I would like to begin by sincerely thanking the donors of the Gregg Blachford and David 9I制作厂免费ivray Internship Award and the Goodman Family Internships Award for making this opportunity possible. Your generosity allowed me to dedicate my summer to a meaningful research experience without the pressure of sustaining full-time employment alongside it. This support gave me the freedom to fully immerse myself in my internship and ensured that I was able to make the most of the experience, both personally and academically.
I chose this internship because I wanted to gain hands-on research experience while exploring the nonprofit sector in Montreal. My motivation was twofold: first, to see what professional pathways might exist for me in research and policy through nonprofit organizations, and second, to contribute to a project with real meaning and impact at the community level. I was especially interested in the ways in which research could be translated into advocacy and tangible change for people whose lives are often heavily shaped by structural stigma and exclusion.
My host organization was La Maison Plein C艙ur, a nonprofit based in Montreal that provides support services to people living with HIV. The organization鈥檚 mission is to create a safe and inclusive space for individuals affected by HIV and to reduce social isolation by offering psychosocial support, housing assistance, and food provision. Beyond direct service provision, the organization also engages in advocacy and community-building work that seeks to challenge stigma and foster solidarity.
During my internship, my main project was to conduct a literature review on how stigma shapes access to social services for individuals living with HIV and experiencing homelessness. The review also explored how nonprofit organizations, like La Maison Plein C艙ur, can play a role in alleviating stigma and improving access to essential resources. This work required me to read widely across disciplines, synthesize findings, and identify gaps in existing research. The final product will help the organization in its ongoing advocacy efforts by providing a research-based foundation to support calls for policy changes and resource allocation.
My academic background was highly valuable throughout the process. In my Sociology courses, I had already developed an understanding of how stigma functions as a social force, as well as experience in conducting literature reviews on a smaller scale. This knowledge helped me to identify relevant academic sources and critically analyze them in ways that would be useful for the organization. My training in Political Science also allowed me to think about the broader policy and institutional contexts in which these issues are situated.
At the same time, the internship was not without its challenges. Because I was working from home, I had significant freedom in structuring my time. While this flexibility was valuable, it also required discipline and self-motivation. At first, I found myself struggling to maintain momentum, but I eventually overcame this by creating a detailed schedule and setting weekly goals to ensure I stayed on track. This experience taught me how to manage independent work more effectively and will serve me well in both academic and professional settings.
This internship has had a lasting impact on me and my future goals. It showed me the direct ways in which research can shape advocacy, public discourse, and policy, which has inspired me to continue pursuing research-oriented work. It has also solidified my interest in exploring careers at the intersection of social research, public policy, and nonprofit work. Without the financial support I received, I would not have been able to dedicate myself so fully to this opportunity. Thank you Mr. Gregg Blachford and the Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation for making this possible.
