Jenny Dea

She's been an athlete all her life, but Jenny Dea recently got an exciting first-hand look at the amazing power of sport when she worked in the Athletes Village during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. "It was an amazing experience," she says. "Sport is definitely a unifying force." Dea is one of six Canadian interns chosen to go to Africa as part of Commonwealth Games Canada's groundbreaking Capacity Support Program (CSP). The CSP is co-funded by the Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth Games Canada. It is designed to support Commonwealth Games Associations in developing countries and help them maximize their organizational performance as they prepare for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi this October and for future Games. The CSP interns will assist countries with sport administration activities ranging from programming, fundraising and communications to the implementation of the games management software program Zeus. Although she's been an athlete all her life and has worked as a coach, Dea hopes to gain a better understanding of the governing bodies of sport during her internship with the National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ). Dea's experience answers NOCZ's need for an intern with a sports background who is able to work on programs to develop both talent and a volunteer network, in addition to providing IT support. "This internship will help NOCZ move beyond its basic obligations and become involved in the wider challenge of sport by working in the community," says Mrs. Hazel Kennedy, the Committee's President. A former competitive rower and skier, Dea has been coaching young ski racers at the Devils Glen Country Club in Glen Huron, Ontario since 2003. In 2009, the year she graduated from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Kinesiology, Dea was recognized for her volunteer work with the S.M.I.L.E. Ski Challenge on campus. S.M.I.L.E. (which stands for Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience) promotes the development of motor and social skills through physical activity and sports among children with special needs. Dea, who plans to pursue a Masters in Physiotherapy and hopes to work in pediatric rehab, says the CSP internship program is a "perfect opportunity" to gain valuable work experience while combining her love of sport with the chance to immerse herself in a new culture. Last year, Dea worked at an orphanage in Kathmandu while travelling in Nepal and Thailand and has also volunteered as a turtle conservationist in Costa Rica. "Commonwealth Games Canada's International Development through Sport unit is pleased to offer unique and professional international work opportunities for young graduates," says Carla Thachuk, Commonwealth Games Canada's Manager of International Programs. "Particularly in difficult economic times, these internships will help the participants apply their educational experiences to a challenging work environment as they set out to develop their own careers." Though she admits it's hard to leave her large extended family for a year, Dea (the eldest of 25 cousins) is thrilled to be embarking on a CSP internship. "Being involved in sport and physical activity really teaches people the meaning of drive, passion and ambition," Dea says. "Sport is all about doing something with a goal in mind, whether that's winning a game or just staying fit. It keeps me driven."