Health and Community Development Placement with TASO - Uganda

Program Overview

Applications are currently being accepted and reviewed in the order received. Program will close when full, OR at 11:59 pm on July 21st, which ever comes first.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all UBC students, psychology and sociology students may be especially suited for this placement. One to two placement spots are available.

Program Description

This program is placed in Uganda.

TASO has 11 different centers across the country - exact placement location is still to be determined for some.

The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) is a Ugandan NGO founded over 25 years ago that has been at the forefront of HIV/AIDS responses on the continent. Across the 11 centers, the organization employs hundreds of people who attend to clinical as well as psychological needs for clients and families.

Interns would support a particular project that is focusing on the economic empowerment and self-esteem in adolescents and women through a sustainable livelihoods lens. This would entail working alongside staff with groups of clients who are currently engaged in the program to support both individual success/development but also success at a programmatic level. Any assessment work that interns engage in with the organization will require documentation for the specific project as well as knowledge translation/documentation about the impact of the specific project contributions to the organizations strategic goals. Interns could add considerable value by simultaneously researching/assessing the impact that this program could have on clients, families and the region - while considering assessment tools that could be used by TASO for M&E within an already overburdened system.

Interns should have an interest in the health care system - and in the psycho-social aspects of healthcare (ie. Not clinical) in particular. Interns should be ready to learn about HIV/AIDS and prepared to contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of clients while advocating for stigma reduction.

TASO is one of the longest standing partnerships with UBC ORICE. TASO as an organization has undergone tremendous organizational change over the past 25  years as it responded to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and then to the 2008/9 financial crises, and changing attitudes/urgency to HIV/AIDS. Currently, the model in Ungada is to identify programmatic priorities whereby multiple agencies collaborate. Regardless of the configuration, TASO placements have yielded tremendous learning for student interns in large part due to the highly skilled teams at the TASO sites.

Program Dates

• July 21st, 2019 - Applications accepted until full OR until 11:59pm on Sunday July 21st, whichever comes first.
• August/September - Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (all successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions)
• September- December 12 weeks of fieldwork in an International Service Learning placement
• TBD Re-entry debrief

**Please note these dates may be adjusted, but will be confirmed prior to offer

Program Costs

The costs below are per student and are yet to be fully determined, but will be within the following ranges. Possible funding available through ORICE award.

Location Program Fee
Uganda $3,900 - $4,400*

**Fees are subject to adjustment prior to offering the placement to the student.

Awards & Funding

Regional and International Service Learning Award

This $1500 award is open to eligible UBC students participating in this co-circular offering. Students from all faculties are eligible. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Completed 60 credits of undergraduate coursework (3rd or 4th year standing)
• Have a minimum GPA of 70% in the top 21 credits of the previous academic year. Priority will be given to students that have 75% in the top 27 credits of the previous academic year.
• Be enrolled in at least 24 credits in the current academic year or enrolled in maximum sufficient credits to satisfy graduation requirements if this is your final year.

When you apply to any eligible program, you will be automatically assessed for the Regional and International Service Learning Award. Admission to regional and international service learning programs is by application.