February 2/11 16:20 pm - Commonwealth Games Canada Seeks Candidates for International Internships

Posted by Editoress on 02/2/11
 

Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is looking for nine young Canadians who are passionate about sport to be part of its third team of Capacity Support Officers (CSOs) to go abroad under the innovative Capacity Support Program (CSP).

The CSP, a three-year pilot program co-funded by CGC in partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation, sends young Canadians with sport administration backgrounds overseas to support Commonwealth Games Associations in developing countries. CSOs assist with sport administration activities ranging from programming, fundraising and communications to the implementation of the games management software program Zeus.

"This is an incredible opportunity for young Canadians to gain valuable work experience abroad," says Carla Thachuk, Manager of International Programs for Commonwealth Games Canada. "The first two teams of CSOs have described their placements as both challenging and extremely rewarding. Their CSO experiences will resonate with them throughout their lives."

The first team of CSOs recently completed their 14 month placements in Bermuda, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago, while the second team - currently serving in the African countries of Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland, Seychelles and Lesotho - will complete their year-long placements in March 2011. All of the CSOs travelled to Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, either with their host organizations or to work as part of the Results Management Team.

"Having worked closely with Capacity Support Officers from both team one and team two, it was amazing to see the development that these young Canadians went through," says Richard de Groen, Games Team Development Manager for the Commonwealth Games Federation. "They have not only enhanced their careers and gained an understanding of how Olympic and Commonwealth sport systems work around the world, but more importantly, their CSP experience has helped make them better people."

The third year of the CSP marks the expansion of the program to nine countries throughout the Commonwealth. These placements are open to Canadians who have studied Sport Management, Sport Administration, Health, Physical Education, Kinesiology, Human Kinetics or Recreation at the postsecondary level. The CSO appointments are volunteer positions, but successful candidates will receive a financial package sufficient to cover all their costs, from pre-departure orientation to a debriefing upon their return to Canada.

The 2011-12 CSO placements will run from April 18, 2011 to March 31, 2012 with the following CGC partners:

• Cayman Islands Olympic Committee - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
• Dominica Olympic Committee - Roseau, Dominica
• Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association - Stanley, Falkland Islands
• Grenada Olympic Committee - St. George’s, Grenada
• Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee - Apia, Samoa
• National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka - Columbo, Sri Lanka
• Tonga Commonwealth Games Association - Nuku'alofa, Tonga
• Turks & Caicos Commonwealth Games Association - Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
• Uganda Olympic Committee - Kampala, Uganda

To apply for a CSO position, or for complete information on eligibility, application procedures and job descriptions, please visit www.commonwealthgames.ca/IDS.

The deadline for applications is Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.