Wheeling on to new adventures
As my summer internship has come to an end I would like to say a few words about my experience with Youth en Route.
Joining Youth en Route as the first official employee has been both an honor and an exhilarating journey. I am so grateful to have been a part of this organization.
Laura Shutiak, the executive director who I worked alongside, taught me many things. I learned the inside operations of a charity which is so valuable for my career.
I was able to meet YER board members which was such a positive experience. Each board member has a different background and contributed to my growth. Seeing the value these volunteers bring to an organization made me realize there are many ways to volunteer in our community.
New skills, perspectives and memories
Every day, I’ve had the opportunity to learn, grow, and develop essential skills. Shutiak has taught me how to write concisely and well. I’ve managed communications with others and I now really understand what an audience is. The role provided me an opportunity to learn how to redesign and update our website! (something I never knew I would be able to do – thanks Jennifer! ) (You can link here to her site.)
Alongside that, I learned the importance of biking advocacy in Calgary. Biking is such a great way to let students become independent and sustain a healthier environment. Unfortunately, education and safe biking infrastructure is lacking around Calgary and it is our role to spark conversation to make a change.
I met many students who have benefited from Youth en Route, whether from event organization, education, bike donations or the adaptive bike program. Each time they were very happy to see me and to share their positive experiences in being able to ride their bicycles wherever they pleased or even learning how to. Those smiles and those interactions will be forever engraved in my memory.
This is not a goodbye but a see you later…
As I reflect on my journey at Youth en Route, I can’t help but feel excited about what the future holds for myself and the organization. This has taught me that when passionate individuals come together, there is no limit in what we can achieve. I cannot wait to see this initiative keep changing lives and have a presence in all Calgary high schools.
Thank you to Youth en Route Members, partners and those who I have met during this internship. It was a real pleasure to be working with you!
I’m now continuing my studies at Sciences Po Lille, France, doing a Certificate of Political Studies thanks to the E.Catherine Barclay scholarship.
