Master of Global Affairs Internship Handbook 2018 2019
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Master of Global Affairs
Internship Handbook
Photo Credit: Brian Malczyk, 2018
2018 - 2019
Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy - MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW .....................................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose of the Internship ..........................................................................................................................................1 About the Internship Search ......................................................................................................................................1 Internship Requirements ...........................................................................................................................................2 The Internship Cycle at a Glance ...............................................................................................................................3 Tips for a successful Internship search ......................................................................................................................4 RESEARCH AND PREPARATION ......................................................................................................................................5 Internship Orientation Sessions.................................................................................................................................5 One-on-One Meetings ...............................................................................................................................................5 Using the Horizon Database ......................................................................................................................................5 Special Programs .......................................................................................................................................................6 Professional Development (PD) Workshops ..............................................................................................................7 Self-Directed Internships ...........................................................................................................................................7 Important Considerations for International Students ...............................................................................................8 INTERVIEWS AND DECISION-MAKING ...........................................................................................................................9 Choosing and confirming your placement .................................................................................................................9 PREDEPARTURE PLANNING AND OBLIGATIONS ..........................................................................................................10 Pre-departure obligations - all students ..................................................................................................................10 Pre-departure obligations - students leaving Canada .............................................................................................10 Logistics Planning .....................................................................................................................................................11 EMERGENCIES AND SAFETY .........................................................................................................................................12 Safety Planning Before you leave ............................................................................................................................12 Emergencies while travelling: ..................................................................................................................................13 Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy - MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019
DURING YOUR INTERNSHIP .........................................................................................................................................14 MGA Learning Agreement .......................................................................................................................................14 Internship Evaluations .............................................................................................................................................14 Final Internship Report and Grading .......................................................................................................................14 FUNDING AND BUDGETING .........................................................................................................................................15 2019 Fellowship Fund Timeline ...............................................................................................................................16 Budgeting .................................................................................................................................................................16 RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................................................................17 Additional Internship Search Resources ..................................................................................................................17 Self-directed Internship Resources ..........................................................................................................................18 Resume, Cover Letter, and Writing Resources ........................................................................................................21 2017 and 2018 Internships ......................................................................................................................................24 Munk School MGA Internship Learning Agreement ................................................................................................29 Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy - MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019
OVERVIEW PURPOSE OF THE INTERNSHIP During the summer between first and second year, all MGA students pursue a three to four month Global Internship that will offer an important opportunity to translate classroom learning to the applied context of global professions. Since the program’s inception in 2010, our students have pursued internships in more than 50 countries, and over 250 organizations, spanning NGOs, multinational organizations, public and private sectors. The internship can offer opportunities to accelerate your career – through skills development, building up your portfolio of accomplishments, expanding your network, and in some instances, a bridge to on- going employment. The internship serves as a springboard for personal development and learning about the wider landscape of global affairs. The opportunity to ‘job sample’ can help clarify your career goals. Students who travel to a part of the world they have not visited before will have the opportunity to develop adaptability and resilience, as well as new cultural awareness and language skills. Through immersion in fields of practice, students broaden their understanding of the intersection of complex global issues, disciplines and fields, as they embark on their careers as emerging global professionals. ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP SEARCH The responsibility of securing an interesting, meaningful summer internship ultimately rests with you, and for most students, the work of applying for internships will extend throughout both terms. Over the course of the year, the MGA Office of Professional Development and Career Strategies (PDACS) will post over 100 opportunities on the internal internship database, Horizon. Some opportunities are with partners who exclusively recruit or prioritize MGA interns, others are public competitions, which PDACS promotes because they align well with the program’s curriculum. Students must prepare applications and compete for their positions of choice. In addition, students are also expected to do their own research and look beyond PDACS offerings. In any given year, about a third of internships are those that students identified themselves. In the resources section of this handbook, you will find links to help you in your search, as well as communication tips and templates to help with self-directed internships. To support students in the internship search, the MGA offers an initial orientation session and individual consultation with the internship coordinator in the fall, networking, résumé and cover letter workshops and clinics, interview coaching and an ‘open-door’ policy with the internship coordinator for ongoing consultation throughout the year. In this handbook, you will find information on internship requirements, the search process, reporting obligations, our internship funding policy, and resources to help you in your search! OVERVIEW | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 1
INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS
In order for an internship to be eligible for the GLA1007H: Global Internship course credit, it must meet
the requirements below. All internships posted on Horizon have been deemed to meet credit
requirements. Self-directed internships will be evaluated accordingly (if you have any questions about
the eligibility of an outside internship opportunity, speak to the Internship Coordinator).
Timing:
The internship must be a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time, and not interfere with your course schedule
We offer 12-16 weeks as a guideline within which most internships fall. If the internship host and the
student both agree, an internship may span the entire duration of the summer, so long as it does not
start before classes end in April, or continue past when classes resume in September.
(NB: Students who intend to pursue the joint MGA/MBA program should take into consideration
Rotman orientation activities, which begin mid-August, when planning their internship term.)
Global:
In order for an internship to be considered “global” in scope, the work of the host organization must
address a global issue or address a local issue that is global in scope. Alternatively, the internship may
have a local focus but be an experience that is overseas for the student (for example, out-of-Canada for
Canadian students, or out-of-France for a French international student).
