New Voices, New Ideas: Celebrating CFN’s Summer Students

At CFN, the arrival of summer marks an exciting tradition: welcoming a new cohort of talented students from diverse educational backgrounds and disciplines. Each year, these bright and ambitious individuals bring fresh perspectives, creative ideas, and infectious enthusiasm to teams across our organization. Whether they’re supporting ongoing projects or helping to launch new initiatives, their contributions are invaluable to our continued innovation and growth.

Giving young people the chance to gain real-world experience is not just an investment in individual careers—it’s an investment in our collective future. Early hands-on opportunities accelerate learning, build confidence, and turn theoretical knowledge into practical skills that benefit every team they join. When we open our doors to students, we create a two-way exchange: they learn from seasoned colleagues while challenging us to rethink assumptions, adopt new approaches, and stay connected to emerging trends and technologies. This dynamic fuels creativity, strengthens succession pipelines, and helps cultivate leaders who are resilient, adaptable, and purpose-driven.

We’re always inspired by their curiosity, drive, and ability to challenge us to think differently, and we have been the beneficiary of their positive impact throughout the summer. By continuing to mentor, trust, and provide meaningful responsibilities to the next generation, CFN ensures ongoing innovation, inclusivity, and long-term success—for our organization and the broader community.

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Meet Yussuf, Youth Services Summer Student

As a Youth Services Summer student, Yussuf supports our facilitators in running programs for children and helps out with administrative tasks. He describes his internship so far as “freeing, supportive, and fun”.

He decided to intern with Youth Services at Centre For Newcomers (CFN) due to having experience that is closely aligned with what he does now: working with children, working with youth, and working in the service industry. During his time here, he hopes to get more comfortable with administrative tasks as that is a skill that can be used across a plethora of careers. So far, he has enjoyed planning activities and trips for the kids who use the program. He has learned that there is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into this position and that it’s important to stay on top of tasks so that it doesn’t affect what happens on the frontline; so being an individual who can handle both roles is a plus for this position.

For any incoming summer students, Yussuf gave the advice to “be open minded about the experience and put your best foot forward”.

Meet Iqra, Youth Services Summer Student

Iqra works with youth on a regular basis and assists our facilitators with tasks needed to run the youth program. She describes her experience thus far as “fun, a hands-on experience, diverse, and welcoming”.

She decided to work with Centre For Newcomers (CFN) as a summer student due to her relevant extensive experience working with kids which led her to feel that this would be a strong position for her. During her time with CFN she aims to enhance her current skills which include working with kids, communication, conflict management, data analytics. With this internship, she aims to go further with CFN in the future hoping to secure a permanent position. So far, she has learned a great deal about healthy communication and healthy dynamics within the team. She has also  enjoyed working on the ‘Quest For Literacy’ program, rock climbing with the kids, field trips, and any activity that gets her physically or mentally involved so that she feels like she’s part of the activity rather than simply overlooking.

Her advice for future interns at CFN is to pick the position that works best for you, stating “before considering it, definitely think about what it is that you like when it comes to career paths and work environments… some people really like sitting at a desk, some people are very math oriented and like data, but this is very much ‘get yourself involved in the task’ and you also get some rest, so if you’re a bit of both– a left and right brained person– then this would be perfect for you”.

Meet Samantha, Administrative Assistant Summer Student

Samantha works with our LINC Program (Language Instructions For Newcomers to Canada) as an Admin Assistant and is in charge of helping with administrative duties and additionally being a classroom assistant. Describing her time with Centre For Newcomers (CFN) so far, she would describe it as “a learning experience”.

Drawn in by the classroom assistant role, Samantha made the choice to work with CFN due to her desire to work with students. Having the opportunity to look at what techniques the teachers at CFN use and dually being presented with the opportunity to work with ESL students in particular has helped her learn important skills and make strong steps towards her personal career goal of becoming a teacher. While working with CFN, she also hopes to become increasingly confident in her data entry skills, improving her efficiency overall. Her biggest learning experience thus far has been getting used to navigating the corporate environment and her fun moment she experienced while teaching was helping a student learn how to count to 20!

Her advice for future summer students is “Don’t be afraid, because it is a new environment you’re walking into. It’s something very different and everyone is here to support you. Make sure you ask questions. Come join us, it’s fun!”

