International Field Programs:Through the Eyes of Students

GRADUATE PROGRAM IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRSOctober 2006

One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.

– Henry Miller

Created by Nada Abshir for the International Affairs Program, The New School © 2006

Graduate Program in International Affairs

Our challenge is to train students for whom theory and practice are truly complementary, so that understanding itself becomes a means of

change, and analysis becomes action. By understanding differently, new practitioners and scholars can help to change the institutions and

the world in which these institutions operate.

The International Field Program (IFP) is an integral part of the Graduate Program in International Affairs – it offers students the opportunity to gain practical hands-on experience. Since 2001, these programs have been offered on four continents with work ranging from monitoring and evaluation of NGO microfinance sectors in South Africa, to working with civil society groups in the North Caucasus, to researching urban development in Colombia, to rural community development projects in India.

This publication presents GPIA students’ summer programs; what they gained, their most memorable experiences, what they took away from these projects, how the IFPs contributed to their graduate education, and how it influenced their professional choices and direction. We are grateful to all the students who contributed their ideas and photographs to this booklet.

Each student in the GPIA enters the program with a variety of experience, but across the board they have a desire to question, to find out for themselves what exactly the development world entails, what exactly people do on the ground, whether it works and if not, why? For many participants, the IFP provides the first field work opportunity. For those who have already worked in the field, the summer program offers the chance to work in a different overseas location and context, doing work they haven’t previously done.

Most students take part in the IFP in the summer after their first year of study. By this point, many students have been challenged to start thinking differently about global issues and their role within them. Students’ objectives for participating in summer programs vary greatly, but whether to gain fieldwork experience on major development projects or to get hands-on experience in what they learn in class, the programs are diversified enough that students can find a program related to their specific needs and where it doesn’t exist, work with faculty to develop such a program.

“I wanted to get a sense of whether targeting the ‘poorest of the poor’ and historically disadvantaged populations through micro-loans impacted the specific political climate of South Africa –did micro-loans provide a source of empowerment? Did it ‘de-politicize’ these populations? Were there long-term gains being made that would ultimately work to level the playing field between different populations?”

Amy Paul, South Africa, 2005

“I expected to learn about the process of making innovative television in Africa; to learn about the opportunities and obstacles that one faces in production in the urban African context.”

Leslie To – Cameroon, 2005

Understanding what concepts such as cultural development, human rights, or empowering civil society really mean to economically marginalized communities in the global South is what many of these projects provide –an opportunity to gain a more realistic perspective on development in practice. More specifically, students are exposed to particular elements of the project development process, learning methods and tools for engaging with development issues that have previously been dealt with in an academic capacity. Spending between two and three months with organizations worldwide, many students seek greater understanding of particular fields (urban, socio-economic, migration and refugees, culture, etc.)

The IFP offers the invaluable opportunity to gain professional experience with NGOs, international organizations, or municipalities in Europe, Africa, Asia or Latin America, to network, make friends and learn practical development lessons. Additionally, the chance to “discover” a new country and/or city, improve rusty language skills, while soaking in a new culture and getting academic credit is more than many students can pass up!

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In fact, the summer programs offer much more than can be summarized in a few pages. Each person has a unique experience – you learn your own lessons while making links for future job possibilities, and better clarifying, or even discovering, professional interests and whether you are pursuing the right career path. And on a larger scale, it is a priceless experience in terms of “real-world” learning that enriches academic learning.

“My biggest expectation professionally was to find out more about the manner in which the international humanitarian aid community functioned in reality on the ground. I feel that this was an absolutely priceless experience. There were many things that I learned this summer that you could never possibly learn within a classroom. Personally, my biggest expectation was to challenge myself on a daily basis. You certainly learn about yourself within the context of a humanitarian aid situation. I would recommend the experience to anyone.”

Bryan Nicholson – IRC Liberia, 2006

Dakar – S. Rowbottom

“This project helped to confirm and make more tangible my interests in urban planning/development and youth in African cities. This project was an application of many theories and practices I have studied in the classroom; in this way, the project added a critical dimension to my graduate education.”

Sara Rowbottom – Senegal, 2006

How have the IFPs enhanced student’s graduate experiences? The GPIA prides itself for being an innovative graduate program, one that guides students to understand old problems in new terms, to question the status quo and develop workable answers. The IFPs have had numerous benefits that fulfill this GPIA goal for participants. Through the summer programs, students commented on how the issues they had previously studied came to life and challenged them to be aware of, and question, the differences that exist between practice and theory. Experience always serves as a necessary complement to academic learning and in the case of the IFPs, participants felt that their internships helped to put their studies into perspective and gave them a clearer understanding of their place in the international development field.