Immersion and Supervision:
The internship must take place on-site at the offices of the organization, and students must have a
designated supervisor mentor. Part-time or remote office arrangements will not be approved. It is
acceptable for a student to work at an office with the supervisor mentor only intermittently on site. In
these instances, we encourage the student to establish a system of regular communication and
reporting early in the internship.
Complexity:
The work of the internship must be commensurate with the skills and knowledge of a graduate student.
Health & Safety:
The internship must be based in an organization that has demonstrated health & safety protocols, and in
a region not restricted for travel by Global Affairs Canada (i.e., country has no nationwide advisories,
and internship does not take place in an area with a regional advisory).
Global Affairs Canada Risk Levels and Travel Advisories
Level 1: Exercise normal security precautions
Acceptable for internship
Level 2: Exercise a high degree of caution
Level 3: Avoid non-essential travel Unacceptable for internship (even if student has
Level 4: Avoid all travel lived or has family in that country)
Note that some countries will have regional advisories, in which the country as a whole may be
categorized as Level 1 or Level 2, but specific regions are flagged as Level 3 or Level 4. You may pursue
an internship in a country with a regional advisory, so long as your work does not take you into or near
those regions deemed to be unsafe.
OVERVIEW | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 2THE INTERNSHIP CYCLE AT A GLANCE
The following outlines major milestones and the average time-line for students’ internship searches.
Dates may be subject to change
•Research internship opportunities
Research & •Complete your profile, and upload preliminary resume to Horizon Database
•Attend mandatory internship Orientation Session and one-on-one meeting
Preparation with internship coordinator
•October 15th - deadline to submit resume for comments
(~Sept-Nov) •Attend workshops and polish resume and cover letters
•International Students: Apply for a Social Insurance Number
Submission & •Students will generally apply for between 8 and 12 opportunities (or more).
Horizon postings peak between December and early March.
Interviews • Internships not on Horizon: notify coordinator before accepting an offer.
•Horizon internships: notify coordinator after accepting an offer
(~Nov-May) •International Students: Apply for Canadian intern work permit
Predeparture •Complete post-acceptance information on Horizon, including attachments.
•Register for GLA1007H Global Internship on ACORN
planning and •If leaving Canada, attend safety abroad workshop, and complete safety
abroad forms and online registration
obligations •Arrange visas, health insurance, housing, travel, any necessary vaccinations.
Research your location carefully!
(~Feb-June) •Fellowship letters sent April 18th (no application necessary)
•Signed fellowship letters and bank info due May 5th (to receive funds by
end of May)
During your •Supplemental fellowship applications due June 9th
•Supplemental fellowship letters sent to students June 28th
internship •If awarded, signed supplemental fellowship letters due July 7th (to receive
funds by end of July)
•When prompted, complete mid and final internship evaluations
(~May - August) •Upload Final Internship Report to Horizon by August 30th
•Attend internship debrief session (early Fall)
OVERVIEW | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 3TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL INTERNSHIP SEARCH The internship search is essentially a job search. The most successful outcomes are the result of a broad strategy of research, careful preparation, a stand-out application package, and networking. Below, follow some top tips for a successful search: 1. Create great resumes and cover letters. Internship applications need to be carefully crafted and targeted in order to attract the attention of a prospective internship host. A poorly written resume or cover letter can knock you out of consideration for a position, even if you are an exceptional candidate who could excel in a role. Don’t sell yourself short! Create strong application packages! 2. Take advantage of PDACS resources to improve your materials. Resume and cover-letter workshops are early in the year so you can take advantage of them before you are overwhelmed with school work. Attend these workshops, and read the resources we provide (and find your own) as you prepare your materials. The students who have the most momentum and success will attend these workshops and work on their resumes, elevator pitches and cover letters early, and refine them throughout the year. 3. Be prepared to apply for multiple opportunities. There is no ‘magic number’ of internship opportunities a student needs to apply for in order to win a placement, but like a job search, you need options! The average number of opportunities students applied for last year was about 10; however, the range was between 2 and 25. 4. Start doing your research early, and make a plan. In addition to the MGA Horizon database, you should familiarize yourself with the wider internship search landscape. Some industries such as banks and consulting firms tend to post earlier in the fall; others such as NGOs and government offices may only know their needs much nearer to the summer. Track application processes and timelines and keep a spreadsheet of opportunities you intend to apply for. Monitor internship databases throughout the year, as new opportunities are posted as soon as they come available. 5. Know that students’ success rate in applying for ‘Exclusive’ or ‘Connected’ opportunities on Horizon is MUCH higher than applying for public competitions. The pool of students applying to programs marked “Exclusive to MGA Program”, “Limited to select Institutions” or “Open Competition with Connection to MGA” will be MUCH smaller than the pool of candidates for public competitions for large organizations (in particular major consulting firms and international organizations). If you see a posting on Horizon that is in your area…APPLY!! 6. Talk to your classmates and reach out to MGA Alumni. One of the best ways to learn about different host institutions is to talk to people who were interns there in the past. At the back of this handbook you will find a list of all the internship placements of the last two years, so you can look up who went where, and learn about the range of internship experiences first hand. 7. Know when to trouble-shoot. If you are sending out many applications but not getting interview invitations, take a moment to reassess. If you haven’t yet brought your material to the internship coordinator or clinic, check in and find out what you might be doing wrong. If you’ve had a session already, it’s OK to check in a second (or third) time! OVERVIEW | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 4
