The World Youth Alliance Regional Internship Program (WYA) - North America

The World Youth Alliance (WYA) is a global coalition of young people committed to promoting the dignity of the person and building solidarity among youth from developed and developing nations. We train young people to work at the regional and international levels to impact policy and culture. Through this lived experience of the dignity of the person, young people are able to affirm life at all levels of society.

The WYA North America Internship Program grants qualified members real-world experience in project management, international law and advocacy together with a good understanding of the basic philosophy on the human person.

The WYA North America Internship Program is a 3-month volunteer opportunity for young people committed to fulfilling WYA’s mission through work with our regional staff on projects related to advocacy, education, or culture.

As an intern, you can be involved in the following:

1. Join an international youth organization that promotes human dignity

2. Learn about national, regional, and international policy-making that impacts development

3. Help implement WYA projects in advocacy, education or culture

4. Participate in WYA’s Certified Training Program (CTP) discussions with young people from different parts of North America

5. Challenge yourself and advance your skill sets and field of expertise

What’s in it for you?

a) Introductory Training - Undergo WYA’s Certified Training Program (CTP) and learn about human rights philosophy and the dignity of the person.

b) Project Management - Work on projects suited to your interests and strengths under the supervision of WYA staff.

c) Network Building - Attend different events and meet new contacts as you represent WYA in various occasions.

PROJECTS

Interns will be assigned to execute or manage projects with the guidance of WYA North America staff. The types of projects interns work on may vary according to existing interests and skills. Projects will fall under one of WYA’s three main program areas: Education, Advocacy, and Culture.

• Education: WYA education programs are designed to equip interns with the tools to promote and defend the dignity of the person. A variety of educational program opportunities are offered to interns to develop a deeper understanding of the meaning of human dignity through programs such as WYA’s Certified Training Program and WYA’s Film and Book list, among others.
• Advocacy: WYA represents youth at the United Nations, European Union, and other government and civic institutions by offering language proposals, sharing grassroots experiences or working with delegates to propose person-centered policies. At the regional offices, interns will get the chance to learn about WYA’s advocacy work and its impact on local policy and culture.
• Culture: WYA provides interns with the opportunity to experience the dignity of the human person in concrete ways. Participation in the arts and culture nurtures the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the human person and in this way promotes the integral development of the individual, contributing to the authentic development of society.
• Administrative Work: Interns may also be assigned administrative work at the North America office. They may be asked to handle data encoding, business correspondence, document filing, and social media, among others.