people with language that implies a deficit, some people prefer not to use the word ‘disability.’ In recent years however, in recognition that having a disability is not a negative thing and ‘disability’ is not a bad word, many are reclaiming it and self-identifying as, ‘disabled people.’”

Some people may prefer “people-first” language, which identifies the person’s name before the disability—Susan, who uses a wheelchair—for example. If someone is willing to disclose their disability (and different people have different levels of comfort with that) Sid suggested that it is best to ask what words they prefer in a similar way to learning what gender pronouns individuals use. 

Another important point of etiquette and respect is asking a person with a disability if and how they would like help with something. Asking for consent “Can I help you? or asking what somone might want help with is very helpful, Sid said. “I’ve had some experiences where someone just helped me, and it was kind of a bad experience because I didn’t ask for it and they touched me without my consent. I’ve also heard stories about disabled people who are wheelchair users having been moved out of the way in a grocery store or a setting like that,” they explained. “So it’s just really important to ask what they need and if they can touch you and how can they help just because that … has some very vulnerable moments and it takes a lot of courage to ask for help,” she said.

Sid shared a Powerpoint slide with a quote from the World Health Organization. “Disability is … not just a health problem it is a complex phenomenon reflecting the interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she or they live. Overcoming the difficulties faced by people with disabilities requires interventions to remove environmental and social barriers.” …. I’d like to say that it’s not difficult being disabled, it’s difficult being disabled in a world where they don’t accommodate you,” they added.

Sid walks with a cane but explained that they use an ambulatory wheelchair at school, so that they still have energy left at the end of the day for homework and other activities.

The high school they attend does its best to accommodate, Sid said, but challenges still crop up like when the elevator was out of service for a long stretch. They attended math class virtually from the downstairs level using the Teams app for video conferencing, but it was difficult to see what was on the whiteboard and to ask questions. “My other teacher, and I love this teacher with all my heart, took the class downstairs into the cafeteria so I could be a part of the conversation.”

When a fire alarm went off, they also discovered that the safety plan to evacuate the building required stairs and didn’t work for Sid. The school came up with an alternate plan, but “it was an eye-opening experience where I realized if there was an actual emergency, the teacher wouldn’t be able to get me where I needed to go because I am a wheelchair user at school, so I can’t go down those stairs.” 

Sid shared another frustration with the other interns. “It’s really hard to find fashionable clothing that I can put on myself,” they said. “I want to fit in with the fashion trends and be stylish, but a lot of those clothes have buttons [or straps or clasps] on them, which is hard with my disability…. cerebral palsy makes tasks with motor functions very difficult.”

Sid wishes more designers considered universal design, which keeps people with disabilities in mind from the beginning. “Usually, when I buy shoes, they are two sizes too big because they have to accommodate the plastic of my orthotics, but recently I have found shoes that are made for disabled people by a disabled person. They’re called Billy Shoes and they kind of zip around the orthotics or foot so that you can actually do it yourself without any help and so you just unzip the top part of the shoe, put your foot into it and zip it around.”

Both Sid and Chantal said they found the responses from the other YIP interns encouraging. “In my experience, not a lot of people want to challenge their ideas and go out of their comfort zones and take into consideration other people’s perspectives,” Sid said. “So that was just really heart-warming, and it almost brought me to tears. They were very open to seeing things from your perspective and making some changes in the way they interact with disabled people but also just educating themselves on misconceptions and issues that they might not be aware of.”

Sid was especially appreciative of Penny’s response because she works at a shoe store and wanted to increase accessibility at her job, looking at the types of shoes they offer and cleaning up areas that may be a tripping hazard. 

In a separate faith formation session, the interns also talked about disability in the Bible. They discussed the story of Jesus healing a man who had been blind since birth (John 9: 1-41). The disciples ask Jesus who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” 

They discussed the ways in which the community sinned in not accepting the man. Sid added that the story relates to ideas that disabled people still encounter when people say that God can heal them just as Jesus healed the blind man. “Trying to fix someone is not the best idea because [firstly] they might not want to be cured. They might be happy just being themselves but also you’re dehumanizing them.” Donna Rourke, animator of youth ministry for the diocese, added, “We’re created in God’s image. We’re God’s image bearers, every single one of us.”