RESEARCH AND PREPARATION INTERNSHIP ORIENTATION SESSIONS (Sept 17 or 24) mandatory The internship orientation session is a two-hour session in which we will explain many of the ins-and- outs of the MGA internship program. We will address the overarching expectations of the program, timelines, internship host organizations, funding, and requirements. The session will also feature a panel of MGA2s who will speak about their experiences and the insights they have to share with you. You are required to attend one of the two sessions. ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS (Sept 24 – Oct 12) mandatory After the orientations, and in the weeks leading up to Career Week, you will have an opportunity for a brief, 15 minute, individual meeting with the Internship Coordinator, to discuss your interests and internship aspirations, and develop a plan for your internship search. Students must complete their Horizon profiles and upload a resume at least 24 hours before their meeting. You can sign up for your one-on-one here. USING THE HORIZON DATABASE https://munkschool-utoronto-horizons.symplicity.com In the first weeks of September you will receive an e-mail invitation to your utoronto e-mail address to access Horizon and begin viewing the archive of past year’s opportunities. You are responsible for keeping your profile data up-to-date in Horizon, and for checking the database regularly for new postings. In peak periods (January through March), new postings can go up daily. You can search for open opportunities using the “Application Start” and “Deadline” filters on your Program Search page. Programs with the Apply Now button are live and will accept applications. Postings without the ‘apply now’ button, are either already closed for the year, or have not opened yet. When using Horizon, be sure to follow application instructions for each program very carefully. Some programs will require you to upload all your materials to Horizon for the MGA program to disseminate applications on your behalf; other programs will require you to apply directly to a host institution’s web- page; still others will require you to upload to horizon AND the host institutions webpage. Important Tip: The pool of students applying to programs marked “Exclusive to MGA Program”, “Limited to select Institutions” or “Open Competition with Connection to MGA” will be MUCH smaller than the pool of candidates for public competitions for large organizations (in particular major consulting firms and international organizations). If you see a posting on Horizon that is in your area…APPLY!! RESEARCH & PREPARATION (~Sept – Nov) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 5
SPECIAL PROGRAMS OPEN SOCIETY INTERNSHIP FOR RIGHTS AND GOVERNANCE (OSIRG) OSIRG is a highly competitive, joint program of Open Society Foundations (OSF) and the School of Public Policy at Central European University (SPP at CEU). Selected OSIRG fellows participate in a two-week clinical seminar held at SPP at CEU in Budapest, Hungary, followed by an 8- or 12-week intensive internship either at an OSF-selected non-governmental organization, or if the student applies via the collaboration track, at an organization where the student has an existing relationship and a clearly defined project which has been accepted by the organization and OSF. The OSIRG program is fully funded. The cost of student travel, accommodation, and a stipend to cover meals, visa costs, travel insurance and other expenses will be covered by OSF. The MGA program nominates only a small number of students for consideration for the OSIRG program, and students will be required to prepare a short statement of intent (approximately one page), in order to be shortlisted for consideration to prepare a full application. A separate OSIRG information session will take place in the fall (date TBD) The Munk School is proud to be among a select group of prestigious global institutions eligible to nominate OSIRG fellows (the only program in Canada, and one of only 17 schools around the world). QUEEN ELIZABETH II DIAMOND JUBILEE SCHOLARSHIP Through funding from the Queen Elizabeth Scholars program, students who pursue internships in Commonwealth countries to work on projects relevant to the theme of “inclusive innovation” are eligible to receive scholarships of $7000. For the purposes of the program, “inclusive innovation” is defined as “identifying new opportunities, technologies, and programs that can improve everyday life, while attending to the capacity of these solutions to reach the neediest of beneficiaries” Additional QEII Scholarship requirements: Candidates must be 35 years of age or under at time of application; Candidates must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident; Strict minimum of 90 days; QE Scholars must participate in local leadership and community engagement upon return; QE Scholars must write a narrative report to the funder; QE Scholars are expected to engage with QES alumni community; QEII-eligible internships are clearly marked on Horizon. If students identify outside opportunities that are thematically relevant, and are based in Commonwealth countries, they should inquire with the internship coordinator to determine if their proposed internship is eligible for QEII funding. RESEARCH & PREPARATION (~Sept – Nov) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 6
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD) WORKSHOPS
Throughout the year, and timed with the internship search cycle, we offer professional development
workshops to support students in their internship search, and success in the workplace.
Dates and registration links will be listed in the “MGA PDACS Event and Information Digest” sent to all
students’ utoronto e-mails each week (If for some reason you are not receiving this digest, contact Sole
Fernandez at sole.fernandez@utoronto.ca). Workshops are also posted in the MGA Calendar. Students
are strongly encouraged to attend these workshops!
