Young Canada Works

The Department of Canadian Heritage is continuing to take action to support Canada's Youth Employment Strategy. Working with employers, sponsors and delivery organizations since 1996, Young Canada Works (YCW) provides wage subsidies to help secondary and post-secondary students access summer work experience in key cultural and heritage sectors. YCW also provides internships for college and university graduates who need some assistance to enhance their skills and career prospects. The students hired under YCW can bring some of their innovative ideas and their enthusiasm to help reach workplace goals.

Eligibility Criteria

Financially healthy Canadian companies, institutions and organizations.

Summary

Young Canada Works sponsors three summer job programs:

• YCW for Aboriginal Urban Youth;
• YCW in Heritage Organizations; and
• YCW in Both Official Languages.

Young Canada Works also sponsors two internship programs for unemployed and underemployed college or university graduates:

• YCW at Building Careers in Heritage; and
• YCW at Building Careers in English and French.

Summer Job Programs
YCW for Aboriginal Urban Youth
Employers are Aboriginal centres, provincial and territorial associations associated with the National Association of Friendship Centres, and Aboriginal Youth Council affiliated with the National Association of Friendship Centres. The advantage to employers is that they can gain access to a group of students with skills specifically related to their needs. In turn, up to 300 students get a chance to exercise their skills and gain experience in their fields. The duration is 6 to 16 weeks.

YCW in Heritage Organizations
Employers are organizations working in the cultural heritage sector, including national, provincial/territorial, municipal or community level non-profit* museums, archives, libraries and other related organizations or educational institutions, businesses; some provincial and territorial departments and agencies, and the following Crown corporations: Canada Development Investment Corporation, Canada Post Corporation and Royal Canadian Mint. Students acquire employability and career related skills. In turn, organizations access funding to offer students 6 to 16 weeks summer jobs that engage them in promoting understanding and appreciation of Canada's achievements and in showcasing Canada.

YCW in Both Official Languages
Employers are private companies, public sector organizations, non-profit organizations, some provincial and territorial departments and agencies, and the following Crown corporations: Canada Development Investment Corporation, Canada Post Corporation and Royal Canadian Mint. Employers or promoters access funding to strategically link up to 1 000 college and university students for 6 to 16 week innovative summer job opportunities, allowing them to work in their second official language or in both official languages. They help students acquire employability and career related skills. In turn, organizations gain assistance in their work from students who come to the job with competitive skills in English and French.

Internship Programs
YCW at Building Careers in Heritage
Employers and host organizations are established Canadian companies, institutions and organizations engaged in cultural and heritage activities in Canada and outside Canada. These include but are not limited to: museums, archives, library, historic sites and heritage buildings, educational institutions, theatres, arts organizations, multimedia companies, zoos, botanical gardens and natural parks; teaching institutions, some provincial and territorial departments and agencies, and the following Crown corporations: Canada Development Investment Corporation, Canada Post Corporation and Royal Canadian Mint. Employers or promoters access partial funding to link the graduates to internships in Canada and abroad from 4 to 12 consecutive months with a range of opportunities to help them make the transition to heritage, arts and cultural sectors. In turn, sponsors gain help to optimize their own productivity and networking.

YCW at Building Careers in English and French
Employers or sponsors are established Canadian companies, institutions and organizations engaged in activities involving Canada's linguistic duality, its services and products, such as language schools, publishers, educational organizations, translation enterprises, visual and performing arts organizations, film and video companies, and cultural and heritage firms and services, and industries in official language minority communities. Employers or promoters access funding to link university and college graduates strategically to internships in sectors related to culture, heritage, tourism or Canada's official languages. They help participants build advanced skills or earn to pay their advanced studies. In turn, employers/sponsors gain help to optimize their own productivity and networking.

How to Apply
Employers may download the application forms at the Young Canada Works Web site.

Note: "non-profit" also known as nonprofit organizations, non profit organizations, not-for-profit organizations, voluntary organizations and volunteer organizations.

Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Contact(s):
See National Contact.

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National Contact(s):
Government Enquiry Centre
Young Canada Works
Government of Canada
47 Clarence Street, 3rd floor
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0S5
Fax: 1-800-585-5336
Toll-free (information): 1-800-935-5555
Toll-free (publications): 1-800-635-7943
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-465-7735
Web site: http://www.pch.gc.ca/ycw-jct/html/welcome_e.htm