Sid’s YIP work placement is with the Anglican parish of West Quebec, where they have focused on having some workshops on mental health and other issues. Next year, they plan to attend Algonquin College to study radio broadcasting and podcasting. “I chose Algonquin and Carleton in the future just because Algonquin and Carleton share a residence that is fully accessible with attendant services. Those services actually help you do daily tasks like there’s someone cutting up your food, helping you put on your orthotics, and they are the only post-secondary institutions in Canada that offer that service.”

Sid chose to study broadcasting and podcasting “because I find it so important to have that disability representation in visual and audio media and express those concerns about disability and bring awareness to the topics that are important to me.” Based on the impact among their peers in the YIP program, it looks like Sid is well on their way to that goal already.

Thoughts on inclusivity from others in the conversations:

“I strive to find ways that ensure everyone feels included in our society and social groups. Our past leadership session has proven to me how much work has to be done, and how we have so much more to learn and improve on in our communities.”   – YIP intern Ainsleigh MacInnis

The speakers’ approachability and deep and discernable care made for an accessible and thought-provoking introduction to the topic. Not only did they equip us with practical guidance for making our churches more accessible, welcoming, and Spirit-filled spaces, they also introduced us to the rich and liberating invitation offered by theologies of disability: not only for those of us who are experiencing disability, but for the whole church to come to know God more fully and more deeply.” — Sarah Keeshan, Master of Divinity student at St Paul’s University and YIP faith formation leader

 “It was a pleasure and an honour to be asked to design and present this session for YIP. The sharing of some of the participants’ personal experiences added a richness to the session and it is my hope that all in attendance left with a broader understanding of what inclusivity and belonging could look like as well as practical and easy suggestions for ways they can expand inclusivity in their communities, workplaces, schools and churches.” —Breanna Pizzuto, Leadership Session facilitator

To learn more about increasing inclusivity and accessibility, join online discussions:

April 25 — 12 noon to  1 pm

May 28 — 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Email donna-rourke@ottawa.anglican.ca for more information.

Recommended Reading 

My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church by Amy Kenny

Disability and the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion  by Lamar Hardwick

Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau

Disability Visibility by Alice Wong

Online Resource: https://opendoors.idrc.ocadu.ca/

The post Youth talk about a more inclusive, accessible world appeared first on Perspective.

This YIP year we welcome nine new interns and have welcomed back one. Please meet:

Daniel is taking a gap year this year and is interested in psychology, business, leadership and coaching soccer. He is fascinated by the psychology of trauma. He wants to help people improve their psychological state as he believes in equality on more than a materialistic level—that we need to establish equality on a psychological level, so that everybody can have the ability to be happy. 

Deborah is a Grade 12 student and a second-year intern with YIP. With a passion for visual expression and a new interest in architecture, Deborah is interested in creating art by manipulating the viewer’s space using forms, colours, and sizes. She is looking for more opportunities to explore art in her community. This year, Deborah chose to continue her placement at Extendicare Starwood so she can interact with more people of diverse backgrounds. …Being a new member of All Saints’ Westboro Anglican Church, she has quickly engaged with volunteering at the food bank and the New-to-You shop. These opportunities are helping to develop a deeper sense of empathy for those living in different circumstances and recognition of her own privilege. Deborah’s goal with YIP this year is to acquire mediation and facilitator skills in conflict management and organizational strategies in time management between hobbies, commitments, and school responsibilities.

Emmet is an active member of his faith community St James Carleton Place. Emmet is currently attending Confederation College and is taking the social service worker program with a bridging program into a bachelor of social work. 

James is a second-year student at the University of Ottawa doing a major in political science with a minor in public administration. He applied to YIP to gain practical experience in areas he is passionate about [politics, environmental justice, writing (especially essay writing), and social justice], to strengthen his connection with the Ottawa and Anglican community, and to deepen his connection with his Anglican faith and God. Those aims are difficult to fulfill in environments where learning is often deeply impersonal and very theoretical. His work placement is with Citizen for Public Justice. 

Li Xiu is a student at the University of Ottawa and a returning YIP intern. Li looks forward to actively participating in group events as well as the new work placement. Li is the YIP intern for the Anti-Racism Forum organizing team. Li enjoys wandering the city and finding delicious food spots or cooking with friends.

Malachai is a high school student and member of the LGBTQ+ community who enjoys reading and the creative arts.