PD Workshops to Support your Search (will take place from September to December)
Internship Orientation Workshops (mandatory)
Resume Writing Workshops and Clinics
Networking
LinkedIn
Cover Letters
Business Writing
Open Society for Rights and Governance Information Session
World Bank and DC Based Internships
PD Workshops to Support Interviewing and Decision Making (will take place January and February)
Preparing for Job Interviews
Mock Interviews
Communicating for Decision-Making
Pre-departure PD Workshops (will take place in March)
US Consulate General Visa Information Session
Intercultural Competencies Workshop (mandatory for all students)
Safety Abroad Workshop (mandatory for students travelling outside of Canada)
SELF-DIRECTED INTERNSHIPS
Students are not limited internships offer by the School, and are encouraged to seek their own
opportunities, in particular if they have a niche interest, or a particular part of the world they hope to
explore. About a third of MGA students find their own internships each year. For tips on how to e-mail
an organization, see ‘Self Directed Internship Resources’ at the end of this handbook.
Before reaching out to any organizations, check with the internship coordinator to ensure that the
Munk School does not have any pre-existing connections there. If a partnership already exists, we may
be able to help you with an introduction. At the same time, it can be confusing (and frustrating) for host
institutions to receive inquiries from students when they are accustomed to corresponding with the
administrative team.
Self-directed internship offers must be reviewed and approved by the Internship Coordinator before you
accept (see Choosing and Confirming Your Placement).
RESEARCH & PREPARATION (~Sept – Nov) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 7IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS International students – students who are neither Canadian Citizens nor Permanent Residents will need to be sure to get a Social Insurance Number and an Internship/Co-op Work Permit, in order to be able to pursue internships in Canada (whether paid or unpaid). Social Insurance Number The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number that you need to work in Canada, or to have access to government programs and benefits. Internship fellowship payments from the MGA program are processed through the University of Toronto payroll system, therefore, you must secure a SIN in order for us to be able to issue you your funds. There is no cost to getting a SIN, but you should make a point to get it early in the fall (to get the task over with, and also, to be eligible to accept any on-campus jobs, if you should wish, throughout the year). Visit the Government of Canada website for information on how to apply for your SIN: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin.html Internship / Co-op Work Permit Regardless of whether your internship is paid or unpaid, in order to legally work as an intern in Canada, you will need to apply for a work permit specifically for co-ops and interns. There is no cost, but the application can take some time, and it is a good idea to get started well in advance of the internship term. You will not need an internship offer to apply for the permit. In late fall, the MGA will provide you with a letter confirming that you are enrolled, and that the summer internship program is a required component of the MGA degree (this letter is one of the required documents for your application). Visit http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-coop.asp for complete instructions on how to apply. If you have any questions about the visa process or work permit, please speak the U of T International Immigration Student Advisor, Aziz El Mejdouby (416-978-2038 / isa.cie@utoronto.ca ) at the Center for International Experience (Aziz may take a few days to reply. Be patient – he’ll get back to you!) RESEARCH & PREPARATION (~Sept – Nov) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 8
INTERVIEWS AND DECISION-MAKING
Interviews and offers generally follow between one and three weeks after a competition closes (though
timelines will vary).
CHOOSING AND CONFIRMING YOUR PLACEMENT
If you have been offered an interview
You are not required to notify Sarah Namer; however, you are encouraged to do so if you wish to review
interview strategies!
If you are unsure about an offer
You are strongly encouraged to meet and discuss decision-making with Sarah Namer. Communicating
with internship hosts can be delicate, and Sarah can offer tips on how to navigate decision points
gracefully and professionally.
If you are offered an internship that was posted on Horizon
You are free to accept outright; however after accepting, you MUST notify Sarah Namer ASAP and send
her a copy of the letter or email documenting the formal offer, and your acceptance.
If you are offered an internship that you found through a self-directed search
For any internship not posted on Horizon or promoted by the MGA, you MUST send Sarah the following
BEFORE accepting the offer:
Letter or email documenting the formal offer;
Start and end dates of the internship placement;
A detailed job description, or list of roles and responsibilities of the internship;
Name, title, email address and phone number for internship supervisor;
If applicable, documentation noting rate of pay or total stipend of internship position;
Learning agreement (optional).
See “Internship Requirements” for the criteria that Sarah will be looking for when reviewing your
material. You may not accept an internship offer, and your internship is not considered confirmed,
until Sarah reviews and approves your material.
