By Gabriella Rabaa and Holly Stevens
This October, three CNIB interns had an exciting opportunity to travel to South Africa as part of our International Youth Internship Program (IYIP). Accompanied by CNIB staff leaders, participants got to cap off their 11-week internships by attending a four-day conference in Johannesburg alongside many organizations from across the Global South serving communities of people with sight loss.
We spoke to Holly Stevens, one of the interns who travelled to Johannesburg, about her experiences during the trip and her internship more broadly.
Why did you decide to join CNIB’s International Youth Internship Program?
After recently moving to Canada and having trouble breaking into the job market, I was interested in the program. I had worked with CNIB in the past and thought this would be a great opportunity to learn more about disability justice from the lens of international relations.
What most excited you about the trip to South Africa?
The South Africa conference took place at the end of my internship, and since the internship itself was entirely remote, I was very excited to finally meet my fellow interns and colleagues in person. I was also eager to strengthen my networking skills, as my professional experiences had been primarily virtual since the pandemic.
What did you do and learn during the conference?
Leading up to the trip, I supported my host organization, the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), with coordination and administration to ensure we were prepared. During the conference, the other interns and I learned about the interesting work and research being done by sight loss-serving organizations from across the Global South, while meeting and connecting with advocates, service providers, and leaders in disability justice from all over the world.
One thing that stuck out to me was the similarity of barriers encountered by people with sight loss across different countries and regions. While it’s frustrating to see how common these barriers are, it also felt unifying to know that people halfway across the world share such a deep understanding of my life experience as an individual with low vision; it really makes you feel like part of a global community.
I also had an opportunity to deliver a presentation, drawing from my lived experience to discuss how individuals with sight loss self-advocate and navigate accommodation requests as their needs change during the transition from school to work. While I was very nervous to present, I found that it was a lot easier than I had expected, and I made some great connections as a result!
My experiences at the conference made me realize that I am more equipped to take on leadership and public speaking roles than I had previously thought, which I am now interested in pursuing as I continue in my career.
How would you summarize your experience in Johannesburg and your internship overall?
The trip to Johannesburg was a very special experience that allowed me to strengthen my networking, communication, and leadership skills while building knowledge of international disability justice and sight loss communities. Overall, my internship was a rewarding experience that allowed me to develop skills that will help me in my career and beyond. Throughout my internship, I’ve seen myself and my fellow interns blossom as we developed new skills and built up our confidence, in and out of the workplace.
Considering the barriers that people who are blind, or have low vision face when accessing employment opportunities, programs like this really have a profound impact on people’s lives. I’m grateful to have been a part of it, and I hope funding continues so that others can benefit from the same opportunities.