Nana is the YIP intern for St Columba Anglican Church. In this role, Nana will act as their outreach resource coordinator, researching, analyzing and identifying outreach activities to determine if existing programs should be maintained, expanded or dropped; and if new outreach activities would have a more expansive and positive impact on the surrounding community.  

Rebecca is currently in her fourth and final year of a Human Kinetics degree at the University of Ottawa. A member of St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, she is honored to serve on their Parish Council and to be the Diocese of Ottawa’s youth delegate to General Synod this summer in Calgary. Originally from Vancouver she was very involved in her childhood parish as the Head of the Server’s Guild, a youth delegate to Diocesan Synod, an Outreach Committee member and a church-school teacher. She is looking forward to participating in YIP to make connections with other youth throughout the diocese and gain new skills and experiences through her placement. 

Thomas is a first-year student at Carleton University and wants to become a social worker. He applied to YIP to develop leadership and communication skills. Social justice is important to Thomas as he wants to live in a society where everyone is respected, included and safe. He would like to see high quality and affordable therapy to be available to everyone who needs it. Thomas also loves learning about new topics and having in-depth discussions with people. Thomas will be doing his work placement with Centre 454.

Zara (AKA Theodora) is a first-year student at the University of Ottawa studying finance. She is the second daughter in a family of four siblings. Zara is doing her work placement at the Glebe Wellness Centre. Her older sister Alexis was a YIP intern for the last two years. 

If you have any questions about the Youth Internship Program, please email me at donna-rourke@ottawa.anglican.ca

Youth Ministry:

The KAIROS blanket Exercise has been re-scheduled to Saturday Feb. 25 at St Aidan’s Anglican Church. For information and to register please email donna-rourke@ottawa.anglican.ca 

The post A new year and another great line up of interns appeared first on Perspective.

We offered our interns the option of joining us in person or joining virtually for our sessions trying to be as inclusive to as many of the interns as possible. Our primary goal always is to build community and create a feeling of belonging. 

Our interns have been enjoying learning and working in a variety of different placements that have included: Ottawa Art Therapy Group, Enriched Support Program at Carleton University, YIP’s faith formation and leadership team, Centre 454, Starwood, L’Arche, Glebe Wellness Centre, the Synod Office and the Nations Planning team of CLAY.  

We welcomed facilitators to discuss unconscious bias, anti- racism, mental health, developing critical thinking skills, 2SLGBTQ+ & gender diversity, and basic financial literacy for our leadership skills development and still have navigating difficult conversation, understanding empathy and networking left to learn about. We will be offering SafeTALK (SafeTALK is learning how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, engaging someone, and connecting those to an intervention resource for further support. Funding for this comes to us courtesy of the Johanniter Humanitarian Group.

We have met monthly to discuss our faith and our own faith expressions and journeys with our faith formation team. Together our participants learn to be a part of a community, journeying together in faith; learning  how they each respond to God in a way and context that is truly their own. They explore concepts and engaged in transformative conversations that are amazingly wonderfully to be a part of.

We are planning a weekend retreat in June for the interns and mentors at Gracefield Camp for more opportunities for connecting, relationship building and engaging about faith. It is our hope that Bishop Shane may be able to join us for a few hours to engage with the interns and respond to their ‘burning questions.’ 

Look for more about our 2021-2022 interns and some reflections from them on their experiences in the September issue of Crosstalk.

Applications are open for the new YIP year; September 2022-June 2023.  The form is available at the diocesan website:

https://www.ottawa.anglican.ca/images/yip/YIP-application.pdf

To watch the new YIP video, please go to: 

We are always looking for people to participate in YIP, young people to be interns, people to be a part of our prayer team and people to mentor our young people. If you think you might be interested in being a part of YIP or you think that your parish could offer an opportunity for an intern to do a work placement, I would love to talk to you; we could Zoom, chat on the phone or email.

http://www.ottawa.anglican.ca/index.php/yip

Donna Rourke may be reached at 

donna-rourke@ottawa.anglican.ca

613-612-3674 or 232-7124 Ext. 220

The post Youth Internship Program winding up and looking ahead appeared first on Perspective.

In December, the Youth Internship Program (YIP) followed the instructions in the diocesan COVID Communique and moved from in person to online gatherings. Work placements wherever possible moved to be placements done from home. Our second anti-racism leadership session happened on Zoom instead of in person at St Aidan’s, as did our Faith Formation session on Jan, 3. 

