Indigenous Youth Employment Program

The Indigenous Youth Employment Program is for Indigenous folks (First Nations/Métis/Inuk) aged 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 10 weeks of workshops (3 days per week), followed by an 8-week 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

• In-person workshops
• Workshops include: Resume and cover letter writing, interview skills, job searching, mentor speakers, guest facilitators, and wholistic life-skill building workshops, financial literacy, cultural workshops, and optional certification training

Phase 2: Practicum Placement

• 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
• Minimum wage

Financial supports

• GROCERY GIFT CARDS provided each week
• 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
  • $200 Honorarium for completing Phase 1
  • $350 Honorarium for attaining employment/starting training/going back to school
  • $350 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, 8 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 Sunrise Welcome Place Settlement Services (2728 E Hastings St, 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 iyep@froghollow.bc.ca with “IYEP INQUIRY” for more info, or to be notified of next cycle application openings.