Anne Larrass thinks globally with Care Canada
By Lisa Van De Ven
At one time, Anne Larrass saw her future at the front of a classroom. Then it was journalism, with hopes of becoming a travel writer. But she always knew she wanted to make a difference in the world.
As Communications Officer for CARE Canada, and one of the faces behind its offshoot YouthCARE, Larrass has managed to combine all her dreams into one: visiting schools with CARE to highlight issues of poverty worldwide, writing about the organization’s projects and travelling the world in her communications role. All in all, Anne has successfully dedicated her life to a worthwhile cause.
“The job description combined every single one of my interests,” says Larrass, who started
at CARE in a six-month internship role after
finishing university. “I didn’t even apply for any other jobs—I didn’t want any other job. It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for sure.”
The 29-year-old—who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in French Literature from the University of Victoria, and with a
degree in Journalism from King’s College at Dalhousie University in Halifax—has been with CARE ever since, traveling to places such as Indonesia, East Timor and most recently Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. She was also key in the creation of YouthCARE along with former MuchMusic VJ Jennifer Hollett. During the spring of 2006, the two traveled to high schools across Canada to show film footage highlighting poverty in Kenya. Later, she travelled alongside another former VJ, Hannah Sung, to capture footage in Indonesia and East Timor before speaking to approximately 30,000 teens across the Maritimes and Ontario about her travels.
“The students loved it,” says Larass, who spent most of her high school years in Germany, arriving at E.L. Crossley Secondary School in Fonthill, Ontario for her final year. “It’s hard for teachers to talk about issues because they don’t have the money to fly to these countries.”
CARE CANADA
Established in 1946, CARE Canada’s mission is to introduce long-term development programs to the world’s poorest communities and to assist in relief programs in the aftermath of natural disasters and social unrest. The organization looks to strengthen the capacity for self-help in communities of need, attempts to influence policy decisions, raises awareness and provides economic opportunity when possible. Visit care.ca for more info.
Getting Involved
Looking to pursue a career that gets you involved with international issues? Larass says there are a few things you can do now:
- Keep in touch with what’s going on in the world
Watch or read the news. Check out the latest documentaries. - Volunteer in your community
Prior experience at a local level will offer proof to a hiring committee that you’ve shown interest in something larger than yourself. - Look into internships
The Canadian International Development Agency posts opportunities for youth 19 and up at acdi-cida.gc.ca.