We continue to meet via zoom for our sessions and recently, we met for a very timely session on mental health.  Until the Diocese moves from our Modified Stage Red protocols, we will continue to meet virtually for all YIP related activities. 

We received funding from the Johanniter Humanitarian Group and All Saints Greely to cover the cost of eight YIP participants to take ASK (Assessing Suicide in Kids). This workshop is able to be delivered virtually and will take place Feb. 3 and 4. Unfortunately we have to re-schedule SafeTALK and very likely ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) as these workshops must be delivered in person. https://www.talktoolstraining.com/applied-suicide-intervention-skills-training-asist  and https://www.talktoolstraining.com/safetalk

The Johanniter Humanitarian Group will be covering the cost of both those workshops for YIP participants. 

During this time of isolation, we are taking advantage of technology to bring us closer together by meeting weekly to check in, playing games, offering prayers and attending Zoom or Uber conference Church with each other. We plan to participate in a Lenten film series called 12Neighbors:  https://www.12neighborsfilms.com/aboutus. We have extended an invitation to the YIP mentors to join us both at zoom church and the film series. 

We so have lots to be look forward to; Bishop Shane will be attending our Faith Formation session in May, and we continue to plan for our weekend retreat at Gracefield Christian Camp and Retreat Centre in June. 

If you have any questions about YIP or think you might be interested in being a participant or hosting an intern for a work placement, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. 

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This new year of the Youth Internship Program (YIP) is off to a great start. 

Our Faith Formation team includes me, our intern, Aimerance, and the Reverends Arran Thorpe, Geoff Chapman and Mary-Cate Garden. Our leadership facilitation team is led by Breanna Pizzuto of Talk Tools, and she will be joined by Susan Young and Mylène Côté. 

The privilege is mine to introduce you to some of this year’s interns. Please meet:

Naomi is returning to YIP for a second year and is looking forward to building more lasting relationships. She is doing her work placement with the National Planning team for CLAY 2022. 

Jane is a grade 11 student at Holy Trinity in Kanata. Some of her interests include interior design, architecture and culinary arts. She enjoys cooking, baking, taking photos, listening to music and watching movies. She is also a dancer, piano-player, oldest sister of four, and babysitter. This summer, she worked as a camp counselor at Circle Square Ranch at Big Clear Lake. Jane is looking forward to the new experiences and knowledge she will receive during her work placement at the Bishop’s office working with Heidi Fawcett on event planning. 

Fares is a 17-year-old student at Brookfield High School and is from a family of seven.  Fares likes to walk, ride his bike, swim and play video games. He also likes to watch Turkish TV shows and soccer. Fares is excited to be working at the Glebe Wellness Centre.

Étienne is a Gr. 12 student at Lisgar Collegiate Institute, where his primary academic interest lies in creative writing, a subject he hopes to pursue in university. He is fluent in English, French, and German and studied Latin at his elementary school. Étienne also enjoys athletics, participating in the school’s cross-country running, Nordic skiing, and track and field teams. As for employment experience, he once operated a local paper route and has also volunteered at a soup kitchen with his church. Finally, Étienne has a fascination for trains, and his obsession for Star Trek has resulted in him being the head of his school’s Star Trek club. Étienne will be doing his work placement with Centre 454. 

Deborah is a Gr. 11 student at Canterbury High School with a passion for visual arts. She enjoyed art at an early age. Finding beauty in art forms leads her to find beauty in the world around her. Having grown up in the Christian faith, Deborah is looking for ways to help others through art. She is looking forward to developing her leadership skills and presence as a “strong female lead” and is inspired by her mom’s various roles in the local and national church. Deborah aspires to lead within Girl Guides of Canada. She is looking forward to working with a diverse group of people and hopes to strengthen her communication skills in her work placement as the YIP intern at the Ottawa Art Therapy Centre. In YIP, she hopes for new experiences and new relationships, to develop a deeper sense of faith and self-understanding with colleagues and mentors, and to have fun!

Claire is in grade 11 at De la Salle High School. She worships at St. Alban and St Bernard Anglican church on Sunday mornings. This past summer, Claire was a camper counsellor at a summer camp for children with autism. Claire will be the YIP intern for L’Arche, an international federation of faith-based communities, creating homes and day programs with people who have developmental disabilities. Claire is looking forward to learning with the L’Arche community and within the Youth Internship Program.