Through a wide range of IFP projects, participants questioned more aspects of international and development-related studies and gained a better understanding of the issues affecting this field’s many elements. Students were faced with the challenges of carrying out research in new environments and had to figure out how to deal with this and still achieve their stated goals. This experience helped participants both develop a more realistic perspective on obstacles that hinder the efficiency of so many development projects, as well as the opportunities that exist. Many students also maintained linkages with their IFP host organizations and continued to do work for them, or work related to their projects, upon their return to New York.

“This has impacted my GPIA experience greatly. Not only do I integrate Kakuma (refugee camp) into my schoolwork, I can also use the GPIA coursework to help integrate this experience into my life. It seems that we are very much connected to the goings on in Africa and elsewhere. What we buy, the kind of work we do, and who we associate with, all makes a difference. The GPIA program, which is the coursework AND the practical experience, will be crucial in helping me make decisions that will do the least possible damage to our fragile world community (plants and animals included). Personally: learnt more about myself; greater appreciation of another culture; more substantive contributions to class discussions from first-hand experience; draw from experience as a foundation for future professional direction; help me to ask professors more challenging questions”

Vicrum Puri– IRC Kenya, 2006

“Most concretely, I got a job out of it, as after the summer trip I came back and became an intern at GROOTS International/The HuairouCommission, where I now have a full time job. I also think I got a good understanding of what development is and how unjust it is, leading me to gain what I imagine is a life-long commitment to grassroots-driven development. I am also proud of the documentation that came out of the trip.”

Shannon Hayes – Kenya, 2004

“Working in the field and being exposed to the heavy questions about the merits of the humanitarian aid ‘business’ and the ethics of NGO work really complimented all the classroom time I had spent back in New York learning about human rights, development and the role of organizations. Practical experience with people who are actually experiencing, living and working in the world of development is a whole other ballgame to reading about it in books.”

Kari Detwiler– IRC Indonesia, 2006

Overall, after the IFP experience, participants have a better understanding of the kinds of situations they will encounter when they finish studying and go and work in these fields. The summer programs shape students’ perspectives on the work they hope to do and show the importance of being on the ground before making such decisions.

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The GPIA is one of the few graduate programs that offers IFPs as an integral part of its MA and for many students, this has been a deciding factor in joining the program. The IFP offers students the opportunity to gain experience and develop a clearer idea of how they wish to engage with the development world. Equally important, summer programs illustrate the things learnt in the classroom, putting academia into context.

“I already knew I wanted to write my thesis about Aguablanca, but I got to visit it in no small part because I had both 1) an opportunity to visit Colombia through school and 2) the flexibility to make all that happen. To a large degree the New School is tobe credited with both of those. But my time in Bogotá contributed to my work in other ways as well. I think I have a much more grounded, nuanced idea in general about urban poverty and violence in Colombia than I could have gotten in any other way. That's extremely important to me, and hard to put a price on.”

Jesse Willard – Colombia, 2006

“The summer program was, to me, a critical component of my graduate education. Microfinance can often be a rather dull subject in the classroom; seeing an actual microfinance organization in action reminds you of why it is important in the first place. Given that the GPIA as a whole prides itself on being a program notable for its ability to combine theory and practice, the summer field programs are, in my opinion, an indispensable part of thateducational experience.”

Frank Brunetti – South Africa, 2005

“The opportunity for a summer program in the field was a major factor in my coming to GPIA. I find the readings and classroom discussion very interesting and worthwhile, but they just can't compare to seeing a situation and working with people in the field. I think working in the field gives you an opportunity to see many complicated nuances that you wouldn't otherwise anticipate or fully understand.”

Pamela Hershey – IRC Ethiopia, 2006

“What is important about the IFP is that it teaches participants that regardless of what you learn in the classroom, things are different on the ground. There are issues specific to each country you will work in, some of which are difficult to accept. We cannot propose effective solutions if we are unwilling to see circumstances clearly. What was most valuable about the IFP experience for meis that I'm now more willing and less afraid to look at difficult issues and participate in finding solutions.”

Sunera Taikairam – India, 2006

Through the GPIA’s summer programs in Africa, students have had the opportunity to live and work in Cameroon, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana and Uganda and through the IRC programs (see IRC section) in several other locations.

