From Latchkey Kid to Homeless Teenager?

I wonder sometimes about human nature.

A teenage boy came into my office not too long ago.  He was probably 16 or 17 years old, but looked much younger.  He caught my eye immediately because of his lost expression.

“My mom kicked me out today,” he said.  “I don’t have anywhere to stay.  What do I do?”

My first instinct was to hug him and tell him that everything would be okay.  Anything to take that shine of tears out of his eyes.  But he was only barely holding onto his composure as it was and I’m sure he would have resented any show of pity.  Instead, I gave him the phone number to social assistance and told him exactly what to say to make sure that he would be taken care of.

This is not the first time I’ve encountered a homeless child.  One of the youth I mentored this past year was kicked out at 17, only a month after I met him.  His addict mother assured him that he was now old enough to take care of himself, despite the fact that he was still in high school. 

And this is in Canada.  This is not a poor community overall, although unemployment is high.  But still I wonder, why would a parent decide that a child still in school is able to fend for themselves?

We see incidences in the news of child labour, or forced marriages, or child abandonment.  The most sensational cases of kidnappings and child abuse are always well promoted.  Why does this even happen?  What kind of person looks at a child and thinks: “Here is someone who is dependent on me for everything.  How can I betray their trust?”

Maybe these are all gradual things.  A parent needs to work shifts, so gets their 10 year old a key.  Then leaves $20 on the table each morning for the 13 year old to buy supper.  Then has the 15 year old get a job to contribute to the household bills.  By 17, it may seem logical to send them out on their own.

No matter how precocious, or mouthy, or self-centered a teenager is, they are still children and deserve to know that there is always a place they can call home, where someone will be willing to take care of them.

Anti-Bullying Law Supports GSAs, Even in Catholic Schools

I know someone who works as a teacher in an Ontario Catholic school board.  If a student were to approach him and say that she/he was gay, or gender-confused, or anything related, he is obligated not only to refuse to answer any of that student’s questions, but to send them to see the school counsellor. 

That response may have to change.  This morning, June 5, 2012, an anti-bullying bill, also known as Bill 13 or the Accepting Schools Act, was passed through the Ontario legislature by a margin of 65-36.  This bill amends the province’s Education Act by removing the school veto over the establishment of student run anti-homophobia clubs, or Gay-Straight Alliances.

As may have been expected, the Catholic Church has not been pleased by this bill as they believe Catholic schools should be allowed to combat bullying in their own way.  But how? At the moment, Catholic schools don’t even acknowledge their gay students.  In fact, while the Church acknowledges that any form of bullying is ‘unacceptable’, they also call homosexuality ‘intrinsically disordered’.  Is that not a form of bullying in itself?

This is a great step in the right direction.  Now that no school board, principal or teacher can block the formation of a GSA, maybe dialogue will increase in schools to raise awareness in the public, private and religious sectors.  I have always believed that education is a key factor in building understanding and compassion, and hopefully this bill will succeed in that aim.

The Avengers and Feminism

I am not ashamed to admit that I enjoyed the Avengers.  A balanced mix of action, humour and character development combined the multiple superheroes and past movie franchises surprisingly well.  What disappointed me about the movie was the role of women and lack of significant feminism.  Don’t get me wrong, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff) was a fantastically strong and smart character who didn’t need superpowers to make her mark in the film.  She didn’t even wear the traditionally revealing and misogynistic costume typical of comic book females.

However, the problem with the movie does not lie with the female characters.  The three women, Natasha, Pepper Potts and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill are proven to be canny, insightful characters on par with the film’s male characters.  The problem lies with the lack of female characters and their interactions with each other. 

Of the three females, only Black Widow has a significant amount of screen time in a predominantly male cast.  While this screen time contained important moments of plot (tricking information out of Loki, figuring out that the portal needed to be closed, etc.), she still is the only female Avenger in a group of five males.  Why just the one?  There were several other female Avengers, why not include one more to balance the genders a little?  For that matter, where are the other female superheroes in film?  In the past 10 years, we’ve seen several Batman, Superman, the Hulk, Iron Man, Spiderman and X-men films, among many others.  All notably focused on male superheroes.  Besides Catwomen and Elektra, both of which were less than successful movies, where are the women?

This pattern of male dominated action movies makes me wonder.  It’s not as though there aren’t fantastic female comic characters to make movies about.  Yet action movie directors are typically male, and even Joss Whedon – stated feminist and writer of strong female characters – was criticised at one point as being too soft to direct the Avengers movie.  If anything, the Avengers proves the point that we still live in a male dominated society and women are still being portrayed as somehow lesser than their male counterparts.  Even if Black Widow fought alongside superpowered males with only a handgun.

Check out this post for more information: ‘The Avengers’, Strong Female Characters and Failing the Bechdel Test

Attending Conferences

Conference season is well underway and whether you are an educator, a student or an advocate of human rights, you may be interested in hearing some world renowned speakers and new developments in human rights at home and around the world.  Conferences allow you the opportunity to meet people with similar interests and also to expand your knowledge of human rights issues.

Although many conferences require registration in advance, following are a few of the upcoming conferences in Canada offered from coast to coast.  Keep an eye out for events in your area.

