Fahima Akter: Internship experience

Prior to joining the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS), I earned a degree in Sociology and spent nearly five years working with non-profit organizations and United Nations World Food Program in various roles.

In these roles, I contributed to community development programs aimed at supporting vulnerable populations. This experience fueled my interest in pursuing this MPA degree to gain formal education in policy making, which allows me to contribute to policies that have a meaningful impact on citizen’s lives.

Today, as an MPA student, being part of the internship program is a rewarding experience. With my academic knowledge and previous experience, I am grateful for the opportunity to intern with Child and Family Programs under the Ministry of Social Services.

Throughout my ongoing internship journey with the Community Services Branch, my primary focus is to work with a specific project. In addition, I am also fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the Policy Unit, which is helping me to gain comprehensive understanding about Child and Family Programs. 

In my current role as an intern, I am working as a project team member on a specific project. My responsibilities include engaging with subject matter experts through working groups to review current practices and develop approaches that could lead to better outcomes. I also contribute to creating materials such as tools, guidelines, one page information sheets and brief reports as well as providing recommendations, analyzing existing tools, and assisting in the preparation of information packages for the working group.

Additionally, from the policy area, I am leading a jurisdictional scan, where I conduct research on policy manuals from different jurisdictions and compile a document to identify best practice for foster family recruitment and retention.

Beyond these areas, I actively participated in various meetings and discussion forums with leadership while shadowing my mentors. These experiences enable me to observe, learn and gain insight into leadership perspective, particularly in relation to the ministry priorities, strategies and decision-making processes while managing limited taxpayer resources.

The internship provides me with opportunity to apply the academic knowledge gained from my MPA studies in a real-world setting. Through various assigned activities, I am developing expertise in government writing, research and analytical skills. I also strengthen my project management abilities while working alongside experts in this field.