Living in the Capital of Canada has a lot of benefits, especially if you’re someone who is interested in politics. In the city full of politicians, embassies and multiple government sectors, the politically charged atmosphere of Ottawa can actually seem intimidating. Something to consider taking advantage of is all of the volunteer opportunities that are literally right at your fingertips. I started volunteering for a Member of Parliament (MP) last fall and have gained so many interesting skills, contacts, and memories that I would highly recommend it to anyone who might have the time. Volunteering is a great way to build up your resume, pursue your interests in future career paths and meet people who have similar interests to you.
It might seem very intimidating to volunteer on Parliament Hill. I promise you it isn’t like a typical intern job that you hear about where you’ll spend your entire shift fetching coffee and making copies of the same document. It also is not like House of Cards where you’ll find yourself digging up dirt on politicians from 10 years ago. Being an intern will probably involve some administrative duties such as answering phone calls and filing records to real political work including writing correspondences and doing research on various topics for portfolio work. Last year, one of my jobs was to write a question that would actually asked during Question Period, which is an incredibly unique and exciting opportunity (so much better than writing an essay for school)!
Unlike the competitive job market of the real world that demands you have your degree, 10+ years of experience, dozens of extracurricular activities and super human writing abilities, being an intern with a MP is a great entrance opportunity. Like any real job, the first thing you need to do is research. Is there a certain party that you support or that your personal beliefs align with? Do you really like the work that the MP in your home riding is doing? You can also expand your options a bit and look at portfolio positions (Finance, Foreign Affairs, Climate Change, Status of Women, etc.) to see what you are most passionate about. Is there any way you can apply your degree to the work a certain MP is doing? If so, that’s a bonus! The second step is to give your resume a once over. Is the information relevant? Is it put together in a professional manner? Being an intern on Parliament Hill might be a volunteer position but you still have to take this seriously. Once you feel confident about your resume and have a MP in mind (or even a couple, just in case) visit their websites’ contact section and send the person an email. Typically you should get a response within a few days from an office assistant about setting up an interview or where to go from there.
MPs and their office assistants are always looking for volunteering to help out in their offices to help with their mountains of work. Interning on Parliament Hill offers you practical experience and doesn’t require a lot of previous experience (though previous experience can never hurt). So go, take that risk and engage the political side of you. You never know what it might lead to.