Child Health Experiential Learning Opportunities (CHELO Program)
The CHELO program is designed to provide graduate students with immersive and transformative experiences in maternal or child health and wellness. It engages them in practical experiences across a variety of learning environments to help them develop transdisciplinary professional competencies. These internships address real-world challenges faced by local communities, allowing for meaningful positive contributions at the community level.
Benefits
For Students
- Course Credit: Earn 6 credits through two integrated courses that combine hands-on experience with academic learning.
- Career Readiness & Professional Growth: Build essential skills like problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and gain a competitive edge in the job market.
- Networking & Mentorship: Connect with professionals and mentors through supervised placements, opening doors to future opportunities.
- Transdisciplinary Collaboration: Work alongside experts from diverse fields to address complex maternal or child health challenges.
- Financial Support: Interns will receive compensation, along with a $5,000 award upon successful completion of the internship and all associated deliverables.
For Employers
- Access Top Talent: Collaborate with highly skilled graduate students who bring fresh perspectives and specialized knowledge.
- Innovative Solutions: Tackle organizational challenges with cutting-edge approaches informed by academic research and practical insight.
- Community Impact: Contribute to meaningful projects that advance child health and wellness while building internal capacity.
- Program Support: Receive personalized guidance throughout the process, including assistance with administrative requirements, access to mentorship resources, and regular check-ins to ensure a positive and productive experience for all parties.
Program Components & Eligibility Criteria
Professional Development (Course A)
Consists of a number of professional development workshops delivered via Zoom during Winter term.
To qualify for the program, students must satisfy the following requirements by the start of Course A:
- Be a full-time, thesis-based graduate student (Master’s or PhD programs) registered at the University of Calgary.
- Have a research project in maternal or child health and wellness.
- Have completed at least one academic term of their graduate program.
- Be in good academic standing.
- Be enrolled in a graduate program that does not have a required internship, practicum or co-op course.
- May not be currently enrolled in another internship or co-op opportunity.
- Have the approval of their graduate supervisor and their graduate program to engage in an internship.
**Course A is scheduled weekly on Fridays from 9:00 AM to 11:50 AM.
Experiential Learning Opportunity (Course B)
These part-time paid internship placements take place in the Spring/Summer term. Students will also participate in regular Zoom sessions to ensure curricular wrap-around support for their internship.
To enroll in Course B, students must complete the following requirements before its start date:
- Successfully complete course A (Professional Development).
- Confirm internship placement that meets the requirements of the CHELO program:
- Includes a letter of offer and a job description from the employer.
- A commitment from the employer to support the student’s learning objective.
- Tasks aligned with the student’s skills and training level.
**Course B is scheduled every second Friday from 9:00 AM to 11:50 AM.
Internship Structure
- Compensation will be offered.
- Duration & Hours: Positions are part-time, with a commitment of up to 20 hours per week. Total hours must fall between 210 and 320 over a period of up to 16 weeks.
- Focus Area: Internship roles must focus on areas related to maternal or child health and wellness and cannot be solely research-based.