The Canadian International Learning Foundation’s Peer-to-Peer Education (P2PEd) Program provides the opportunity for professionals in areas of the world affected by war, illness and poverty to receive professional development training from an established professional and in return, enables the established professional to learn about these at-risk regions and the people who live there.

The goal of this P2PEd Program is to provide professional development to professionals in at-risk areas, while helping to raise awareness regarding the problems facing these regions.

If you would like to register for the program – as either an established professional or a developing professional – please contact us at staff@canilf.org. For more information, please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section below.

How does P2PEd work?

The Canadian International Learning Foundation actively seeks out and maintains a database of individuals interested in taking part in the program either as established professionals or developing professionals. To express interest, the individual e-mails CanILF with their contact information and resume, which are entered into a database. The Foundation periodically reviews the database to match participants based on profession, interests and geographic area. When a match is made, an e-mail is sent out to introduce both professionals to one another.

What is expected of the established professional?

The established professional is expected to provide professional development assistance to their partner via e-mail on a periodic basis. This assistance can include (but is not limited to) reviewing and providing feedback upon their partner’s work, providing links or copies of articles, periodicals or online resources that will benefit their partner, answering professional questions posed by their partner, or assisting their partner with identifying or pursuing opportunities for employment or higher education.

The established professional should be prepared to contribute at least 1 hour per week.

What is expected of the developing professional?

The developing professional is expected to provide opportunities for their partner to provide professional development assistance. For example, the developing professional could send their work to their partner for feedback, ask their partner questions related to their profession, and keep their partner informed of their long term goals regarding employment or higher education.

We would ask that the developing professional consider sharing information regarding their personal experience as someone who lives in an at-risk area, provided that they are comfortable doing so and that the information they share does not put them at personal risk. This sharing will help raise awareness regarding the issues that affect your community.

Are there any rules?

Aside from the expectations already noted, there are two rules for the P2PEd Program.

1.) Do not publish or otherwise make available information that could compromise the personal safety of your partner.

2.) Recognize that your partner may live in an area which is much different from your culturally, and use appropriate discretion in your choice of language, subject matter, links, and so forth. We ask that you avoid the following in your communications: swearing, references to illicit or prohibited substances, explicit or suggestive material, and potentially offensive statements regarding gender, orientation, race, or religion.

This is not intended to censor your correspondence, we merely wish for both participants to be as comfortable as possible.

How do you determine who gets priority to be matched?

Established professionals are evaluated by their professional experience, the amount of time that they have to volunteer, and any preferences they may have regarding a potential partner.

Developing professionals are evaluated based upon their professional need, the region in which they live, their ability to access the Internet, and their fluency with the preferred language of a potential partner.

Are there any costs associated with this program?

As the P2P Ed is currently in its pilot phase, we are currently assuming all costs associated with developing the program, actively seeking participants, maintaining databases, and matching partners. Unless otherwise requested, 100% of donations made to the Foundation are used to fund projects at our partner schools. However, we reserve the right to change this policy in the future.

What if my partner does not answer my e-mails?

We ask that you wait at least a week or so for your partner to respond. If you have still not heard from them after this amount of time, please let us know and we will follow-up with your partner, or consider matching you with a new partner. These expectations are the same for both the established and developing partner.

What if I do not have time to answer my partner’s e-mails?

If you cannot write a full e-mail within a week, please write a one-line e-mail to provide your partner with an update. If you are planning to be away for an extended period of time, please inform CanILF and your partner so that they are aware.

When should I contact CanILF for assistance?

You should e-mail us at staff@canilf.org if you have not heard from your partner for an extended period of time, if you feel that your partner has not met their responsibilities as part of the program, or if you have any personal or professional concerns.

Also, we welcome any advice or suggestions you may have for improving the program.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.