Meet Zara, Administrative Assistant Summer Student

Zara works with our CBCNC Program (Community Based Care for Newcomer Children) and on a daily basis, she works with clients, has meetings, sends out emails, conducts phone calls, and engages in one on one work with clients. She describes her experience so far as “rewarding and eye-opening”.

After the childcare program caught her attention, Zara decided to apply to work at Centre For Newcomers (CFN) stating that it was the thought of being able to help people while gaining experience that drew her in. She states, “it’s rewarding because you feel like you’re making a difference while also working”. During her time here, she hopes to develop her people skills as well as become increasingly comfortable in a professional/corporate environment. Some tasks she has enjoyed working on thus far are working with the individuals who come through our doors, meeting the kids and parents, and she loves seeing the excitement on people’s faces when she is able to help them. Her biggest learning experience has been recognizing that projects can be very load bearing so learning to balance projects in a timely manner as well as maintain a healthy work-life balance is important to keep in mind.

The advice she would give to a future CFN intern is, “I would definitely recommend it– I think it’s been the best decision I’ve made all summer. It's so fun, everyone here is so welcoming and loving and the job itself is so fun. So 10/10 would recommend it”.

 Meet Anjola, Administrative Assistance Summer Student

Working with our childcare department, Anjola helps facilitators with tasks to help keep our childcare programs running smoothly. She describes her experience with Centre For Newcomers (CFN) as “a unique experience”.

Anjola decided to intern for the Centre For Newcomers believing that it was a good opportunity to learn new skills and utilize the skills she already has in a real-world environment. Two aspects that she has been learning more about during her time here has been understanding workplace dynamics and learning how to build strong connections with coworkers and clients alike. A task she has enjoyed working on during her time within the childcare department has been completing the online shopping for the kids toys used in our daycare. Her biggest learning experience thus far is to keep paper trails of every task completed (invoices, spreadsheets, etc.).

Her Advice for future interns with CFN is to “be really open minded and be open to engaging in different roles”.

Meet Kelfina, Communications Officer Summer Student

As a communications officer, Kelfina is in charge of creating social media content, designing documents, and researching various topics to help Centre For Newcomers (CFN) be better equipped to address client concerns. She describes her experience thus far as “a multi-dimensional experience where I’m learning more than I thought I would”.

Kelfina decided to intern at CFN to gain hands-on experience and to utilize her knowledge in an environment that is focused on helping people and creating a positive difference. During her internship, she hopes to improve in communication– becoming more comfortable speaking with people and gaining useful communication skills along the way. One project she has enjoyed working on the most while at CFN has been interviewing all the current summer students and getting to know more about them and what they do. Her biggest learning experience in regards to projects and tasks has been that planning tasks at the beginning of every week and summarizing tasks completed at the end of the week helps her to stay on track and makes the working process easier overall. In regards to work life, people are much more open and welcoming than expected, so not to be nervous to engage.

Her advice to future interns at CFN is “when you come to work with CFN, you’re able to see directly how your work makes a difference, and that’s very rewarding. So come with an open mind and heart because you’ll definitely enjoy yourself.”

Meet Mahdi, Youth Services Summer Student

Mahdi helps plan youth programs, reports information to the City of Calgary through surveys, helps out the kids who come through the program with anything they need, and assists our facilitators with all other required tasks. He describes his experience so far as “fun and easy”.

Immigrating to Canada four years ago, he has had similar experiences as the individuals that he works with, so he can relate to what they are going through. This led him to make the decision to intern with Centre For Newcomers (CFN) and use his experience to his advantage in helping those who come in our doors. While working with CFN, he hopes to improve his leadership skills and interpersonal interaction and continue to plan fun events for kids such as the soccer tournament he is in the process of planning.

Mahdi wants future youth services interns to remember to “be very patient with the kids and try to be friendly so that people feel comfortable”.

Meet Sidrah, Youth Services Summer Student

Supervising kids during programs, completing administrative tasks, and event planning are all tasks Sidrah helps out with to make our Youth Services Program work smoothly. So far, she would describe her experience as fun, exciting, and requiring a good amount of planning.

Sidrah made the choice to apply as a summer student at Centre For Newcomers (CFN) after completing a degree in sociology and aiming to utilize what she has learned and widen her scope. This role is a stepping stone into real-world application and additionally opens up the opportunity for her to move forward further with CFN in the future. During her time here, she is hoping to improve in ‘people skills’. She is also excited about working with new groups of people and people with different backgrounds and abilities and helping clients access programs that they need access to, helping them to more easily integrate into the community we have. So far, she has enjoyed meeting other youth workers, setting up at the start of each day, and engaging in activities with the kids such as karate!