2012 CASHRA Conference

(Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies)

June 17 – 19, 2012

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Taking Stock of Inclusion in the Education Sector: Where Have We Come From, Where Are We Going

June 14 – 16, 2012

Fredericton, New Brunswick

Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International Canada

June 15 – 17, 2012

Including a Human Rights Conference open to everyone

June 16, 2012

Vancouver, British Columbia

Gay Rights in the United States

When I read about human rights in the United States, I'm always grateful that I live in Canada with our national Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  Without a cohesive national policy regarding rights, each individual American state must fight it out in government, one right at a time.

This interactive graph shows the trends of LGBT laws by state and by population.  In rainbow colours of course!  Worth a look!

Check it out here!

A Study in Development

How do you convey the complex social, economic and political situation of a developing country in under 1,000 words?

This is a thought that has consumed me of late.  With the end of my final class in international community development only days away, I have completed my last essay… until my next foray into education.  Yet, the assignments make me wonder.

Choose a country, choose an issue and discuss the problems, approaches and possible solutions.

So students diligently do their research and write their groundbreaking ideas on the societal issues that even Canada hasn’t gotten quite right.  All in under 1,000 words.  Yet these ideas aren’t revolutionary at all.  In fact, they are gross generalizations and over simplifications of situations that the writer probably has never encountered. 

Even when the theory is good, implementation is another story.  Is it really possible to outline a process to affect hundreds of years of social development and religious teachings?  How long ago was it that Western countries were burning witches at the stake and condoning slavery?  Reality is not as easy as writing a paragraph.

So why do the research and write the essays?  Even those students with top grades will barely have scratched the surface.  Yet we need to start somewhere.  Student research into remote countries and development issues may not ever impact the tireless work of development organizations, but it will impact those students who may emerge from the assignment with a touch more understanding of what exists in the world.

How do you convey the complex social, economic and political situation of a developing country in under 1,000 words?

You don’t.

9 Tips to Start a Career in International Development

Are you a university student that wants to work for the United Nations?  Or maybe an international NGO like Amnesty International or the World Wildlife Fund?  Or just wants to work overseas in a developing country? 

As a current seeker of a job in international development, I have compiled some tips to assist students looking to pursue this career path.  So many of the skills and experience required for jobs in international development can be gained while you are still in school – it’s never too early to start preparing!  And bonus – these skills are incredibly transferable if you decide that an international career isn’t for you after all.

1)      Choose your study path appropriately – I’m assuming you’re majoring in something like business, political science, public policy, international development or cultural studies.  These courses seem to be most in demand for international jobs, but most of the time, the degree you achieve doesn’t really matter.  Only make sure that you are studying something you enjoy and that is related to your eventual career.  Want to work for Doctors Without Borders?  A degree in medicine, nursing or health sciences.  Want to save the rainforests?  Study environmental sciences or sustainable development.

2)      Plan to get a graduate degree – If you want to work for the UN, or eventually progress to a management position in an organization, plan to pursue your Masters at the very least.  Some organizations even require a Masters for entry-level positions.  Whatever you study, choose courses with an international focus on your area of interest, and remember that graduate degrees are expensive!  Look for scholarships, bursaries and funding that may be available.

3)      Study abroad – For a semester or a year, immerse yourself in another country and culture.  This experience living overseas will prepare you for culture shock and working aboard, as well as develop your intercultural communication skills.

4)      Join clubs or student organizations associated with your desired career – Join the Model UN, or Amnesty International, or the Association of International Studies, or OXFAM.  If your favourite organization isn’t represented, start your own club.  Get a leadership position and organize events, fundraisers and awareness campaigns, coordinate with other clubs and the school administration, and build your resume!

5)      Volunteer – Show a passion for your field by volunteering with the local branch of an international organization.  If you live in a town where international opportunities are not readily available, volunteer locally in your field.  Want a job with UNICEF?  Volunteer at the children’s hospital/museum/library, or at a home for parentless children.  Want to work with CARE International?  Volunteer at the women’s shelter, food bank or soup kitchen.  Try to volunteer for the same organization(s) over a period of several years to show consistency and commitment.

6)      Work abroad or in relevant jobs – Apply to get credits through international internships, or spend your summer break building houses in Haiti.  International work experience is key to many jobs in international development.  If that’s not a possibility, find a job with a non-profit that will give you experience writing reports, developing projects, and fundraising – all great skills to get you an entry level job.

7)      Look into scholarships – The Rotary Club, for instance, has a fellowship that will pay for your Masters abroad in international relations or peace studies.  There are many grants out there if you do the research to find them.

8)      Learn another language – This is so important!  Fluency in English is essential, but knowing another language automatically puts you a step above other applicants.  The six official UN languages are probably the place to start – English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese.  Be prepared to be tested on your language ability for some jobs!

9)      Travel and learn – Overall, do as much as you can to learn about other cultures.  If you can’t travel, find other ways to engage the international community.  Participate in local cultural festivals and events, or become a mentor/guide to international students.  Make your entire resume a demonstration of your commitment.

