Internship Program Review of SFP KOREA

Q. What is the motivation for application?

A. The reason why I first decided to initiate internship in Service For Peace is that I was eager to know the actual process of making volunteer programs in NGOs. After two overseas volunteering activities, I was so interested in the practical processes and works in the office that I thought I would try working as an intern in an NGO. The most thing that I was curious about was how NGOs arrange meetings with influential people in political, educational, and economic circles. I was of course satisfied with working as a volunteer, but also the interest in making volunteer programs grew as I participated in projects.

Q. What were the activities that impressed you?

A.  The principle of volunteerism in SFP that ‘volunteering can resolve various issues’ was very new to me. Volunteering service is not just a sporadic activity that finishes when the volunteer helps the others. SFP develops programs that are focused on the volunteers and grow the leaders to expand the volunteering cultures, consequently keeping the volunteer projects continuous. I learned that any program would need definite ideas and aims to be achieved to see meaningful results and that we can solve issues through volunteering activities. 

One day, I followed the center manager, Suyeon Kim, to participate in the activity in which the manager teaches some North Korean refugees how to make natural soaps. In the programs, they not only made soaps, but also learned the ideas of volunteerism. Before actually making soaps, there was a ‘self-praise’ time. Every participant stood in front of the people and started to boast about himself. It was an amazing experience. The ‘self-praise’ time made me feel that every one of the participants were respected as an individual, not just a member of a group.
If they can use the skills that they learned from the programs to make soaps and expand it to business, they would solve the hardships of life. At the same time, I can solve the problems of having stereotypes about the North Korean refugees by participating in the programs together. The volunteering program, as a result, could solve many issues.

Q. What is the change you had after the internship?

A. The most memorable experience was when I worked as an interpreter and helper in an international event in which SFP co-worked with GPF. The international event was about Korea’s unification, and I was surprised to meet many influential people in various fields at one event. When I was a child, everyone was interested in the unification issues, and there were many essay writing contests or drawing contest whose subject was Korea’s unification. However, as the time goes by, the voices that shouted for unification became smaller, and the issue was almost forgotten to the people. But when I saw SFP proceeding the North Korea support projects, I could remind myself of the fact that unification is one of the most important issues to solve. The programs and the project impellers for the North were so impressive to me, since the hostility that we have against the North is rising furiously even now. The working experience in SFP gave me a motivation for reminding me of the unification issues.

Q. What is ‘volunteering’ to me?

     When I had the darkest times when everything went wrong and I felt myself useless, I had a chance to go to Cambodia as a volunteer. I was so enthusiastic that I slept only for 3 hours a day and worked for other people in Cambodia. I came to think of myself as a capable person again, and I could regain my self-regard. Also, when I was surrounded by the Cambodian children during the activities, I was healed by the unconditional love from the children. To me, volunteering is what grows me, what leads me to be a better person and what makes me exert good influence to the others.

     - SFP Korea intern JINREE JEON