Romero House

Romero House is a unique experience.  I personally loved my time there and I think you would be hard pressed to find another internship like it.  You will be working on the front lines of refugee settlement work in Canada and will learn so much about yourself, Canada’s refugee system, and about how to provide support to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. While I came to Romero without any experience in settlement work or technical knowledge of Canada’s immigration system, I found Romero provided an excellent environment to learn and challenge myself to do things I never thought I was capable of. When I came to Romero in Sept. 2013 I was a pretty shy and quiet person. I was also slightly intimidated by the amount of responsibility and trust Jenn, Mary Jo, and my companions placed in me.  But regardless of my own trepidation I was still thrown into into the deep end, being asked to connect families with legal aid and legal counsel, or to connect them to particular health care services, or to help them find short term emergency housing. With enough experience I became more confident to the point where I decided to stay a second year. But what I remember even more fondly than the case work are the relationships I built with my companions.  It is a real privilege to be welcomed into a family, to be invited to accompany them as they move through an extremely disorienting and somewhat unsympathetic system.  While I also remember how exhausting some days can be, I will never forgot the people I met, many of whom I am still connected with today. Romero House’s greatest asset is the community it builds and serves and I hope you will take advantage of the chance to be a part of it.  Whether that means becoming an intern, volunteer, or just coming to the street party in June.