Even More to Appreciate – Lydia’s internship learning 4 years later

We were honored to welcome Lydia Tamrat to our team as an intern several years ago. Those of you connected to Advoz lately may remember Lydia who interned through the Shalom Project. Lydia stood out as a rock-star intern, excelling in nearly every aspect of the work. In a recent email exchange, Lydia shared her excitement with taking a new role as a mediation coordinator and offered the following reflection on the training and preparation she gained at Advoz:

”My time at Advoz was instrumental in shaping my career in conflict resolution. After leaving Advoz, I pursued a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Management in Israel, and now work as a Mediation Coordinator in Ireland. I share this to emphasize that, throughout my career, I have not experienced training as thorough, clear, and helpful as the ones I received at Advoz. Whether in academic or professional settings, I often refer back to the trainings I received at Advoz as key reference points. It is undeniable that a great deal of time and effort has been put into developing the training programs at Advoz, and they have been finely tailored to meet the needs of trainees.”

“In both my staff and facilitator roles at Advoz, I was consistently encouraged to grow and reflect- something I’ve carried with me both in my personal and professional life. Even as a new staff member, I was urged to think creatively and share my ideas. Advoz was always focused on growth and open to new perspectives, which helped me find my voice and appreciate the perspective I can bring to my conflict resolution work. This mindset has influenced me to regularly step back to reflect on my current work and on the best ways to continue serving my community.”