In Senegal, students worked in Dakar and evaluated the first ever World Bank urban project, investigating the project’s evolution and long term consequences and impacts almost 35 years after its inception.

In Cameroon, students participated in a variety of projects from research on cultural development, small business and community development, to work on the development of a TV series on national contemporary arts. Students have also worked on sanitation projects, projects with youth and street kids, and a local radio project for one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.

Students in South Africa conducted an evaluation of local NGO activities in the micro-finance sector and their impact on key stakeholder groups.

In Kenya students visited and documented the work of grassroots women’s groups responding to HIV/AIDS in their communities through Home-Based Care.

Participants in Uganda received support from the International Women’s Pamphlet series, SEEDS, to document the work of rural women beekeepers in Uganda. They investigated how women participate, what benefits beekeeping brings to reducing poverty, sustaining their livelihoods and what challenges they confront in areas like accessing markets and production technology.

“Most memorable experience was possibly that first day when after a series of challenging and less-than-inspiring meetings with organizations, Bonny, Natalie, and I went out into the neighborhood with our translator, finally, to just check it out. See what we could see. In the course of the afternoon we met a family (who would become wonderful friends and contribute much to our research) and arranged to have lunch the next Sunday and do community mapping with them. We explored the oldest neighborhoods of Parcelles Assainies ― passed by and were serenaded at a wedding, met local hairdressers, strolled the beach, and then found ourselves partaking in a West African-style bachelorette party, dancing to the beat of sandals on plastic washing bins with the bride-to-be. That evening we reflected on our day over cold beers on the beach in Yoff, and watched a trio of young Senerap hip-hoppers practice until the sun went down – at which point the neighborhood arrived for the filming of the music video around a bonfire. This day was a turning point early on, it made tangible what we had gone there for, and led to some of the most rewarding work we did.”

Sara Rowbottom– Senegal, 2006

AFRIC

A“The visits to the women’s apiaries were the most meaningful and memorable parts of the experience. I learned so much from interviewing these groups, primarily through translators, learning about their hopes, their efforts and their challenges and trying to understand their individual situations in light of the larger economic picture of women in their positions. My favorite part of this work is always interacting with people and learning directly from their experiences and this internship provided many opportunities to go into the field and see what was going on with our own eyes, and talk to people directly. In addition, while it was quite challenging, it was memorable to prepare and present at for our final presentation to members of different government bodies, entrepreneurial groups, bee keeping associations and women farmers themselves. This experience actually reminded me how much I love presenting and discussing in this way – I loved that part and it really increased my confidence as a professional.”

Rachel Nadelman – Uganda, 2005

“My most memorable experience was getting the chance to meet the clients of the Small Enterprise Foundation (SEF) while we were in Tzaneen. SEF, one of Thembani's clients, is a microfinance organization that is well-known for their work with the poorest of the poor. Regardless of whatever intellectual or academic criticisms you may have of microfinance, the experience of actually meeting women who have gone from extreme poverty to owning and operating their own businesses and feeding their families is an inspiring one.”

Frank Brunetti – South Africa, 2005

Liberia – B. Nicholson

South Africa – F. Brunetti

“I have learned how to think of African cities as complex and dynamic entities, which are a product of history, culture, politics, and economics. However, the will of the people who live and their ability to mobilize resources is the heart that keeps the blood pumping. I think I am most proud of the people who survive and thrive by coming up with innovative solutions to solve their problems.”

Amina Conteh – Senegal, 2006

“Friendships…A better understanding of a new place in the world and sense of being a part of that place…And knowing that I have the ability to create strong connections in short periods of time.”

Stefan Barbic – Cameroon, 2005

Like all the summer programs, participants who went to Africa came away from their IFPs with a sense of personal and professional achievement. Coming away in depth knowledge about national and regional politics and history, participants better understand the African development context, which enriches their academic work. Besides intellectual growth, participants felt that their research skills, analytical capacities, and public speaking and presentation skills had improved because of the work that was expected from them in their internships. The IFPs offered students the opportunity not only to engage with ongoing projects, but also to see first-hand and really appreciate what local groups are already doing. And on a personal level, participants noted the value of the friendships made during the IFP.

