Our mandate

QPID’s Mandate consists of two equally important aspects:

Education – To inspire awareness and action on international and development related issues through the promotion of diverse views, well-researched information and innovative possibilities. QPID works to provide a positive environment for critical dialogue, while empowering socially conscious choice within Queen’s campus, the Kingston community, and beyond

Summer Internships – In cooperation with host partners, QPID sends students on summer internships that provide an encouraging environment for development in marginalized communities. QPID works on mutually beneficial projects that are desired by the community, and have the capacity to make long term contributions to the quality of life. We believe that providing student knowledge and skill sets is the most valuable when accompanied by cross-cultural learning and reciprocity between QPID interns and host communities. Through this exchange, interns are giving a chance to gain appreciation for the complexities of development and the importance of active citizenship. 

Guiding Principles:

QPID’s five guiding principles reflect considerations made in both daily operations and long term planning. We seek to fulfill our mandate by:

Translating our Beliefs into Action – Central to our beliefs is the notion that small contributions can make a meaningful difference. We seek to have long-term impacts by applying student knowledge, creativity, and enthusiasm to our Canadian and international internships.

Promoting Social and Environmental Responsibility – In all our efforts, QPID is guided by values of justice, equality, and ecological sustainability. This applies to all aspects of our daily operations, campaigns and summer internships.

Valuing Diversity – Effecting change requires that we respect all points of view. Although QPID has a long history within the Queen’s Engineering Society, we have developed an interdisciplinary approach that includes education, gender issues, health, technology, and the environment as important aspects of development. We value diversity in opportunities, perspectives, and our membership.

Remaining Student-Run and Volunteer-Driven – QPID is committed to providing students with opportunities for experiential learning in development-related work and activism. While we are student-run, we do maintain a high degree of professionalism, transparency, and accountability.

Being Reflective and Responsive – QPID strives for rigorous self-evaluation. Through a dynamic and critical approach, we can better adapt to the challenges we face as an organization.

What makes a QPID member?

A QPID member is someone who ascribes to a nonjudgmental, holistic, critical and multifaceted approach to development. QPID members are responsible for creating a welcoming venue for collaboration among students and members of our host communities to share knowledge and promote development consciousness. A QPID member must have a genuine interest in exploring issues in international and community development and as such is encouraged to use QPID as a vehicle for expressing those interests. All QPID members are required to engage in such issues during QPID Forum, a once a week meeting where students and members have the opportunity to discuss relevant QPID decisions, listen to speakers on selected topics and engage with critical development issues. All QPID members must recognize that they are a part of a larger family, and as such have a responsibility to one another to engage at Forum and meetings on a regular and consistent basis. 

Like everyone in QPID, QPID Executives are QPID members first, upholding the beliefs and standards of QPID both internally and externally.  QPID Executive members hold additional professional responsibilities to ensure fluid success of the organization.

As a member of the executive, QPID volunteers dedicate countless hours towards organizational operations.  Beyond their separate responsibilities as described below, executive members are also expected to attend general meetings and executive meetings. Executive members are responsible for upholding QPID’s values and mandate. In the spirit of being reflective, this may involve challenging the dominant interpretations of QPID’s mandate and how it is executed. Another very important role for all executive members is to assist in proper transitioning from year to year via maintenance of contact databases and good transition reports.  As representatives of QPID, the executives are expected to operate in a highly professional manner.