Her advice for a student who’s considering an internship at CFN is “you should definitely take it! I feel like you would benefit a lot and build a lot of skills especially people skills if you don’t have that and it’s good for experience”

 Meet Aarush, Events Coordinator Summer Student

Aarush works with queer newcomers and individuals from vulnerable populations who come to Calgary and also helps to organize large scale events such as Calgary Pride. He describes his time with Centre For Newcomers (CFN) thus far as “a very fulfilling company to work with”.

This is Aarush’s second time interning with CFN. He decided to return after being approached by CFN administrators and wanting to re-engage with the outreach programs due to the strong impact that they have on the society. During this internship he hopes to improve his social media and marketing perspective skills. So far, he has enjoyed the intricacies of planning this year’s Calgary Pride, helping with its growth and highlighting select elements that will further improve the event going forwards. His biggest learning experience has been understanding the marketing and social media aspect of working within the company, aiming to promote its services and events to gain a wider outreach and a stronger connection with the target population.

When asked for his advice for future interns at CFN, he stated “having done two internships here, I would definitely recommend somebody to come aboard the team.”

 Meet Sotoda, Administrative Assistant Summer Student

Sotoda works with our Newcomers Settlement Program and aids advisors in creating agendas and plans for workshops and activities. She describes her internship so far as “exciting and a new environment”.

With having family who have immigrated to Canada and were introduced to Centre For Newcomers (CFN) for help with referrals to doctors and LINC Programs (Language Instructions For Newcomers to Canada), Sotoda wanted to experience being on the end of providing support to newcomers and help others just like how her family was helped. She also has prior experience volunteering with CFN as an English Facilitator so for her, this internship was another great step to take within CFN. While she interns with us, she hopes to develop her administrative skills, improve in the basics of Microsoft Excel, and get to know more people within the workplace (i.e. coworkers, clients) She has enjoyed helping her advisors edit work and create plans for upcoming activities within CFN. One thing she has learned is how important it is to be punctual to increase productivity and maintain a smooth workflow.

Her advice for future interns at CFN is “I would definitely suggest it to them. It’s a very diverse organization: supporting newcomers, helping them into their new way of life, and helping broaden perspectives on the backgrounds of people and how they can integrate into this new life”.

Meet Klara, Customer Service Representative Summer Student

Klara works at our front desk and helps clients book appointments, answers questions, answers phone calls, and guides people in the right direction. When asked to describe her experience with Centre For Newcomers (CFN) so far, she describes, “I’ve learned a lot”.

After prior experience volunteering with the youth department ballet lessons, Klara decided to take another step into CFN by taking on a summer internship. During her time here, she hopes to improve in her administrative skills and people skills by working in this forward facing position. So far, she has enjoyed working on more complex cases where she is able to help people on a deeper level, which has felt rewarding. Her biggest learning experience thus far has been learning how and when to say “no”, experiencing interacting with different groups of people and meeting them where they’re at, and understanding how to communicate what is needed from individuals in a manner that is best received.

Her advice to future interns is, "you have to learn to be flexible because you’re going to be dealing with situations that are very different every single day… the biggest advice would be to be open minded– it’s probably going to be different than what you thought but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.”

Meet Yedideya, Administrative Assistant Summer Student

As an Administrative assistant, Yedideya works with our LINC department and does tasks such as assisting teachers in conducting classes, enrolling students into classes, taking care of referrals, and answering general questions to help individuals in whatever way she can. She describes her experience so far as, “educational– I think I've learned a lot so far.”

While searching for a summer job, Yedideya discovered a posting for an Administrative Assistant under Centre For Newcomers (CFN) and decided that it would be an opportunity to put her skills to good use. She is hoping to develop her conversational and networking skills during her time here as she is used to desk work while her position deals with more face-to-face client work. One of the aspects of her position that she has enjoyed the most has been that she gets to do ‘a little bit of everything’ so the position is very comprehensive; the more she has done, the more she enjoys her experience, and the more comfortable it has become. Her biggest learning experience thus far has been learning about navigating the work culture especially when it comes to strong communication with supervisors.

Her advice to a future intern with CFN is, “I’d say to apply– it doesn't feel like work. Whatever task I’m working on is pretty enjoyable. You’re never just stuck in one place; especially the role that I have, you get to experience a lot of different parts, so it's pretty enjoyable”.