Our next cohort will start April 22, 2024
Applications are now closed for Spring Summer 2024 Cycle 12
Indigenous Youth Employment Program
TWO CYCLES PER YEAR
- Spring-Summer (mid-April to late August/early September) – applications open February & March
- Fall-Winter (mid-October to late February/early March) – applications open August & September
The Indigenous Youth Employment Program is for First Nations/Métis/Inuk youth 16-29 who are looking to gain foundational holistic employment skills and experience.
Participants can expect a small in-person group setting (6-8 participants per cohort) over the course of 8 weeks of workshops (3 days per week), followed by a 3-month paid practicum placement with a trusted Community Partner employer.
Throughout the program, participants receive weekly 1-1 staff support as needed, paid transit passes and grocery allowance for each month, honorariums for attendance in workshops, financial support for additional certificates (such as FoodSafe, First Aid, etc), and an opportunity to participate in a program other Indigenous youth.
Workshops are presented on a holistically-oriented range of topics including pre-employment and employment readiness, life skills & strategies (stress-management, mindfulness practices, communication skills), financial literacy, art therapy, and cultural workshops led by Indigenous knowledge keepers such as beading, salve-making, and cedar weaving to name a few. As participants phase out of their placements they are invited to work with a dedicated Employment Counsellor at Drive Youth Employment Services to continue their employment, career-searching, or education/training.
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Phase 1: Workshops (8 weeks)
- In-person workshops
- 3 days/week Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 10am-3pm
- does not include statutory holidays
- there is a break week after the first 4 weeks of program
- 1hr lunch 12-1pm
- Workshops include: Resume and cover letter writing, interview skills, job searching, mentor speakers, guest facilitators, and holistic life-skill building workshops including techniques for anxiety management, financial literacy, cultural workshops, and mindfulness practices
Phase 2: Practicum Placement (3 months)
- Practicum Placement flexibility of choice: Participants can choose from existing list of past placement options (community partners), or can work with IYEP Team to choose something more specific to their career goals;
- Paid Practicum Placement: we try our best to pair participants with a local employment partner on a schedule that fits their individual needs, skills, and interest of each participant;
- 21 hours per week for 3 months/12 weeks;
- Minimum wage;
Financial supports
- GROCERY GIFT CARDS provided each month;
- TRANSIT PASSES covered each month participant is in program for Phase 1 PLUS 3 additional months for placement/employment/training;
- HONORARIUMS
- Honorarium provided for each day attended in Phase 1;
- $500 Honorarium for completing Phase 1;
- $500 Honorarium for attaining employment/starting training/going back to school;
- $500 Honorarium for completing 3 months of work/training, or a combination of the two.
- $500 per participant towards additional supports for participant (work wear/clothes/shoes, glasses, eye appointments, hair cuts, child care, cell phone bills, etc);
- Paid practicum placement: min wage for approx. 21 hr/week, 12 weeks.
Eligibility
- a Canadian, permanent resident or protected person legally entitled to work in Canada;
- Unemployed or Precariously Employed;
- First Nations/Métis/Inuk (or a combination);
- aged 16 to 29 (inclusive) at the time of intake into the Project;
- not receiving duplicative financial supports from another provincially or federally funded labour market program;
- able to attend in-person workshops at Drive Youth Employment Services, located at 2106 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Pre-screening interviews will be conducted with potential participants in the weeks before program.
Application will remain open until cohort full
Funding provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement.
E-mail tasha@froghollow.bc.ca with “IYEP INQUIRY” for more info, or to be added to application email list.