SUBMISSION & INTERVIEWS (~Nov – May) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 9PREDEPARTURE PLANNING AND OBLIGATIONS PRE-DEPARTURE OBLIGATIONS - ALL STUDENTS Register for GLA1007H: Global Internship on ACORN Deadline: Early March; date TBD Complete Horizon Post-Acceptance Information Deadline: April 12th or if internship not yet confirmed, ASAP after confirming placement Once you have confirmed your placement with the Internship Coordinator (see Interviews and Decisions, above), you will receive and “Approved” message, and be able to complete “post-acceptance” modules on Horizon. Completion of post-acceptance modules is mandatory. Missing or incomplete information may result in delayed or withheld internship funds, or internship credit. Complete Memorandum of Understanding Deadline: April 12th or if internship not yet confirmed, ASAP after confirming placement The MOU outlines University of Toronto expectations for codes of conduct and responsibilities that students, internship hosts, and the School are expected to abide by for the duration of internship placements. Blank MOUs will be available for download in the Horizon document library. Upload the signed document in the appropriate field in the ‘Post-acceptance’ section of Horizon. PRE-DEPARTURE OBLIGATIONS - STUDENTS LEAVING CANADA Attend Safety Abroad Office Pre-departure Orientation March 8th, 2019, 1:00 – 3:00pm Munk School will coordinate a safety abroad workshop in the spring, expressly for students leaving Canada for internship or exchange. If you miss this session, you must attend one of the mandatory sessions for graduate students offered by the Centre for International Experience. You must read the Global Affairs Canada Travel Report for the country you intend to be travelling to before the session. Complete and submit required safety abroad forms Deadline: April 12th or if internship not yet confirmed, ASAP after confirming placement Blank safety abroad forms will be available for download in the Horizon document library. Submit all completed forms to sole.fernandez@utoronto.ca - Waiver/Consent form - Terms of Reference form - Risk Assessment form (for countries with level 2 GAC advisory “exercise a high degree of caution”). Complete Safety Abroad Office Online Registration Deadline: April 26th or if internship not yet confirmed, ASAP after confirming placement Once you have submitted all your forms (including the Risk Assessment form if required), a profile will be set up for your internship on the Safety Abroad database. You will be emailed instructions. Safety abroad registration is mandatory. AND OBLIGATIONS (~February- June) PREDEPARTURE PLANNING & OBLIGATIONS (~Feb – June) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 10
LOGISTICS PLANNING
Internship logistics are the responsibility of the student. The Centre for International Experience Travel
Guide is a great place to start as you plan your trip.
As soon as you have an approved internship, begin planning for the following:
Entry visas. Note that there can be costs associated with securing entry visas, and some countries’
visa processes are quite time consuming. Official visa websites for some of the most common
internship destinations:
o United States J1 Visa (for all non international-organization work, paid or unpaid; allow a
MINIMUM of 6-8 weeks)
o United States B-1 Visa (officially for business travel, but was the visa successfully applied for
and secured for students working at UNICEF offices in the US, summers of 2017 and 2018)
o United States G-4 Visa (only applicable for those pursuing internships with international
organizations, including World Bank, IMF, and Canadian Permanent Mission to UN; process
handled by US State Department, and has typically been managed by internship hosts)
o Schengen Region (Most EU countries with the exception of UK)
o United Kingdom
o South Africa (allow a MINIMUM of 8 weeks)
Comprehensive travel insurance. Travel Health Insurance is required for you to participate in any
University-sponsored activity. Pay particular attention to coverage for, or limitations on,
extraction due to medical emergencies, pre-existing conditions, parts of the world served, and
the existing coverage of your OHIP or UHIP;
Travel to your internship city;
Housing, with your commute planned. Consult with your internship host, and speak with students
who might have interned in the city in past years;
Mobile phone and internet access;
How to handle money / banking for the duration of your trip;
Any necessary vaccinations in advance of travel;
Cultural knowledge and adaptation;
PREDEPARTURE PLANNING & OBLIGATIONS (~Feb – June) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 11EMERGENCIES AND SAFETY
The information below is adapted from the Safety Abroad Office (SAO) guidelines for emergencies.
SAFETY PLANNING BEFORE YOU LEAVE
1. Read the Centre for International Experience (CIE) Travel Guide.
2. Review Government of Canada Travel Advice and Advisories page for specific information about the
country you are visiting. Consult with your internship host, and speak with students who have
interned in the city in past years. The CIE Travel Guide offers comprehensive safety planning advice,
as well as detailed sections on considerations for women and LGBTQ travelers.
3. Program these numbers into your phone, carry a copy in your wallet, and e-mail to yourself:
Telephone number for local police, ambulance, fire
Local Emergency Number (e.g. 911 equivalent)
Emergency number for hosting partner
Telephone number for Canadian Consulate and Emergency Services in your region
Safety Abroad Office (416-978-3929) and U of T Campus Police (416-978-2222).
24-hour telephone number for your health insurance provider.
4. Establish an emergency contact you can contact any time when you are abroad. They should know
your itinerary and have copies of your important documents (including access to emergency funds,
personal contacts, instructions of who to contact in an emergency).
5. Consider mental health and wellness. Travel can be tiring and stressful, and can even trigger mental
health issues. If you are currently seeing a counsellor, it is a good idea to talk to them about your
upcoming trip. The Centre for International Experience can work with both University and non-
University services to provide you with a wide range of relevant assistance. If you think you might
need accommodations, you are encouraged to contact the Safety Abroad Office
(safety.abroad@utoronto.ca) as early as possible to discuss possible supports.
6. Prior to going abroad, Canadian citizens can register with the embassy. Consular service abroad can
range from replacing a missing passport to arranging emergency medical assistance. In case of an
emergency, contact the nearest Canadian embassy or call these numbers to reach GAC for help:
Canadian citizens outside Canada can call collect to 613-996-8885
For calls originating in Canada and the U.S., call 1-800-267-6788, or 613-944-6788
You can also communicate with the Consular Service via TTY by dialling 613-944-1310
Contact the Consulate directly via their online e-mail form
You can also reach the Operations Centre by e-mail at: sos@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
If you are not a Canadian citizen, contact your consulate well in advance of departure, and consider
what services are available to you. You should also consider the fact that the SAO relies on the
assistance of Global Affairs Canada when responding to emergencies. Given that their assistance is
not available to non-residents, SAO may need to rely on supports from your national embassy office;
our ability to access these supports will vary and may hinder the SAO to intervene on your behalf.
