We are now in the week ahead of the Summit, which occurs next Tuesday and Wednesday. Finally, we are gearing up for the big days! This week, an assignment for the Workshop Working Group is run a full-length rehearsal for each of the workshops we’ve been coordinating this summer. These are very important – the last check prior to the live summit – so is a high-priority task this week.

I had a bit of a bump in the road with the run-through for the youth-led workshop on gender-based violence. I’ve struggled a bit with the communications with the three girls leading this workshop from our first meeting, when only one of the three were in attendance. As these workshops are run by the girls for other girls, I have been trusting the girls have been working collaboratively to coordinate their workshop and would let me know if there were any issues. Our last check-in call, the week before last, was productive – all three girls were on the call and communicative about their progress. In scheduling this call, I heard from two of the girls about time constraints, and we found a mutually productive time. Additionally, three members of the Girl Up team generously offered to join the run-through and provide feedback and advice on the workshop – since it is such a sensitive topic, they wanted to ensure it was in great shape, and that nothing could be construed as potentially triggering. The run-through also provides an opportunity for the girls to practice on HopIn, the software program used for the Summit.

At our pre-decided time, none of the girls joined the meeting. I was panicking! And I felt horrible that three Girl Up team members were sitting with me waiting for the girls. I hadn’t heard anything about delays or technical difficulties from the girls prior, so I was really surprised that they weren’t in attendance. After ten or so minutes, one of the girls appeared on the software as viewing the event – demonstrating that she was in the test workshop, even if we couldn’t see or hear her. I heard from one of the other two girls that her internet wouldn’t let her connect to the meeting – a totally reasonable and understandable issue, but something that sent fear into my heart – what if this same problem persisted on the actual day of the workshop? The third girl was completely radio silent during the rehearsal, which also worried me. We rescheduled the rehearsal for Monday the following week (the day before Summit, and two days before the workshop), but I sat down with my manager and the other Program Coordinator running the Workshop Working Group, and we agreed on a backup plan – if the girls didn’t show up and seem ready on Monday, we would pull the plug and cancel the workshop. While it would be really disappointing if a major component of my internship this summer doesn’t end up happening, it’s good to have the backup plan in case the girls are not prepared, especially since this workshop is on such a sensitive topic.

I continue to be invited to greater UN Foundation events – which is nice to feel like I am part of a greater whole. I have worked at and with small nonprofit organizations before, and Girl Up is relatively small itself, so it’s interesting to get the experience of the interconnected organization that Girl Up exists within. The UN Foundation is a really interesting venture, since it is a very large org with international reach and goals, but Girl Up feels like a smaller nonprofit – albeit with greater influence.

I was also paired with another intern as part of an intern coffee chat, which I appreciated as the remote intern lifestyle can at times be a little isolating. It’s nice to have the interpersonal connection with someone in the exact same boat. I am really looking forward to the Summit next week, and then my opportunity to go into the office in-person the following week!