As the final requirement of my post-graduate studies at Centennial College, I joined Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) for an eight-week internship.

I’ll confess, it wasn’t my first choice. But, Donna, my program coordinator, told me it would be a perfect fit due, in part, to my background in film studies. “They do a lot of video,” she told me.

It turns out film did become a big part of my internship.

If you came to CCFC’s free screening of the award-winning Driving with Selvi doc (about a girl who escaped an early, forced marriage) last month, you probably saw me with a camera taking photos and video. If you didn’t come, maybe you saw promotional material I created for the event, including a commercial, which aired on TV.

I’ve also edited videos of staff visits to Nicaragua and Ghana and helped provide content for social-media posts. While sifting through the video footage, I could see the difference CCFC’s work is making in the lives of so many. I was inspired and anxious to incorporate that joy I saw into my work.

That said, my time here has drawn to a close. What will I miss the most?

Making a difference

There’s no denying CCFC does good work. My actions, the projects I was assigned and the results I achieved contributed to making lasting change. I helped raise awareness about CCFC through the Driving with Selvi event and contributed to something that may be duplicated in the future.

The company culture

The compassion (and passion) I experienced at CCFC was unmistakably Christian and Canadian — it was welcoming. The CCFC team is incredibly diverse, yet united under shared values.

The people

I can’t say enough about the people. From day one everyone has been interested in me — how I’m settling in, what I’m working on, what I hope to get out of this experience. There were lunch invitations and more. These people are more than colleagues; they’re friends. Some I’d even describe more like family.

I think I was initially hesitant to join a non-profit and have to ask people for money, but the communications department often builds on existing relationships, so that wasn’t an issue.

While I’m still interested in corporate public relations, I can now see myself being happy in the non-profit sector.

Donna was right. I loved my time at CCFC. I don’t want to say goodbye. With any luck, there will be an opportunity for me to return to CCFC one day soon.

Originally posted to ccfcanada.ca on July 11, 2018