Aimerance is a YIP intern doing her placement with the YIP leadership and faith formation team. She is a student at the University of Ottawa studying Psychology. She enjoys reading, dancing, and having fun with her friends and family. She is passionate about helping others and sharing the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ with the world. She is looking forward to learning and experiencing new things this year with YIP.

Alexis is doing a second year with YIP. Her work placement is in the Enriched Support Program Department at Carleton University. Alexis thinks this is so amazing because she also goes to school there and is learning a lot of skills that will be helpful in the future. She is working with the most amazing people. Alexis is studying engineering. 

In addition to being coached and participating in Faith Formation and Leadership sessions, each intern is offered the opportunity to work with their own Christian/work mentor. The idea for our interns having a Christian mentor/ work mentor comes from 3 places:

In their exit interviews, our first cycle of interns said having their own mentors would have made the program better. 

We want to help develop inter-generational relationships between youth and adults. In our exit interviews, 60% of all our alumni rate their relationship with their mentor as very high and important to them.

Finally, one of lectures I attended during Ask and Imagine; hosted by the Faculty of Theology at Huron University in 2016. The research from the lecture was based on a 2004 study which looked at the factors that made a difference to the 19-21% of young people who continue to identify with the church after the age of 21. Spencer Edwards, a guest lecturer, stated that the number two factor was having adult Christian mentors engaging, connecting and relationship building with them.

Watch for pictures next month from our Faith Formation, Leadership sessions and maybe even a mentor gathering. 

If you have any questions about the Youth Internship Program, please email me at donna-rourke@ottawa.anglican.ca

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This past year as a YIP intern in St. John the Baptist has been one of the greatest learning experiences for me. I met new people who bring different opinions and experiences to the table, I learned about church politics, and I had a front-row seat to one of the biggest transitions in my church. As a young intern taking a seat at the table with the adults, this past year has also taught me a lot about human behaviour and how our church views change and modern society. I spent most of the first three months only listening and observing while the adults talked their talk. It was really hard to fit in, but with the help of Donna and my supervisor Don, I was able to finally be able to fit in, be heard and get my ideas on the table. 

Our society’s values have changed, and we are at a time where young adults don’t just follow the rules and do what they are told without questioning the basis of the rules, and the church is trying to adapt to these modern changes and keep up with the youth. Because of the COVID-19 situation, the Diocesan Synod meeting was held virtually, which was really sad because it was one of the weekends I was really excited to attend. (I heard the food was always good!) My parish did their best to adapt to the changes that the pandemic caused, and we started sanitizing everything and promoting social distancing, but it became really difficult to connect with the other people in the parish. After all humans are social beings!!

 I had different expectations for my placement, but if I had to do it all over, I wouldn’t change a thing. I learned more than I expected and saw true leaders in real life difficult situations. 

I really want to thank the whole parish council and especially my supervisor Donald Veilleux for being so patient and guiding me through everything. A special thank you to Donna, our YIP program director, for supporting me and teaching me how to be heard and seen as a young person in the adults’ table.

Maritsa was an Intern for St John the Baptist in Ottawa in last year’s program.

The post Taking a seat at the table, finding my voice appeared first on Perspective.

We began a new year of the Youth Internship Program (YIP) with a day retreat at the beautiful parish of St. Aidan’s and want to thank the parish for generously allowing us to gather in their wonderful space.

This year we have 10 interns participating in the Youth Internship Program:  Alex, Claire, Deborah, Étienne, Fares, Jane and Theodora, with Aimé, Ujuamara (Alex) and Naomi returning for a second time. 

The Rev. Geoff Chapman and the Rev. Arran Thorpe continue to be part of our Faith Formation Team, and Breanna Pizzuto from Talk Tools is the main leadership facilitator.

Bishop Shane joined us for the morning. The Rev. Jonathan Askwith spent the day with us as a member of the YIP Advisory Committee. The Rev. Rosemary Parker dropped by to welcome us to St Aidan’s, and Breanna Pizzuto joined us in the later part of the afternoon. 

We were also joined by Maritsa and Lauren, two of our alumni.  Lauren was our photographer for the day. 

Although the weather was rainy, and we had to make a few adjustments to our plans for the day, everyone had fun and enjoyed the opportunity to build our relationships and create our YIP community. 

In the next edition of Crosstalk, I will introduce each of the interns. We are hopeful that when we meet for our first leadership session on unconscious bias all of our interns will be able to join us. 

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