BootsnAll Travel Community

Hey all,

I'm from Singapore, got a Permanent residency in Canada shortly after i got into college in the US. Due to havngi a really good scholarship in my college here I am not planning to move to Canada till after I graduate. This means I have to spend my next 2 summers in Canada either working or an internship at a non-profit. But i'm realising how much harder it is to find internships in canada than in the US.

I'd really like to either intern/volunteer in a social justice/ human rights/urban issues/ conservation organization (I'm thinking of going to law school for human rights) or at a National Park.

Does anyone know of summer outdoor opportunities at National Parks in Canada or good websites to find internships? I don't want to work at a ski resort or at an information desk. I'd be interested in trailbuilding/reforestation-type things.

and sorry for being so rambling.

I think the issue you'll run into is that the concept of "internship" doesn't really exist much in Canada. If you're working, it's either volunteer work, or you should get paid for it.

Volunteer work is easy - find a few non-profits you're interested in and send them an email offering your services, letting them know the kind of work you're looking for. I'm sure one or another will be thrilled to pick you up. But you will usually have to cover all your own expenses, so you need to be financially independent. If that's what you want to do, then let me know, and I'll try to brainstorm a few groups to look for.

Unfortunately most quality summer jobs go to co-op students at Canadian schools, unless you have connections...so it's a real challenge to find paid work that's not typical crap summer job work.

I'm not really aware of opportunities in the National Parks (since you're not interested in hotel work). Summer jobs with the government are mostly filled through the FSWEP program, for which you either need to be a Canadian citizen studying abroad, or be studying in Canada. You may have better luck with provincial parks...I had a couchsurfer who'd gotten in as a park warden by doing summer work. Just visit various provincial government websites and find their parks service...apply up front, or keep your eyes open for postings.

You mention reforestation, which brings us to tree-planting, which is probably your best bet. Tree planting is grunt work, hard labour. But it's outside, and you do make money doing it. Usually not much in your first year, since you have to buy some of your equipment, and you get paid by the tree, but it's better than nothing. This website has links to a few different tree-planting companies: http://www.tree-planter.com/index.php?area_id=1001