Summer Work Experience Program

1) SUMMER WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM

The First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP) is one of two programs that Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) administers under the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy (FNIYES).

The SWEP has the following objectives:
• To help youth acquire skills by providing wage subsidies for their summer work experience;
• To assist First Nations and Inuit secondary and post-secondary students in preparation for future entry into the labour market by enabling them to obtain employment experience;
• And to help students acquire employability skills, to support them in financing and furthering their education and to provide students with career and labour market information and assistance in finding summer or short-term employment.

Key expected outcomes/results of the Summer Work Experience Program are:
• Increased awareness of the benefits of education; and
• Enhanced employability skills for participating First Nations and Inuit youth.

Eligible participants are:
• First Nation and Inuit secondary and post-secondary students aged 15 to 30 inclusive;
• ordinarily resident on reserve or in recognized communities or on community lands;
• legally entitled to work in Canada; and
• registered as full-time students during the preceding academic year and who intend to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year.

Eligible expenditures include:
• Participant wages and mandatory employment-related costs; wage costs per participant will meet or exceed the applicable minimum wage in the province/territory where the work placement occurs;
• Other necessary costs directly related to a work placement, including (but not limited to): criminal record check, required uniforms, personal safety gear (e.g. work boots, safety hats) up to a maximum of $300 per participant;
• Actual cost for special equipment and facilities to accommodate the needs of a disabled individual up to a maximum of $3,000, if applicable

The non-profit sector is eligible to receive a contribution of up to 100% of the applicable wage, plus mandatory employment-related costs (MERC), while the private sector is eligible to receive up to 50% of the applicable wage. If the individual hired is disabled, any organization can receive 100% of the applicable wage and MERC and up to $3,000 to accommodate the needs of the disabled individual.

For more information: Click Here

 

2,3,4) SKILLS LINK PROGRAM INFORMATION
MENTORED WORK EXPERIENCE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND CAREERS PROMOTIONS AND AWARENESS

The First Nations and Inuit Skills Link Program (SLP) is one of two programs that Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) administers under the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy (FNIYES).

The SLP has the following objectives:
• To promote the benefits of education as key to labour market participation;
• To support the development and enhancement of essential employability skills among First Nation and Inuit youth (e.g. communication skills, problem solving and working with others);
• To introduce youth to a variety of career options;
• To help youth acquire skills by providing wage subsidies for mentored work experience;
• To support the provision of mentored school-based work and study opportunities (e.g. co-operative education and internships); and
• To help First Nation and Inuit youth overcome barriers to employment.

Key expected outcomes/results of the SLP are:
• Enhanced employability skills for participating First Nation and Inuit youth;
• Increased awareness of the benefits of education;
• Enhanced ability to make employment-related decisions;
• Increased appreciation for science and technology as a viable career/education choice;
• Improved attitudes toward the transition from school to work; and
• Increased ability of First Nation and Inuit youth to participate in the labour market.

Eligible participants include First Nations and Inuit youth ordinarily resident on reserve, in recognized communities or on community lands, who are legally entitled to work in Canada. Youth means persons aged 15 to 30 inclusive.

For career promotion and science and technology activities, youth may be younger than 15 years of age.

Mentored Work Placements
• Mentored work placements, including ICT, are for youth who are not in school, unemployed or underemployed.
• Youth may only participate once in the program and must complete their work by March 31 of the fiscal year in which funding is received.
• Participants must be paid a wage rate at or above the territorial minimum wage.
• The non-profit sector is eligible to receive a contribution of up to 100% of the applicable minimum wage, plus mandatory employment-related costs (MERC), while the private sector is eligible to receive up to 50% of the applicable minimum wage only.

• Where a participant with disabilities is hired, all employers are eligible to apply for 100% of the wage and MERC. In addition, a maximum contribution of $3,000 per participant may be available, on an actual cost basis, for special equipment and facilities to accommodate the participant’s needs.

For Mentored Work Placements, including ICT, eligible expenditures include:
• Participant wages and mandatory employment-related costs including the gross employee share of CPP, QPP, EI, vacation pay, WCB/CSST (Quebec) and where applicable, health insurance premiums. Wage costs per participant will meet or exceed the applicable minimum wage in the province/territory where the work placement occurs;
• Training experiences that support the acquisition of skills required for work placements may be included;
• Other necessary costs directly related to a proposed work placement including, but not limited to, criminal record check, required uniforms, and personal safety gear (e.g. work boots, safety hats, etc.) up to a maximum of $300 per participant;
• Actual costs for special equipment and facilities to accommodate the needs of a disabled participant, up to a maximum of $3,000 per participant;
• Participant costs such as living expenses, travel, room and board; and
• Dependent care for participants (documentation is required including a description of the type of arrangements available in the community if applicable).

For activities related to Career Planning and Promotion of Science and Technology, eligible expenditures include:
• Facility rental;
• Materials produced exclusively for students to promote specific careers, subjects, fields of study for (e.g. testimonials, biographies, etc.) but not including general program advertising;
• Honoraria and speaker fees;
• Transportation; and
• Admission and event fees for students and chaperones.

More information: Click Here

For more information about the Summer Work Experience Program please contact:

The ISC Wage Subsidy Application form can be found here Wage Subsidy Application PDF

Nanasee Onalik
Manager, Inuit Education and Training
Phone: 867-645-5760
Email: nanonalik@kivalliqinuit.ca