If you are wary about the services provided by your consulate, contact Sarah Namer to discuss your
concerns.
PREDEPARTURE PLANNING & OBLIGATIONS (~Feb – June) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 12EMERGENCIES WHILE TRAVELLING:
Contact information while travelling
IMPORTANT: It is essential that you keep your personal contact information up to date. If it is
necessary for us to contact you, we will use the address and phone numbers you have provided.
Once you arrive at your travel destination, be sure to update BOTH Horizon and the Safety Abroad
Database with your local telephone number and address.
Personal emergencies
If you experience a personal emergency, whether losing your passport or wallet, encountering sexual
harassment, or a medical emergency (including mental health), the MGA team and Safety Abroad Office
are both available to you while you are abroad.
Your first call in an emergency should be to the 24-hour collect Emergency abroad line via Campus
Police at 416-978-2222. Campus police will take your information and either connect you directly with
the Safety Abroad coordinator, or arrange a call back within 24 hours.
Your second call should be to the MGA internship coordinator or another MGA staff person who will
always be available to you during University of Toronto business hours (8:45am – 5:00pm in May and
June, 9:00am – 4:30pm in July and August). The MGA program works collaboratively with the Safety
Abroad office to help students in emergencies.
National emergencies
It is unlikely that you will need to be evacuated from your site. Evacuations are rare, but should be
considered in the event of medical emergencies, national disasters and political unrest.
Make a point of knowing in advance the location and the route to nearby hospitals, Canadian
government agencies, and the airport. Once you arrive in the country, mentally mark out these routes,
and take note of landmarks that will make it easier for you to navigate in an emergency.
Prior to evacuation, if possible, contact Global Affairs Canada the Safety Abroad Office at the University
of Toronto, and your internship coordinator.
Precautions for evacuation
In the unlikely event of an evacuation, consider the following precautions:
Establish emergency routes to nearest hospitals, Canadian Offices and airports, and devise
alternative routes where possible
If travelling in a group, establish a meeting point in the event of an emergency
Book the earliest available civilian passage out of the country
Ensure that you have all the documents you need
Close bank accounts, finalize any business (if prudent) and inform local contacts of your intentions
Prepare for a long wait at the airport
PREDEPARTURE PLANNING & OBLIGATIONS (~Feb – June) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 13DURING YOUR INTERNSHIP MGA LEARNING AGREEMENT Although some workplaces will have very defined sets of tasks and learning opportunities established for their interns, others may be less structured. The MGA Learning Agreement is a communication tool that allows students and supervisors to articulate learning goals, project milestones, and responsibilities for the summer in order that expectations are clear on both sides. The Learning Agreement is not a mandatory program component; however, we have found that students who implement a learning plan collaboratively with their supervisors in the first days of their internship consistently have a more productive internship experience. You can find the MGA Learning Agreement in the resources section of this handbook, and it will also be available for download in your Horizon document library. INTERNSHIP EVALUATIONS At the mid-point and end of the internship we send students and internship supervisors online evaluation surveys. Student mid-term evaluations are intended to help us diagnose any potential issues with the work you are doing, or your experience, that can be corrected in the latter half of the term. We keep student survey responses confidential from supervisors (and vice versa), and would only intervene to address any issues after consulting with you. The final student evaluations give us a global view of placements so we can better advise next year’s class about what to expect. We ask supervisors to comment on several dimensions of students’ performance, including knowledge base, professionalism, work habits, interpersonal skills, and analytical and communication skills. FINAL INTERNSHIP REP ORT AND GRADING You are required to complete a report at the conclusion of your internship as a component of the GLA1007H course. Reports are due August 30th, 2019 (regardless of whether or not your internship is over by that time) and late reports will result in an incomplete status on the internship grade portion of your degree. Reports will be graded on a scale of Credit (CR), and No Credit (NCR). The report is designed to demonstrate four areas of learning: your host organization; your own work; personal development; and how your internship is situated in the context of global affairs. This paper is not intended to be a log of your activities, nor an academic thesis, rather it is a self- reflective assessment and evaluation of your learning from your experience through work and interpersonal interactions, as well as through the challenging and less-than-optimal moments. Unlike traditional papers, where you speak in third-person with an aim for “objectivity”, this paper is intended to be subjective and personal. We would like you to demonstrate self-evaluation and self-awareness of your technical knowledge and skills, your personal development and styles, as well as how you see all this knowledge fit together. Your reflection on the summer should conclude with how you plan for future action in knowledge development, skill acquisition, attitudinal shift, or adaptive strategies. DURING YOUR INTERNSHIP (~May – August) | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 14
FUNDING AND BUDGETING
Students are responsible for the costs associated with the internship. MGA internship opportunities
may be paid or unpaid, depending on the type of agreement we have with the partner organization. The
majority of opportunities are unpaid, and students should plan accordingly.
