First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program

First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program

The First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program aims to provide meaningful summer employment opportunities for First Nations and Inuit youth to develop critical skills and gain work experience. This program offers wage subsidies to organizations, allowing them to hire youth and help prepare them for future career endeavors.

Detailed Explanation of the First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program

The First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program is a significant initiative under the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy. It is designed to offer summer employment opportunities for First Nations and Inuit youth, enabling them to gain critical work experience and develop essential skills such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. Through this program, youth can explore various career options, earn an income to support their higher education, and enhance their employability for future job markets.

Program Objectives

The main objectives of the First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program are multifaceted:

• To help First Nations and Inuit secondary and post-secondary students acquire employability skills by subsidizing wages for their summer work experience.
• To facilitate access to summer employment opportunities for these students, thus helping them prepare for future entry into the labor market.
• To provide career and labor market information and assistance in finding summer employment.
• To support their academic endeavors by enabling them to earn an income that can contribute to their university or college education.

The program is designed to ensure that employment opportunities directly contribute to the students' career development and academic growth.

Who Can Apply

The program is open to various organizations that can facilitate summer work experiences for First Nations and Inuit youth. Eligible applicants include:

• First Nations schools or federal schools on reserve
• First Nations and Inuit governments and organizations
• Not-for-profit associations
• Private sector employers

These organizations can apply for funding to offer employment opportunities directly to youth or form agreements with private and non-profit sector employers to provide such opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria for Youth Participants

To participate in the program, youth must meet specific eligibility criteria:

• They must be First Nations secondary or post-secondary students ordinarily residing on reserve or in a recognized community, or Inuit secondary or post-secondary students residing in Canada but outside their territory and ineligible for funding from their territory.
• Eligible youth must be legally entitled to work in Canada.
• They should be aged 15 to 30 at the start of the program's activities.
• Youth must have been registered as secondary or post-secondary students during the preceding academic year and intend to continue their education in the upcoming academic session.
• Ordinarily resident on reserve means that youth live on reserve, do not maintain a primary residence off reserve, and may be temporarily off reserve primarily to seek education.

These criteria ensure that the program targets those who are most likely to benefit from the work experience and the financial support it provides.

Funding Details

Successful applicants can receive considerable financial support to facilitate these work experiences:

• Not-for-profit organizations may be eligible to receive funding to cover up to 100% of wage costs and mandatory employment-related costs.
• Private sector employers may be eligible to receive funding to cover up to 50% of wage costs and mandatory employment-related costs.

This funding support is intended to make it easier for organizations to participate in the program and provide meaningful employment opportunities to youth.

Application Process

While the call for proposals for the 2024 to 2025 period is now closed, understanding the application process is essential for future submissions. Applicants must submit detailed proposals outlining the activities to be undertaken and how they align with the program's objectives. Specific requirements for proposals include:

• Meeting the National First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy Summer Work Experience Program guidelines
• Ensuring gender balance in the proposed activities
• Detailed explanations of how the activities will meet the program's objectives
• Outline of expected results and achievements
• Demonstrating that assistance will be provided only to eligible participants
• Providing an estimate of related costs, including those shared with partners

The proposed placement must provide a minimum of 80 hours of work per participant. Proposals are reviewed and approved by the ISC regional office or the managing First Nations or Inuit organization for their member communities.

Contact and Additional Information

For those interested in future opportunities or seeking more information about the program, several resources are available. Applicants with access to the ISC Services Portal can submit their proposals through the portal. For those without portal access, the ISC Regional office should be contacted. Detailed guidelines and additional information can be found in the National Program Guidelines for the respective years. This program represents a substantial effort to support the employment and educational advancement of First Nations and Inuit youth, ensuring they have the opportunities and support necessary to succeed in their future careers. By providing meaningful summer employment opportunities, the program helps bridge the gap between education and employment, facilitating a smoother transition for youth into the labor market.