“For anyone who is thinking of applying, the one thing I have to share is: do not be afraid.”
Those are wise words from Moneek Sandhu, who recently applied for and completed a Civic Youth Fellowship with the City of Edmonton.
Sandhu was one of 19 inspirational students who took part in this year’s Fellowship. It was a multi-week paid internship for diverse youth between the ages of 19 and 30 to learn about municipal government. They worked in the offices of the Mayor, City Councillors and members of the Executive Leadership Team.
“As a U of A sciences student, my background might seem unconventional for this internship,” says Sandhu. “My main motivator for this program was a passion for inspiring and creating change in the immediate environment.”
Applications for 2025 Fellowship are now open, with internships beginning in the spring.
During Sandhu’s internship, she worked in the City Manager’s Office. There, she supported the High Level Office for Reconciliation and Anti-Racism, which implements the City’s anti-racism strategy.
“Some of our most interesting lessons came from coffee chats with various City staff,” says Sandhu. “In mentoring chats with (then) Interim City Manager Eddie Robar, he always drove home the importance of humility and the different skills that go into being a good team member—something he learned from playing sports.”
Sandhu also collaborated with the Boyle Street Education Centre to create a workshop for the Fellowship interns to explore intercultural learning and reconciliation. Led by Elder Jo Wood, the students took part in a smudging ceremony, learned from a Knowledge Keeper, and delved into their individual experiences as racialized persons.
“This event highlighted a major takeaway of the Fellowship for me, one I hoped resonated and stuck with the rest of the cohort,” says Sandhu.
“In any form of policy creation, there needs to be an intentional and meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities, to ensure community needs are being accounted for and vulnerable populations are met where they are at.”
The Civic Youth Fellowship began as a pilot project in spring 2023. That fall, Council made it an annual offering.
“It’s the City collaborating directly with community partners and across the organization, to work towards removing systemic barriers and providing access to racialized Edmontonians, particularly youth—the future leaders of tomorrow. While the program is a tangible demonstration of making systemic changes, it is just the beginning,” says Jasmine Brazil, Strategic Advisor, Office of the City Manager.
The program is hosted by five community partners: Africa Centre, IslamicFamily, Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF), MacEwan University’s kihêw waciston Indigenous Centre, and ASSIST Community Services Centre, which provides programs for newcomers.
The interns from 2023 and 2024 were surveyed after finishing the Fellowship. They said they feel more knowledgeable about municipal government, specifically about how City Council and Administration work. They also said they gained leadership experience and grew their professional networks. A number of students from both years have found full- or part-time jobs within government or partner agencies.
The Fellowship isn’t just a learning experience for students, however.
The program also allows City Council and Administration to learn from younger generations—about their perspectives and their lived experience.
“As an organization, we are on a continuous learning journey,” says Salima Ebrahim, Chief of Staff and Corporate Lead for Reconciliation and Anti-racism.
“The youth from the past two years have been impressive cohorts. These are youth who have in some cases had to overcome a lot of barriers, and are now giving back to their communities and learning how to become engaged citizens of tomorrow. I am left feeling energized and hopeful for what’s possible, while also recognizing that we have a ways to go.”
This past summer, the interns had the opportunity to showcase their experiences in City Hall during the Inaugural Fellowship Showcase. About 120 guests came to engage with and learn from the students.
“This internship filled so many different cups that I hadn’t expected,” says Sandhu. “I came into the internship expecting to solely work on municipal projects and learn about municipal systems but it quickly became apparent how much introspection came along with the internship.
“Throughout this time, I felt I was exposed to a number of different perspectives and people whom I would not have accessed otherwise. We also had the opportunity to connect with staff and offices across the corporation. It brought up quite a bit to think about in terms of future career but also the paradigm I take on with any of these moves.”
To learn more about the Fellowship and our community partners, visit edmonton.ca/CivicYouthInternship.ca.
Editor’s note: the pic at the top of the post shows 2024 intern Moneek Sandhu displaying her work at the Civic Youth Fellowship Showcase in City Hall, July 11, 2024.