Unpaid Internships
Students who have unpaid internships with no other source of funding will receive a standard fellowship
in the amount of $4500-5000 (and see “location-specific issues” below). While students need not apply
for this fellowship, however they are required to sign a fellowship offer letter and return it to the MGA
internship coordinator.
Paid Internships & External Funding
Students with paid internships will normally not receive a fellowship. If the paid internship offers less
than $4500-5000, the student will receive top-up funds from MGA to bring the amount up to the
standard fellowship amount (i.e. they will receive the difference between the amount of their paid
internship and $4500-5000). We request that students disclose, as soon as they know, whether they
have been offered a paid internship, and collect this information in the post-acceptance module of
Horizon.
Students are required to provide written confirmation of any and all external funding that they secured,
or were offered, for their summer internship. This includes the source of the funding and the funding
amount (not including OSIRG or QEII programs).
Students who have an unpaid internship but successfully apply for competitive funds from
outside or inside the university will receive a top-up amount of 60% of the fellowship ($3000)
Students who have an unpaid internship but are eligible to receive funds (whether or not they
accept these funds) by virtue of being enrolled in another department/faculty (e.g., in the case
of joint degree students) will only receive funds from MGA where needed to bring the amount
up to the standard fellowship amount.
Location Specific Issues and Supplemental Funding
Students who remain in Toronto for their internship will have their fellowship funds adjusted by $500,
for a total fellowship of $4500 given they will not be traveling abroad.
Students who can demonstrate that their summer internships take place in a particularly
expensive locale (e.g. where travel and/or living costs are excessive) can apply for limited
supplemental funds by submitting a budget proposal to the Internship Coordinator in June.
Fellowship Offer Letter & Direct Deposit
Once all Letters of Fellowship Funding have been signed and returned, funds will be distributed to the
students through direct deposit in Canadian funds, paid once a month, starting in May. *QES recipients
will receive funding through their ROSI student account*
Keep Staff Updated of Status
Students are required to inform MGA staff regarding any changes as to the paid or unpaid status of their
internship. Students are also required to notify staff immediately if they have applied for and/or
received any external source of funding (scholarships or awards only – not family funds, savings or
loans) toward their internship.
FUNDING | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 152019 FELLOWSHIP FUND TIMELINE
Friday, April 12th Deadline for students to complete post-acceptance module on Horizon. Students who
have not yet confirmed their internship by April 12th will still be eligible for funding, and
should simply complete their information as soon as possible after the deadline.
Deadline for students who are leaving Canada for their internship to submit their safety
abroad forms to sole.fernandez@utoronto.ca
Thursday, April 18th Fellowship letters sent to eligible students.
Friday, April 26th Deadline to register on Safety Abroad Database.
Sunday, May 5th Signed-back fellowship letters and banking information due
Along with signed-back letters, students will need to submit:
- Void cheque or direct deposit information from Canadian banking Institution
- Scan of your study or work permit (if you are not a Canadian Citizens or PR)
- Scan of passport ID page (if you are not a Canadian Citizen or PRs)
Send forms as a SINGLE PDF DOCUMENT to mga.internship@utoronto.ca
Students who submit all forms by May 5th deadline will receive funds by direct deposit
to their Canadian banking institution by May 28th. Students who submit forms after
that date may not receive payment until end of June.
IMPORTANT: Students who are leaving Canada for their internship who have not
completed their safety abroad forms or registration will have their funds withheld.
Sunday, June 9th Supplemental fellowship applications due. Blank application forms available for
download from “My Documents” section of Horizon.
Send completed application to mga.internship@utoronto.ca
Friday, June 28th Students notified whether or not they are awarded supplemental funds
Sunday, July 7th Signed-back supplemental fellowship letters due to mga.internship@utoronto.ca
BUDGETING
In any given year, about 25% of students secure paid internships, 15% of students are either QEII or OSIRG scholars
and the remainder of students pursue unpaid internships.
The following estimates are based students’ supplemental funding applications in 2017 and 2018 and include
expenses for travel to internship, in-city travel, accommodation, food, visa (when applicable) and incidentals. Use
these figures as a rough guide only, and be sure to conduct your own research and plan carefully!