Uganda – S. Silliman

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AWhile on the summer programs, students have to negotiate new kinds of relationships, both with their host NGOs and with fellow GPIA students. Appreciating the opportunities and challenges that accompany this relationship building is central to the IFP experience. Beyond this, there are many unexpected outcomes from the experience – politically, academically, but most importantly, personally. Many students were surprised to see the disconnect between policy (national, donor, NGO) and how people are actually living and expressed interest in further researching what it would take for projects to have a more sustainable and positive impact on people’s lives, and what barriers exist to this in the field right now.

More personally, participants spoke about how their IFP experience had forced them to (re)negotiate their own views of self and to question some of their preconceptions.

“The most unexpected outcome of this project related to my understanding that development, as always, is something dictatedby the West. Now I think that the answer is not to agitate against it completely but to seek ways in which Africans can wrest control of it. What is unexpected for me is that I have come to see the culture and youth sectors as the frontrunners in this mission –something that had never occurred to me before I went to Douala on this particular project.”

Nada Abshir – Cameroon, 2005

“I had a great experience in Senegal and it allowed me to think about what I studied over the past year and gain a fresh perspective on what I want to do in the future by questioning what and why I am studying international affairs.”

Bonny Vosu – Senegal, 2006

Dakar – S. Rowbottom

Dakar – S. Rowbottom

International Field Programs in Latin America and the Caribbean have been offered in Argentina, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. Students have worked with a broad range of actors; from government officers, to local municipalities, to research institutions, NGOs, and even individuals on social, economic, cultural and urban development issues.

Participants in Argentina worked with the privatized water company in Buenos Aires, in the Department for Sustainable Development, looking at community participation in water projects for low-income areas and surveying community members on local water service programs. Participants also worked as research fellows on the intersection between culture and development and worked with various local communities to develop projects that use art and culture to address social goals.

GPIA students have interned with the local and national government in the Economic Policy division at the Ministry of Economy researching the sustainability and viability of worker-controlled factories. Also with Buenos Aires Municipality and the University of Buenos Aires to research the relationship between citizens and the public service companies. Other participants have worked in various capacities with advocacy groups such as Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, with community development groups, such as the grassroots organization La Cava and the NGO Fundacion SES; and with marginalized youth through photography.

“I really don’t know if I could isolate one most memorable experience.. If I had to, it would probably be some of the work I undertook on my own, apart from the auspices of the New School. I made contact with an organization in Bogotá called the ComiteAndina de Servicios (CAS), which is affiliated to some degree with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), which is how I got the contact. Through that connection I was able to make contacts with organizations that operate in Aguablanca, a district of Cali (Colombia’s 2nd or 3rd city, depending on who you listento) largely populated by Internally Displaced People (IDPs) of primarily African descent. Spending time there, listening to stories, and the like was probably the most meaningful and memorable aspect of my experience. That shouldn't take away from the many great experiences I had directly through the IFP, though. Meeting former mayor and minor celebrity AntanasMockus, for example, was wonderful.”

Jesse Willard – Colombia, 2006

In Colombia students worked with the Advisory Office for Region and Competitiveness of the municipal Planning Department, supporting research on Andean region capital cities’ economic competitiveness, as well as on the relationship between Bogotá and its surrounding territory. In the Dominican Republic students worked with a range of organizations including INSTRAW, the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women; FLACSO, the Facultad Latinoamericana de CienciasSociales; and MUDHA, Movement of Haitian-Dominican Women, among others.

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In addition to the internships, participants also attend conferences and lectures that examine key issues in the city, country or region’s development. GPIA students also attended development NGO fairs and talks at local universities. Having the opportunity to get to know and work with people in the public utilities sectors and municipalities gave many participants a different sense of the city and the challenges and opportunities available in their particular city; something many participants felt they could not have appreciated without their IFP experience. Also, being immersed in local work situations and work styles gave many participants the opportunity to meet amazing people and to get a view of the city that they would not have otherwise had.

“I am most proud of having proposed and carried out our group project, even though it was not what was initially planned. I got to meet and interview public and private functionaries, which is something you don’t have access to everyday. I got to work with a great team of people, in general, not just in my own project. But most of all, I got to do all of this in a brand new city, and that was very exciting.”

Lisa Guaqueta – Argentina, 2005

“The concentration of knowledge and experience gleaned in eight weeks can be monumental. But in the end, you learn more about yourself than you do about the place and people that you come toknow.”

