Natalene Sim

Natalene is an undergraduate student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program at McMaster University. Natalene's main interests include improving supports and services for marginalized groups, particuarly those with disabilities. She currently works as a program assistant at a Respite program for individuals with disabilities and volunteers as a Logistics Director for a non-profit that aims to provide accessible programming for youth with disabilities as well as educate on topics in disability studies. Natalene is also excited to be co-president of the McMaster Sign Language Club this year, where she hopes to facilitate learning of American Sign Language as well as break misconceptions about Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities.

As a Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) awardee, Natalene will be traveling to South Africa to work with the South Africa Center for Evidence (SACE) and the National Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation (DPME). Natalene will be working on a joint project that aims to synthesize evidence on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and will also be engaging with GBV stakeholders. During her internship, she aims to develop her understanding of health systems and policy-making processes in South Africa, strengthen her cultural competency skills, and build global connections. Natalene looks forward to learning from both the DPME and SACE teams, and from her experiences in South Africa.