AVERAGE internship expenses in common internship destinations:
London, NY, Geneva, Washington: $9300 (range $7,000 - $11,000)
Bangkok, Busan, Colombo: $7300
Toronto: $6500
Sub-Saharan Africa, MENA, Latin America:RESOURCES ADDITIONAL INTERNSHIP SEARCH RESOURCES My World Abroad http://myworldabroad.com/ This resource includes over 4000 searchable resources, including over 500 databases and links to internship programs and related organizations. Also on this site you will find sample internship resumes and cover letters, and tip-sheets on every aspect of career development as an aspiring global professional. The Munk School of Global Affairs owns a subscription to this service, and MGA students can register for a login using their utoronto e- mail address. Career Learning Network https://cln.utoronto.ca/ The University of Toronto Career Learning Network includes hundreds of postings for summer jobs and internships. Although not all will be relevant to the MGA program, some – in particular with major banks, and some consulting firms – most definitely are. You can find relevant postings in both the “off campus jobs” section and in the “volunteer” section. In addition, in particular EARLY in the year (September through November) many large organizations – including banks and consulting firms – will hold information sessions, open to students across the University. Visit the CLN Calendar and select “St. George Campus” to find upcoming events (see below) Be sure to note when registration windows open, as sessions fill up fast. RESOURCES | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 17
SELF-DIRECTED INTERNSHIP RESOURCES
Student-Driven Internship Tips
• Do your research on the organization’s work, priorities, values, and recent initiatives;
• Be aware of their application processes and timelines;
• Don’t take internship information (or lack thereof) on websites at face value. Negotiate length of
internship, location, duties. If no internship program indicated, ask to be the first;
• Do not simply send out a blast of emails and sit back and wait. Keep researching different people to
contact within the organization. Call (yes, by phone) if you don’t get an email reply after 4-5 days;
• Be prepared to write/talk about what you bring to the table and what your internship goals are;
• If you have tried numerous attempts, let me know and I can try to contact the organization;
• Make sure to position this as a mandatory part of a professional master’s degree program – that you
are eligible to receive financial assistance from your university and that you will earn an academic
credit towards your degree.
Contacting Potential Internship Hosts
Here are suggestions for a professional first contact with your placement organization:
By E-mail
• Always use your UTORmail address. If you must use an alternative e-mail address, it should always be
a neutral e-mail address - never suggestive, comical, or provocative.
• In the From field, ensure that your FULL name is indicated rather than just your e-mail address,
nicknames, or symbols.
• Always fill in the Subject field with content that is descriptive, clear and concise. An example would
be to write, “Re: University of Toronto, Munk School of Global Affairs Summer Internship”
• Always use proper grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling - as would be used in a formal
business letter.
• If replying to a message, include past correspondence so that the recipient is clearly reminded of the
issues and topic of your message. Use words - NO emoticons, symbols, or texting abbreviations.
• It is preferable that there is no more than one issue in each e-mail. If there are two or more
issues/questions in an e-mail, be sure to clearly indicate what and how many issues/questions briefly
at the beginning of the message.
• Begin your e-mails with a proper greeting, such as “Hello Mr./Ms./Dr.”. Do NOT use terms such as Sir,
Madam, Miss or Mrs. Sign your e-mails with your full first and last name.
• Send an e-mail briefly explaining your interest in the organization, your experience and the role of
this internship in your program.
• Ask if the host organization contact person might speak with you to discuss the internship role. You
should include a request for any informational handouts, websites or reference material for you to
learn more about their organization. Be prepared to send to them information about the MGA
program.
• Be patient for a response. These organization contacts are very busy. If you do not receive a response
after 5 business days, call them and leave a voice-message. If you do not hear back again after 5 days,
you would be wise to pursue other options or you may consider asking the Internship Coordinator to
email on your behalf.
RESOURCES | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 18By Phone
Many of the guidelines for phone contact with your community partner will be similar to e-mail etiquette.
• Start with a greeting, such as “Hello Mr./Ms./Dr.”. Do NOT use terms Sir, Madam, Miss or Mrs.
• Clearly introduce yourself, speak slowly and enunciate your words.
• Provide a very short introduction of who you are and the MGA internship program and make
reference to your earlier email, noting the date.
• Request any information that they can provide to learn more about the organization and their work.
• If you are requesting a time to talk, have your schedule ready before you call.
• Be prepared to provide contact information such as an e-mail address or phone number. Use your
UTORmail address or another neutral and appropriate e-mail address, see e-mail guidelines above.
• If you are leaving a voice message, clearly and slowly pronounce your name and e-mail address, and
provide a spelling of both.
• If you are nervous about using the phone, consider reading Business Insider article, “Why millennials
are scared of talking on the phone – and how to get over it”
Student-Driven Internship SAMPLE Email
Dear NAME,
I am a graduate student at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. I
graduated from UNIVERSITY with a DEGREE in SUBJECT in YEAR and spent the year before enrolling at the Munk
School working and living in a small village in the Western Himalayas in India at a women's rights organization
called Jagori Rural Charitable Trust (JRCT). My primary interests include examining the gender-culture-immigration
nexus - the implications that migration has on conflict, on diversity and social cohesion, on gender norms and on
social policies.
I discovered your organization, Gender at Work, and am incredibly interested in the development work that you do
internationally, with various UN partners. I would very much like to learn more about the work that you are
engaged in and am keen to contribute to the initiatives and projects of your organization.
As a student of the professional Master of Global Affairs program, I am required to complete a 3-4 month summer
internship with a leading internationally-based, internationally-driven organization such as yours. For my
internship, I will receive financial assistance from my university and an academic credit towards my degree.
Given the compatibility of my interests with the projects of Gender at Work, I was hoping that you might be able to
further guide me on who I might contact and/or what steps I might take to secure an internship with Gender at
Work this Summer between early-May and the end of August.
I have attached a one-page description of my Master's program, as well as my current CV.
Thank you so much in advance and I do hope to hear from you soon.
Best,
NAME
-- NAME
MGA Candidate, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto
Cell: | Email:
RESOURCES | MGA Internship Handbook | 2018 - 2019 Page | 19You can also read