Zac Hall – Argentina, 2006

Bogotá – J.Willard

The quality of the work that participants engaged in, the different locations they visited, and people they met through their summer programs has helped participants to better frame their own questions on many global issues: urbanization, governance, rights, economic marginalization, etc. Seeing difficult political or economic situations but also seeing what work people have been doing in the face of this is, for many of the participants, one of the most educational things about the IFP. Through the various placements, students feel that they have gained a better understanding of local political issues – for example, the problems with urban realities when municipal policies are dictated by political expediency rather than need.

Participants who worked closely with local neighborhoods gained a new appreciation of the importance of locally-run, smaller scale, neighborhood-based programs, and as a result have directed their GPIA research towards issues of direct participation in community development programs. Many IFP participants in Latin America established contact with professionals in their fields of interest, as well as further developing their academic interests.

For many participants who had great experiences on their IFPs, their collaboration with host organizations did not end with the summer program.

Some students have continued doing work for these organizations from New York, helping to promote their causes here and carry out fundraising activities.

Bogotá - C. Dixon

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Most important for participants was the possibility for flexibility in their summer programs; participants who traveled to Bogotá and Buenos Aires both stress the significance of being able to work with their respective supervisors to set up their own programs and develop their own goals. The programs in Latin America gave participants a better sense of their own professional priorities and like all the summer programs, the most essential element for participants is their ability to take initiative within the IFP setting to enrich their experiences and opportunities.

Gaining a broader understanding of the needs and capacities of the NGOs, municipalities, community-based groups, or other kinds of organizations participants worked with, and the populations these groups serve, is key to the IFP experience. Participants also make great contacts, new connections with GPIA peers, and gain knowledge of a new city and a new culture.

“I absolutely fell in love with the fact that there seems to be agenuine appreciation of time spent conversing and interacting with your peers. The ‘coffee-culture’ that exists in Buenos Aires encourages an open forum for dialogue amongst friends, co-workers, and from my experience, even strangers at the table, belying an interest in the opinions of others, and a respect for the power of the spoken word.”

Miyuki Jokiranta – Argentina, 2005

Buenos Aires - Z. Hall

Buenos Aires - Z. Hall

In Asia, IFPs have been in Hong Kong and India and through IRC programs (see IRC section), to some other locations.

In Hong Kong, participants worked with policy research groups onyouth issues, with Helpers for Domestic Helpers on projects thatprovide legal assistance to foreign domestic workers – interviewing clients about their employment grievances, assisting with conciliation meetings at the Hong Kong labor department, and preparing them for court hearings. Students have also been placed with the Asian Migrant Center on several projects. These include: organizing and capacity building for migrant workers in the Mekong sub-region and research on the underpayment of domestic workers in Hong Kong; and, carrying out research on the nexus between migration and development, with a focus on issues of development in ‘sending countries’, patterns of remittances and its effect on the economic development of these nations.

Participants have also been placed with Hong Kong University’s journalism and media department where they assisted with the production of an educational documentary series. Students have served with a New Media Arts organization, researching the impact of new media arts in the world and how new media arts could be implemented in slums globally. Another project entailed a joint-research project between the Hong Kong University and the Hong Kong Council of Social Services doing an impact analysis study on digital inclusiveness in Hong Kong. These examples reflect the experiences of a few students, other internships have been offered in the areas of urban affairs, media, human rights and environmental policy.

“The great thing about the Hong Kong program is its flexibility which was the only reason I was able to take part in an IFP because I work full time and couldn't afford to take a leave of absence. I was able to work for my employer, BNP Paribas a French bank, at the Hong Kong office and was paid by my office in NY. I think I am the third person in two years who attended on a similar arrangement. I REALLY hope GPIA keeps this program for that reason alone.”

Nina Arron – Hong Kong, 2006

Mumbai – S. Taikairam

ASIA

In India, participants were based in Mumbai and examples of their projects include participatory research with women’s savings and credit groups; documentation of local NGO community health programs and the impact of women’s participation in these programs. Students carried out research on the connections between local and state-level governance and women’s micro-credit groups; surveyed slum residents’ security; and taught English at an after-school program. Participants also assisted host organizations by contributing to their annual reports.

With the help of their host organization, some participants designed their own projects. For example one participant carried out research on gender issues, the origins of female subordination and current gender-based laws and to accomplish this interviewed women from across the spectrum: from marginalized women in slums to well-known academics, activists and writers. Participants interning in India are paired with organizations based on their interests and in previous years students have worked on urban housing projects, with grassroots women’s groups, and local impacts of globalization.

