Work experience can be a difficult thing to find if you don’t already have some. But a new program is helping to change that.

The Government of Canada, through Human Resources Development Canada, and in partnership with the University of Guelph and the Junior Farmers Association of Ontario, is providing a unique opportunity for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 in rural Ontario. The Internship for Young Leaders (IYL) program was created in 1999, with funding from the Canadian Rural Partnership Pilot Projects Initiative, to contribute to the sustainability of rural communities by providing valuable work experience for young people and mentorship opportunities for local organizations.

Through the program, young people are mentored by a board director of one of several Ontario farm or rural organizations such as the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Cattlemen’s Association and the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board. In addition to classroom time, interns participate in discussions at board meetings as non-voting members, study the mandate of their sponsoring organization and carry out a special project about their organization. Program interns also attend three leadership development sessions, coordinated by the University, to discuss topics such as leadership, communications, networking, international trade and politics, interaction between rural organizations and government and much more.

In its first year, 24 interns graduated from the program, with seven receiving honours. The program is now nearing the end of its second year and is gearing up for year three. The program has been so successful that it was featured in the April 2000 Rural Canada Conference in Magog, Quebec, as one of the foremost opportunities for rural youth in Canada.

Farm and rural organizations benefit too. Not only do the interns contribute enthusiasm and new ideas to their workplace, but mentors also gain a host of skills to facilitate mentoring within their respective organizations. Kathryn Biondi, IYL Program Director, credits much of the program’s success to its mentoring component. “Mentoring creates a ‘win-win-win’ situation,” states Ms. Biondi. “The intern, the host organization and the rural community all benefit.”

Apart from ‘hands-on’ experience, interns are introduced to industry and government leaders - literally hundreds of contacts are made through the internship. These contacts are invaluable in helping young people make the transition from the classroom to securing that all-important first job. IYL Intern graduate James Mitchell agrees. “Anyone today will tell you how important networking is when it comes to looking for a job and the Internship for Young Leaders Program was an extraordinary opportunity to make those key contacts.”

MAKING THE CONNECTION

Conquering the barriers of distance and time, an Internet-based program is bringing children and family support organizations closer together. Funded by the Government of Canada, through the Canadian Rural Partnership, the Northern Ontario Web Networking Program allows for web conferencing and online messaging between representatives of Community Action Programs for Children and Canadian Pre Natal Nutrition Programs.

Through the program, which is a partnership between Health Canada, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and Ontario’s North for the Children, participants are able to network with each other and share resources, information, ideas and helpful tips. Through a WebBoard, they are also able to communicate online with organizations such as family resource centres, public health units, early childhood educators, Children’s Aid Societies and other groups.

Ms. Carmen Robillard, Executive Director of Our Children, Our Future/Nos enfants, notre avenir, has been overwhelmed by the tremendous growth of the project, which has grown into a province-wide initiative and attracted interest from other parts of the country. “I have received inquiries from interested parties in Manitoba and Atlantic Canada who wish to replicate our program in their regions,” she states. “They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so we are justifiably proud of our accomplishments.”

Tim Paquette, Young Fathers Group Facilitator, says “I’ve used the Web Board for about eight months and it has been easy to use. It makes accessing information and people a lot easier. I had no problems logging in for the first time and getting access to the conferences I needed.”

For more information

To find out more about this initiative, contact Carmen Robillard at (705) 677-0440, or via e-mail at bfutures@vianet.on.ca.

A SPIRIT OF COOPERATION

Providing local access to customized business information, pathfinding, counselling services and tools for Aboriginal businesses is a key component of a program which is supporting Aboriginal entrepreneurs in Ontario. The Aboriginal Business Service Network (ABSN), supported by the Government of Canada and a network of partners, has grown from a concept developed by FedNor’s Aboriginal Working Group, Aboriginal Business Canada and the Canada-Ontario Business Service Centre, to a pilot project, funded by the Canadian Rural Partnership, to a network of 15 sites across northern and southern Ontario.

The specific services of the ABSN include: providing information and/or guidance concerning business planning and operations; on-line access to information and data services; and access to a comprehensive library of business publications, resources and directories. In addition, information on the most frequently asked questions such as business registration and financial assistance, is available 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

Much of the success of the program can be attributed to the spirit of cooperation amongst local Network members, who share common goals, platforms and service standards. “This approach allows the ABSN and its members sites to work on behalf of all native people including Metis, non-status, off-reserve, First Nations and Inuit as well as Aboriginal women’s groups,” says Georgia Monague, ABSN Coordinator. “Since each of the member sites and organizations has its own areas of specialization, this breadth of knowledge and services is shared for the common benefit of all.”

Angel Maracle, Information Officer for Kagita Mikam Aboriginal Employment and Training echoes these sentiments. “Because we communicate regularly with other ABSN sites, we know where to go to access specialized information which complements our own. Being part of a network allows us to access the necessary expertise on behalf of our clients.”

For more information

To access the services of the ABSN, visit http://www.cbsc.org/ontario/ABSN/main_e.cfm, call 1-800-240-4192 or send an e-mail to: info@cobsc.org.

 
The Canadian Rural Partnership is the Government of Canada’s strategy for supporting development in rural and remote communities by adopting new approaches and practices to respond specifically to the needs of these communities.

For more information on how the Government of Canada is serving Canadians in rural and remote Ontario, call 1-888-781-2222 or visit http://www.rural.gc.ca.

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