The National Trust for Canada is seeking one student with interests in art, history, architecture and heritage conservation to join the National Trust team for the spring 2023. The intern will assist in planning the National Trust 50th anniversary national heritage conference (October 26-28, 2023, Ottawa, Chateau Laurier), helping develop the conference program including field sessions and plenaries, help us reach potential conference participants (especially emerging voices) through various communications platforms, and help build relationships with Ottawa-Gatineau stakeholders and constituencies.
About the organization:
The National Trust for Canada (headquartered in Ottawa) was created in 1973 to promote the preservation and revitalization of Canada’s heritage places. Today, we continue to advance the conservation, appreciation and ongoing use of Canada’s historic places, intangible heritage, and cultural landscapes, and spotlight their essential contribution to diverse, equitable and sustainable communities.
Each year, the National Trust (with the Indigenous Heritage Circle and Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals) mounts Canada’s largest heritage places conference bringing together 500+ inter-disciplinary participants from across the heritage sector: professionals (emerging and established), public officials and policymakers, tradespeople, grassroots volunteers, land guardians, academics, and students. The National Trust Conference is a crucial learning, knowledge exchange, and networking event that helps sustain the heritage conservation movement, build heritage industry and public policy practice, and support the heritage places and landscapes important to all Canadians.
About the placement:
The intern will assist in planning our annual national heritage conference (October 26-28, 2023, Chateau Laurier), helping develop the conference program with a particular focus on Toronto-based opportunities, assist with conference communications, and work to build relationships with Ottawa-Gatineau area stakeholders and constituencies.
This year’s ambitious conference theme – Transforming Heritage – builds on an ongoing national project working to accelerate key conversations within the heritage sector about the values and the purpose of conservation work. Canada’s heritage conservation movement is transforming itself to meet new needs in society. Advancing decolonization and anti-racism, leading climate action, and supporting the efforts of grassroots organizations, governments, and the private sector and to address socio-economic challenges are front and centre in our communities. At this watershed moment, the heritage sector has the opportunity to accelerate our benefit to society through transformational changes to our mission and practice, based on a shared vision. The National Trust’s 50th anniversary conference is a fitting heritage milestone to seize on lessons from the movement’s many dramatic or gradual transformations over time as a compass for the future. Together, how will we shape the next 50 years, addressing pressing issues like reconciliation, affordable housing, accessibility, climate change, social justice, and economic resiliency?
We are constantly seeking to reach more students, diverse communities, and emerging professionals with the goal of helping them in the heritage careers and creating interest and awareness of the importance of heritage conservation. The intern will help us reach new conference participants through social media, programming, and will have latitude to create and lead their own projects based on their interests.
Given the conference theme of Transforming Heritage, the conference will also have a strong discussion and feedback component. The intern will assist NT staff with distilling and crafting these insights, and help organize and participate in post-conference “next steps” planning and action-mobilization activities and sessions.
This is an opportunity to work at a leading national Canadian non-profit, get to know key players in the Canadian heritage conservation sector and develop personal networks, spend time researching, writing, and leading initiatives of personal interest. The intern will work directly with the National Trust Conference Manager and Conference Coordinator, and meet regularly to discuss work.
The intern should have strong writing and verbal communication skills and an interest in heritage, history, or architecture. They should be able to work independently and take initiative. We are flexible in working with the interests of the intern.
Programming:
- Assist with the planning and logistics for National Trust Conference 2023 (October 26-28, 2023 Ottawa).
Outreach:
- Assist with online conference outreach and promotion via conference newsletters and social media.
- Outreach to possible stakeholders and participants.
Research
- Research topics related to building reuse, decarbonization, heritage conservation, architecture, etc. in consultation with National Trust staff
- Research key issues and opportunities for the heritage (e.g. environmental groups with built environment focus), and potential academic and professional participants at the conference.
Misc.
- Other duties as assigned
The successful applicant will have the opportunity to collaborate with professionals from a variety of heritage fields. Additionally, the intern will receive free conference registration for National Trust Conference 2023; unfortunately, we are not able to guarantee travel and accommodation funding.
Requirements: Currently, the internship is expected to take place remotely. The intern must have access to a computer and reliable internet connection.
Timing/hours of placement: The placement is 12-15 hours per week for 8 weeks during the Spring 2023 semester (May-June). Flexible timing throughout the week. Placement begins the week of May 8.
Credit: Half credit (0.5). This internship is for pass/fail course credit at the University of Toronto through the Department of Art History. This is not a paid position.
Interested students should send an application by April 7, 2023 to Dr Jessica Mace (jessica.mace@utoronto.ca). Applications should include 1) a letter of interest (including any relevant coursework or experience), 2) a bursary eligibility form, and 3) a resume. Please indicate to which posting(s) you are applying. If you are interested in multiple postings, you only need to submit one application.
This project has been funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning program and CEWIL Canada’s iHUB.
This project is supported by the Learning & Education Advancement Fund at the University of Toronto.
Canada constructed: architecture, landscape, history 