“The IFP experience taught me to trust that my background and experiences were assets that would give me a different - and invaluable – understanding of international affairs, and enable me to bring something different and unique to the table in collaborations with students and professionals.”

Sunera Taikairam – India, 2006

“Biggest thing I got out of it was the ability to translate the abstracted theory of scholarly life into reality. I am most proud of not any specific work I undertook, but of the overall amount of learning I did through the many experiences.”

John Lindsay – Hong Kong, 2005

Mumbai - S. Taikairam

“My most memorable experience…Dancing in a wedding in Osmanabad. I was sitting outside an internet café and was dragged into the dance by the groom(?) and friends who must have thought it would be funny to look at their wedding video and see a white guy making a fool of himself. My dance competitor bested me finallywhen his eyes rolled back in his head and money was put in his mouth.”

Christopher Martin – India, 2004

“Since I joined the GPIA, I have come to believe that the best way to understand the complex international scenario is by gaining hands-on experience and by working outside of my habitual surroundings. I chose Hong Kong to do a summer internship because it is a new context in which to continue studying the topic that I am interested in: the public sector planning, implementation, and evaluation of Information and Communication Technology for Development programs. In addition, I wanted to live and work in a place completely different to Latin America and the United States (from a cultural and social point of view).”

Alejandra Davidziuk– Hong Kong, 2005

“There were so many memorable experiences…I loved talking to my co-workers about their thoughts about Hong Kong and China, I loved the journalism classes that I was able to take at HKU and I loved going to Guangzhou and meeting students from all over China, Hong Kong and Macau. There wasn't really one moment that stuck out, it was all fantastic.”

Franziska Kunze – Hong Kong, 2006

“My most memorable experience was probably the first day at HDH, when I took a client to the police station and ended up having to spend 12 hours there overnight because the police interrogated her over an alleged assault where she was actually the victim. It really jolted me awake to the issues I was going to be dealing with and I realized this would not be an envelope-stuffing internship!”

Marcel Reynolds – Hong Kong, 2006

Hong Kong - F. Kunze

ASIA

Whether carrying out capacity building and training sessions with migrant workers in Hong Kong or participatory research with women’s groups in India, there is a sense that participants learnt a lot not only about the fields they worked in, or the people they worked with, but also about themselves. The summer experience contributed invaluably to identifying professional interests, which came as a result of the level of responsibility with which participants felt host organizations entrusted them, as well as the opportunity to do independent research and build upon their own interests. Gaining a better understanding of the depth and importance of human rights issues, youth issues, or women’s rights, and then having the opportunity to contribute substantively to the work of these organizations proved to be a priceless experience for participants.

“I think just spending time in a place gives one an understandingof what's really going on there that's impossible to reach from any amount of reading. After returning and re-reading articles, it's a totally different experience to be able to associate memories and experiences with place names.”

Bart Orr – India, 2005

“It showed me a reality I didn’t think existed. It is easy to talk about poverty reduction, poor people’s needs, slum upgrading, etc. Another very, very, very different thing is to be there and see it for yourself. It helped me to become more sensitive and sensible regarding development in general and cultural relativism.”

Andrea Feduzi – India, 2006

Being a part of a well-organized program allowed participants to continue learning, experiencing, and being a part of something that enriched them personally and professionally. And like the other summer programs, Asia-based IFP participants commented on the value of their newfound professional connections and friendships with both people from the country in which they worked and with fellow GPIA students. The experience of being able to talk about something you’ve actually done and seen, rather than just read about, and learning skills that can be applied in a real-life setting, provides an all together different kind of education, one that complements the graduate school experience.“I got to introduce new media artists from Africa to this

organization because they were always focusing on European, Asian, and North American artists and they had no idea that the movement existed in Africa. Before going to Hong Kong, I went to Senegal for the Biennale and there, I got to meet several artists, so I was happy to establish a contact between them and Videotage.”

Zayn Abaakil – Hong Kong, 2006

Geneva hosts one of the highest concentrations of international organizations, specialized agencies and international NGOs. The work of international civil servants is complemented by the diplomatic activity of more than 200 missions based in Geneva. Most of the United Nations’ work is done in Geneva. While many political decisions are taken at UN headquarters in New York, Geneva organizations are charged with the effective execution of plans of action. Also in Europe, GPIA students have interned in Spain with the Forum Barcelona 2004 on a Knowledge Management project (KM).

