The YCLSF Program

IISD believes it is necessary to build the capacity of emerging professionals to address global issues about the environment, economy and the well being of people. These young Canadians will become the decision-makers, creating and implementing policies that will affect future generations.

Through the Young Canadian Leaders for a Sustainable Future program (YCLSF), IISD provides recent Canadian graduates, who are currently underemployed or unemployed, with the opportunity to gain tangible, entry-level overseas work experience and gives them the skills and opportunities to shape their world.

Goal of the Program

The goal of the YCLSF program is twofold:

• To provide young Canadians with opportunities to gain longer-term employment in the field of sustainable development; and, more broadly,
• To provide these young people with the substantive knowledge, communications skills, resources and practical experience necessary to contribute to and implement international sustainable development policies and to become effective agents of change.

Objectives of the Program

The specific objectives of the YCLSF program are to:

• Provide entry to and experience working with leading sustainable development organizations and business associations around the world; the foundation for building a career in sustainable development policy and practice, and making contributions to global sustainability.
• Provide advanced training to young people in the areas of trade, climate change, and business and economics.
• Assist participants with finding longer-term employment in fields related to sustainable development.

Benefits for Participants

• Participants will gain international experience working with leading players in sustainable development.
• They will develop and strengthen leadership, problem-solving, organizational and communication skills.
• The program will contribute to participants' personal development through living and working in another country.
• The program will give participants access to an established international network of contacts by providing links to IISD staff and associates, alumni of the program and to the environment and development communities at large.
• Participants will expand their portfolios with the Internet products they have created through internships, which will support future applications for work.
• Participants will be able to apply what they have learned to their future professional activities.

Benefits for Host Organizations

• Knowledge networks in sustainable development will be created by the participants in the program.
• Host organizations and IISD will strengthen existing relationships and open doors to further cooperative efforts.
• The services of mature, academically-qualified individual who approach projects with fresh insight and high levels of enthusiasm and motivation.
• An opportunity to observe potential future employees.
• The perspective of current academic knowledge in specialized fields.
• An opportunity for future managers to practise their supervisory skills.
• The opportunity to share in the preparation of future members of a profession.
• An opportunity to create new partnerships and contacts.
• By developing relationships with IISD interns, staff members at host organizations have an opportunity to share and experience a culture different from their own.

Benefits for IISD

• We will learn from the knowledge networks in sustainable development created by the participants in the program.
• Our relationships with partner organizations around the world will be reinforced.
• Our own work will be sustained and built upon by a network of young leaders who are champions of innovation for sustainability.
• Networks will be created to provide a better flow of knowledge and information.
• Understanding about IISD, our goals and our current projects will be enhanced throughout the world.

Benefits for Canada

• Canadian and international employers will have access to a group of globally-conscious, skilled young Canadians who can interact with international partners. Interns will be able to recognize and respect people's diversity, to identify and develop new ideas to become sustainable, and will be effective users of new communications technologies.
• Canada's capacity for using knowledge networks in international research and innovative technological cooperation will be enhanced.
• Canada will gain recognition for its innovative partnerships with international decision-makers.