Commonwealth Games CSOs Required

*Commonwealth Games Canada seeks candidates for international sport
administration internships*

OTTAWA, February 2, 2011 — Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is looking
for nine young Canadians who are passionate about sport to be part of
its third team of Capacity Support Officers (CSOs) to go abroad under
the innovative Capacity Support Program (CSP).

The CSP, a three-year pilot program co-funded by CGC in partnership with
the Commonwealth Games Federation, sends young Canadians with sport
administration backgrounds overseas to support Commonwealth Games
Associations in developing countries. CSOs assist with sport
administration activities ranging from programming, fundraising and
communications to the implementation of the games management software
program /Zeus/.

“This is an incredible opportunity for young Canadians to gain valuable
work experience abroad,” says Carla Thachuk, Manager of International
Programs for Commonwealth Games Canada. “The first two teams of CSOs
have described their placements as both challenging and extremely
rewarding. Their CSO experiences will resonate with them throughout
their lives.”

The first team of CSOs recently completed their 14-month placements in
Bermuda, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago, while the second team—currently
serving in the African countries of Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland,
Seychelles and Lesotho—will complete their year-long placements in March
2011. All of the CSOs travelled to Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth
Games, either with their host organizations or to work as part of the
Results Management Team.

“Having worked closely with Capacity Support Officers from both team one
and team two, it was amazing to see the development that these young
Canadians went through,” says Richard de Groen, Games Team Development
Manager for the Commonwealth Games Federation. “They have not only
enhanced their careers and gained an understanding of how Olympic and
Commonwealth sport systems work around the world, but more importantly,
their CSP experience has helped make them better people.”

The third year of the CSP marks the expansion of the program to nine
countries throughout the Commonwealth. These placements are open to
Canadians who have studied *Sport Management*,* Sport Administration*,*
Health*,* Physical Education*,* Kinesiology*,* Human Kinetics *or
*Recreation* at the postsecondary level. The CSO appointments are
volunteer positions, but successful candidates will receive a financial
package sufficient to cover all their costs, from pre-departure
orientation to a debriefing upon their return to Canada.

The 2011-12 CSO placements will run from April 18, 2011 to March 31,
2012 with the following CGC partners:

* Cayman Islands Olympic Committee — Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
* Dominica Olympic Committee — Roseau, Dominica
* Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association — Stanley, Falkland
Islands
* Grenada Olympic Committee — St. George’s, Grenada
* Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee — Apia,
Samoa
* National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka — Columbo, Sri Lanka
* Tonga Commonwealth Games Association — Nuku’alofa, Tonga
* Turks & Caicos Commonwealth Games Association — Grand Turk, Turks
& Caicos
* Uganda Olympic Committee — Kampala, Uganda

To apply for a CSO position, or for complete information on eligibility,
application procedures and job descriptions, please visit
www.commonwealthgames.ca/IDS .

The deadline for applications is _*Sunday,*__ __*February 20, 2011 at
11:59 p.m.*_ Eastern Standard Time.

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For more information, please contact:

Carla Thachuk
Manager of International Programs
Commonwealth Games Canada
Tel: 613.244.6868, ext. 225
Fax: 613.244.6826
Email: Carla@commonwealthgames.ca

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Kerri Zanatta-Buehler, B.A., BEd, MA
Employment Development Specialist
The Career Centre
Sheridan Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
1430 Trafalgar Rd
Oakville, ON L6J 2L1
(905) 845-9430 xt 2706
(905) 459-7533 xt 2706