Since 2002, GPIA students have worked with a range of Geneva-based international and non-governmental organizations that feed into UN development initiatives. Also with civil society organizations who work in close cooperation with both international organizations and governments in executing projects to boost development initiatives in the global South. Students have worked with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) High-Level Summit Meeting, which included four weeks of preparatory work in New York, followed by five weeks of conference work in Geneva.

“My most memorable experiences…An Under-Secretary General of the United Nations read one of the (revised) speeches that I wrote. Swimming in a very warm Lake Geneva as often as I could, time with friends, and drinking a few bottles of good, but inexpensive bottles of Swiss Reds.”

Siegfried Zelt – Geneva, 2006

“I never expected to be treated as a part of the team from day one. I was the youngest person in the office but I was always invited to meetings and asked for input. My research was treated as valuable by everyone. This has by far been the best internship experience that I have had.”

Danielle Rosario-Mullen – Geneva, 2006

Also, with the Union Network International, a worldwide confederation of service worker unions, where the intern carried out research on global employers and on uniting unions which represent these global employers in Africa, Asia and Europe.

Participants have worked on grant-writing and fundraising for the Association for the Prevention of Torture, researching the global capacity for tobacco testing at the World Health Organization on the Tobacco Free Initiative. GPIA students have also interned at the Center for Applied Studies in International Negotiations (CASIN), which teaches diplomacy, conflict resolution and entrepreneurial skills to diplomats, members of the public, and the private sector. At the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), a GPIA participant researched emergency responses in various regions and monitored natural disasters. At UNICEF, participants interned with the Early Warning and Preparedness Unit and the Emergency Services Team undertaking a general study of emergencies and UNICEF responses to them, to contribute to an emergency preparedness plan.

Geneva – A.Williams

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EVAOther GPIA students have also interned at the World Organization Against Torture, the International Bureau of Education, the International Organization for Migration, the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), and the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Student participation in each internship is based on a combination of interests and professional backgrounds; all internships offered participants an opportunity to become familiar with the characteristics, roles and work of major international organizations and other non-state actors.

The Geneva IFP attracts participants because of the opportunity to gain critical perspectives on the development world from within major international organizations. Gaining first-hand experience of how specific UN organizations and international institutions work – what goes into disaster responses or emergency humanitarian response, issues in global migration, in conflict resolution, or diplomatic think tanks – helps participants to better understand and re-evaluate their own goals. Through the work they have done, participants also gained a better sense of their own strengths and weaknesses.

Geneva is a small city with a concentrated international community, giving IFP participants the opportunity to see first-hand how the system works. There are also plenty of opportunities for activities outside the office –either participating in NGO trainings, or UN courses on negotiation and conflict resolution. Students have also attended various UN meetings and met representatives of the many UN Permanent Missions. This IFP also offered seminars for GPIA participants with speakers from varied and interesting professional backgrounds. Geneva’s opportunities for professional networking were very important to IFP participants, as were opportunities to be involved in cutting-edge international projects.

In a setting as dynamic as Geneva, students had some excellent professional experiences and memorable personal ones. Whether writing ECOSOC press releases, position papers, talking points, speeches and conference summaries, participants felt that were being intellectually challenged and learning to apply many classroom concepts in the international work arena. Also, living right in the middle of Europe for ten weeks, many participants took time for affordable travel around the region in their spare time.

“Honestly, the most memorable experience was meeting an ILO official at a bar while watching the World Cup. Geneva is an amazing town filled with experts and insiders. It pays to keep your eyes and ears open all the time.”

Emily Andrews – Geneva, 2006

“I loved the time I spent in the villages throughout the province of Aceh. I really enjoyed talking with Acehnese people and learning more about their experiences rebuilding after the Tsunami. It was fascinating to see how people could move on with their lives after suffering such a devastating, life-altering experience. There was a real resilience and positive spirit in the people I met and that was inspiring!”

Kari Detwiler – IRC Indonesia, 2006

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a world leader in relief, rehabilitation, protection, post-conflict development, resettlement services and advocacy for those uprooted or affected by violent conflict and oppression. At work in 25 countries, the IRC delivers lifesaving aid in emergencies; rebuilds communities; cares for war-traumatized children; rehabilitates health care, water and sanitation systems; reunites separated families; restores lost livelihoods; establishes schools; trains teachers; strengthens the capacity of local organizations; and supports civil society and good-governance initiatives.

