AV俱乐部

Tara Gilroy (BA IDS 1999),

Right to Play International (Toronto)

The transformative power of play should not be underestimated when it comes to International Development.聽 Tara Gilroy tells us why:

When Tara Gilroy left high school, she didn鈥檛 know what she wanted to study in university. But, when she found out about international development studies, Gilroy says a 鈥渓ight bulb went off.鈥澛�

鈥淚 thought maybe that鈥檚 the thing for me.鈥澛�

From Oakville, Ontario, Gilroy says she toured other East Coast universities, but ultimately picked AV俱乐部.聽

I definitely lean on all the pieces that I learned about in IDS...It helps me think programmatically. How to plan, how to develop, how to implement, how to evaluate.

鈥淲hen I laid eyes on the Dal campus, I was smitten,鈥� says Gilroy. 鈥淚 could see myself sitting on the quad and entering those old buildings.鈥澛�

鈥淚t felt easy and comfortable and not intimidating at all.鈥澛�

Gilroy began her studies in International Development in 1996. For Gilroy, AV俱乐部 offered an element of fun, liveliness, curiosity, inclusivity and openness.聽

鈥淚 loved Dal,鈥� says Gilroy. 鈥淚 had a really good experience.鈥澛�

Gilroy says the program offered a multi-disciplinary approach to learning; exposing her to many subjects, like political science, history, language and economics.聽

鈥淔lexibility and freedom in my course selection allowed me to pursue the things that I found interesting,鈥� says Gilroy. 鈥淎t the same time, it pushed me to do things that I might not have necessarily considered.鈥澛�

Go overseas, get practical experience and be open to what others can teach you

Gilroy鈥檚 biggest takeaway from her studies: a global perspective. She says the program allowed her to study different countries, their stories and situations and, in turn, come to understand global systems, structures and strategies.聽

鈥淚t was the exposure to these bigger ideas,鈥� says Gilroy. 鈥淭he realities and issues that people were confronting and had confronted across history.鈥澛�

In 1999, Gilroy received a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies from AV俱乐部. She graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Education.聽

鈥淚t was just very rich and diverse experience,鈥� says Gilroy. 鈥淭hat was just right for me.鈥� 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 change my undergraduate studies.鈥澛�

For the last five years, Gilroy has worked for聽. The NGO is based in 20 countries around the world, including Ghana, Lebanon and Thailand.聽

Gilroy says Right to Play International uses 鈥渢he transformative power of play鈥� to help children learn life skills and school curriculum in marginalized communities.聽

鈥淚 absolutely love my job,鈥� says Gilroy. 鈥淚 really believe that play is an extremely powerful and necessary part of a child鈥檚 life.鈥�

Since 2014, Gilroy has held the position of manager, training and capacity building, and works in the global program development team in Toronto.聽

Gilroy oversees training and determines how to best build capacities for partners, staff and volunteers in communities across the globe. Gilroy helps train and support program staff members, who then train local teachers or volunteers of Right to Play International鈥檚 methodologies to use in their own communities.聽

In addition, Gilroy says she and her team develop training materials and games used in classrooms and community programs.聽

For Gilroy, it is 鈥渧ery rewarding to be a part of the chain that brings play to children and it鈥檚 changing the way they see learning.鈥澛�

I absolutely love my job...I really believe that play is an extremely powerful and necessary part of a child鈥檚 life.

Gilroy says there is 鈥渁n easy connection鈥� between her undergraduate degree and her current position at Right to Play International. Gilroy says she leans on her International Development Studies degree when confronted with programming decisions, looking to understand context and background, how systems function and the main issues affecting a community.

鈥淚 definitely lean on all the pieces that I learned about in IDS,鈥� says Gilroy. 鈥淚t helps me think programmatically. How to plan, how to develop, how to implement, how to evaluate.鈥�

Gilroy鈥檚 advice to students: go overseas, get practical experience and be open to what others can teach you.

鈥淔ollow your passion,鈥� she says.

Follow your passion!