Key Skills to Learn and Demonstrate:

·         Project management

·         Statistics

·         Writing skills

·         Fund development/grant writing

·         Ability to build partnerships

·         Collaboration with national governments and international organizations

·         Ability to organize large events/conferences/projects

·         Administrative skills

·         Computer skills

·         Critical thinking

·         Adaptability

·         Intercultural communication

Of course, the above lists are not exhaustive and every point is not necessary for every position.  However, in my search for entry and mid-level jobs in international development, these seem to be the skills that appear again and again.  Hopefully this post will help students and other job seekers to pursue their career in international development.

War Games

So I saw The Hunger Games the other day.  I hadn’t read the books, but knew the basic plot.  The whole idea of children fighting to the death for the sake of entertainment sickens me, but I went to the movie anyway, sure that if so many people saw value in the books, I would find something to like.

Didn’t happen.  To all those friends and family that told me “it isn’t about the killing,” I’m sorry, but it was.  I was on the verge of tears the entire movie, not only because of the story, but because I couldn’t stop thinking of all those children out there in our own world to whom this isn’t just a story.

Children under 18 are not permitted to be recruited into armed forces or directly participate in hostilities, according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, yet hundreds of thousands of children have been affected by armed conflict, been forced to fight and kill to survive.

Someone said to me: “I didn’t think child soldiers still existed.”

Yes, they do.  Children don’t remain children for long in a war zone, and today’s battlefields look more like The Hunger Games than many of us would be comfortable with.  Don’t picture trench warfare like we learned about in high school history.  Picture snipers and mines and sudden attacks.  Picture being kidnapped from home, from school, or from the field where you play.  Imagine being handed weapons, pointed at an enemy and told to kill.  Now imagine that you’re 10, or 12, or 16 years old.

The Hunger Games is a story of a dystopian world.  I know that from only watching the movie I don’t have the complete picture of the fictional world the author has created, and I don’t denounce anyone who enjoys the books/movie.  However, I’m afraid that I will never be able to see past the concept of children forced to kill one another to provide someone else’s entertainment. 

For more information:
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (2000)

Guide to the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (UNICEF, 2003)

Getting Children off the Battlefield (Human Rights Watch, 2012)

Passion

Have you every found something that you were so interested in, so passionate about, that is became your entire life?  Unless that interest is associated with a particular career (health care, law, business, etc.), these pursuits can be labelled as frivolous and dismissed by those around us, whether they be parents, teachers, friends or strangers.

I’ve always known what my passion is.  I have been writing and telling stories since before I could even hold a pencil and my mom had to patiently copy my dictation.  Writing has always been part of my life in one way or another.  In high school I jotted poetry in the margins of my notebooks.  In university I sketched out novels in between lectures.  Even now I think of my projects on the go, which include a young adult novel, a stage play, a television script, an academic article and a short article for my department’s newsletter.

So why did I never follow my passion?  Why do so many of us fail to follow our dreams?  Because they’re impractical?  Unrealistic?  Frivolous?

In a recently posted TED talk at the University of Waterloo, Larry Smith spoke about why we will fail to have a great career.  He spoke of the excuses we make to avoid pursuing our dreams and the perceived obstacles that block our paths.

Perhaps it was this talk that initiated the train of thought that led me to my moment of realization, my epiphany.  I want to write.  I have always wanted to write.  Whether that writing will be on the more creative end, or also involve my passion for human rights and international development, I don’t know yet.  I only know that if I want a great career, a career I am proud of and happy with, I need to follow my passion.

Maybe this is something I should have realized in high school when choosing a university.  Or perhaps in university when choosing my majors.  Or even after my Masters when I was deciding which jobs to apply to.  Too late for second thoughts.  All I can do now is go out into the world and show everyone what my passion truly is.

Larry Smith: Why you will fail to have a great career

Refocusing

It is time for me to refocus.  I am more than ready to begin my career in international development, but I'm afraid that I have gotten wound up in the incredible variety of issues, organizations and approaches that define the field.  It is necessary for me to take a step back and think about what my passion truly is.  

I began my studies in International Relations knowing that the field of human rights was something that interested me.  Over the course of my education and travel around the world, I realized that although the rights of all humans need to be upheld at all times, it is the children of the world who most often are disregarded or taken advantage of.  Whether they are perceived as too young, too uneducated, too unable to be rehabilitated or too weak, every child has a life and voice and deserves equal rights as adults.

By coincidence or design, my studies and career have led me in the direction of labour law.  Although I seldom work directly with children at the moment, I have only recently completed organizing and facilitating a three-day program for youth over the March Break to teach employment skills and job search skills, including their rights when finding a job.  This truly brought home the fact that while I enjoy public speaking and workshop facilitation, my real passion lies in the research and development of policies that will make a difference for more than a few children at a time.  Educating businesses and corporations, advocating government changes, and promoting enforcement of policies already in place; this is where a difference can be made.

So begins my journey.  In  choosing this path I know that it may be longer than I like before I find a job and a career path that truly suits me, but I think I'm willing to take the time to work for it.

While this blog initially began as an assignment for my International Community Development classes, it will now be a record of my journey and of the steps I will take in pursuit of my goals.