Students placed with IRC projects focused on Child and Youth Protection and Development, designed to meet urgent and special needs of children affected by armed conflict in emergencies and during postwar recovery. Engaging on a range of youth and/or education related projects, focus areas include emergency and formal education; interim care and family tracing for separated children; family reunification, and community reintegration for former child solders; and psychosocial and vocational assistance for war-affected adolescents. Each IFP project is designed to contribute to specific country program needs and had the overall goal of introducing students to the child protection and emergency education fields within the humanitarian assistance sector.

Liberia – B. Nicholson

IRC

“I was able to play a huge supporting role in the project. I was able to design training manuals with Program Managers, organize project launchings, and work with children from local NGOs to educate other children about child labor.”

Stephanie Miller – IRC Sierra Leone, 2006

“On a personal level, I regained lost professional confidence, and I know much better what I can handle, personally and professionally. As far as my projects, I am proud of the training module I produced - it is going to be used at least one more time by the organization.”

Caroline Nichols – IRC North Caucasus (Russian Federation), 2006

Participants described the work as being hands-on and closely connected to the host communities. GPIA students found the commitment of IRC national staff and the resourcefulness of the war affected communities targeted by these projects both humbling and educational.

More specifically the IFP participants working with the IRC in 2006 collaborated on the following projects: Countering Youth and Child Labor through Education project in Sierra Leone; Child Protection Programming in Indonesia; Family Tracing and Reunification of former child soldiers project in Liberia; Adult and Special Needs Education Department at the Kakuma Refugee camp in Kenya; the Healing Classrooms project in Shimelba Refugee Camp, in the Tigray region of Ethiopia; and, working with pilot civil society programs and local NGOs in Ingushetia and Chechnya in the Northern Caucasus.

North Caucasus – C. Nichols

“I experienced some challenging aspects of culture shock that took me by surprise. I suppose I realize that in each and every international experience there are certain cultural obstacles that are just part of the living overseas experience. As challenging as they can be, it is also a great way to learn more about myself and my community as I go through the process of realizing what is difficult, why its difficult, and how I can make things better and make change happen.”

Kari Detwiler – IRC Indonesia, 2006

“What I got out of this experience? Well, I saw the other side...We here in America hear often about what a refugee camp is like, and what people have been through in war-torn areas. To see the camp, to meet the people who have been through so much, and to hear there stories first hand, whether they were child soldiers escaping military training grounds, farmers fleeing a raid on their village, or political opponents who narrowly escaped capture, I gained a different perspective. I saw, just by the look in peoples eyes, what war can do. What to do with this different perspective, well, I guess that's the next step.”

Vicrum Puri – IRC Kenya, 2006

Although challenging, participants on IRC projects felt enriched by the work they had done and the people they had the opportunity to work with. Participants worked right in the thick of the NGO world, which meant they could see how multiple humanitarian organizations work (individually and together) in emergency, relief and other situations. This experience is invaluable and a definite complement to academic experience and knowledge and for many of the participants, the relationships developed with national counterparts will exist well beyond the summer program.

Liberia – B. Nicholson

IRC

“I did not expect to become an integral part of a team! I did much more over the summer then I expected. I also did not expect to make wonderful, lifelong friends.”

Caroline Nichols – IRC North Caucasus, 2006

Some of the most unexpected and educational outcomes of these projects for participants was to see first-hand some of the difficulties in the humanitarian aid sector – for example, how the number of organizations in one location can be so high and yet tangible progress unclear. Also, by gaining a better understanding of the local and regional complexities surrounding the project, IFP participants acquired a more nuanced understanding of international humanitarian work and the realities in their specific national contexts. Another important element to participants was how much they appreciated their value to the teams on the ground as they became an integral part of the projects they worked on.

“I think that the situation and dynamics at Shimelba camp are much more complex than I possibly could have anticipated. The camp ismainly composed of two distinct ethnicities who arrived under very different circumstances and have dramatically different goals and backgrounds. I didn't think it would be a simple thing to work in a refugee camp for the summer, but I don't think I expected the complexity of dynamics surrounding resettlement, among other issues.”

Pam Hershey – IRC Ethiopia, 2006

Freetown – S. Miller

Liberia – B. Nicholson

Photo’s Page 2 & 3:

Dakar – S.Rowbottom; India – S. Taikairam; Hong Kong – F. Kunze;

Buenos Aires – Z. Hall; Dakar – S. Rowbottom; Dakar – S. Rowbottom

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