Experiencing CPJ as an intern: Mid-point Reflections

As I approach the half-way point in my internship with CPJ I would like to reflect on the last five months. The activities in which I have been involved have been very helpful in terms of my own personal and professional development, and many have been helpful in promoting CPJ’s work in a variety of areas. Most of my work can be divided into the following categories: office collaboration, research, website content and connections.

Collaboration is an essential part of the work at CPJ, from developing policy positions on various policies and writing web features, to participating in public demonstrations and hosting events and workshops. I have really benefited in terms of my understanding and writing on a variety of topics and as time goes on I feel more comfortable in expressing my own views in my work with others.

Research is another key aspect of my job with CPJ. Like collaboration, research is a part of most of the work I do, including website content, meetings, conferences and position papers. I love to learn, and through my research at CPJ I have learned so much about a range of public justice issues across Canada. Currently, the policy team is working on a paper on the impact of the recession on poverty which looks at many indicators across multiple sectors and how they are all tied to the economic situation.

The part of my job that our website readers see most often is writing and updating website content, including blogs and feature articles. As a political junkie, I love talking about key policy debates within the government and non-government sectors. In helping to maintain the blog I am able to research and explore current policy concerns, including human rights, immigration, poverty and accountability, and then tell you my take on them! Features allow me to go deeper into the issues, looking for the larger policy implications and themes of public justice.

Last, but not least, this job has enabled me to connect with some of the others working in the area of public justice, through meetings, events and conferences. I have met several current and former parliamentarians including MPs Tony Martin and John McKay, Senator Hugh Segal, and former NDP leader and MP Ed Broadbent.

In terms of conferences, last week I attended my second conference with the Metropolis project, a research based organization that focuses on diversity and immigration issues in Canada. These conferences involve public employees at all levels of government, academics and non-governmental organizations. This provides an excellent opportunity to explore the possibilities of CPJ’s involvement in diversity and immigration.

As my internship progresses, I hope to continue with these activities and become more involved in CPJ’s policy development. I eagerly look forward to the weeks and months to come.