The fall 2020 program is full!
Applications for the spring 2021 program are now being accepted.
The Newcomer Youth Green Economy Project (NYGEP) is a TRCA initiative, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, that helps to support newcomer youth interested in careers in the environmental sector by providing access to field trips, experiential learning opportunities, and job skills training.
Throughout the five-month part-time program, participants will have access to learning opportunities in the following environmental career pathways:
• Ecological restoration
• Water management
• Green energy/green building
• Environmental education
Quick Links
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
- Must be 18 to 29 years of age and reside in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
- Interested in learning about careers in the environmental sector
- Must be a newcomer to Canada*
- Must be any of the following:
- A permanent resident of Canada
- Conditionally approved for permanent residence
- A protected person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)
- A convention refugee selected for resettlement in Canada by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- A live-in caregiver who holds or has received approval of a work permit under section 112 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act OR has received initial approval for permanent residence
*Canadian citizens are not eligible.
PROGRAM DATES
Spring 2021 cohort: April 17, 2021 to August 31, 2021 (Cohort is five months long)
WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE?
Professional Project Placements:
Participants will be placed with a host employer in one of the four environmental career pathways (see above) for an experiential learning opportunity. The host employer will provide a mentor who will guide a group of participants (per career pathway) through completion of a real-world project.
Travel Reimbursement:
Participants will receive a stipend for their participation in the project to offset travel costs. This will be provided at the end of the program, pending successful attendance and participation.
Job Search & Corporate Culture Training:
Eight half-day workshops in which you will learn about corporate culture and job search skills in the environmental sector. You will prepare your resumé and perfect your interview skills.
Training is delivered one Saturday per week over the first two months of the program.
Dates: April 17 and 24, May 1, 8, 15, and 29, June 5 and 12, 2021
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Online Training:
Participants will receive 10 hours of TRCA online training on job search, corporate culture, and communication. Topics include:
- Occupational and labour market research
- Resumé and cover letter formatting and targeting
- Making a good first impression
- Networking
- Teamwork
- Interview/presentation skills
- Performance management
Three Field Trips:
To Alderville First Nation and TRCA education sites.
Employment Coaching:
Six hours of one-on-one employment coaching will be provided to assist participants with job search, applications, and interviews.
Indigenous Learning:
Presentations:
(1) An Introduction to First Nations: Iroquoian peoples living around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin
(2) The Contact Period: European colonization and its impact on the Indigenous people of Canada
The following groups were consulted in the development of these presentations:
- Peel Aboriginal Network
- Native Canadian Centre of Toronto
- Woodland Cultural Centre & Mohawk Institute Residential School
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Community Connections:
Participants and their families will be invited to TRCA-led community events/workshops for free. Events offered include:
- Winter Bird Count at Tommy Thompson Park
- Urban Birds and Citizen Science
- Gardening with Native Plants
- Sustainable Balcony Gardening
- Morningside Creek Planting event
Black Creek Pioneer Village Family Day: Participants and their families will be invited to a free tour of Black Creek Pioneer Village, where they can experience Ontario’s rich rural heritage by exploring an authentic re-creation of a 19th century rural village.
Networking:
Participants will attend a networking event with a local environmental meetup group such as Green Drinks Toronto or Blue Drinks Toronto.
These groups provide opportunities for a wide variety of people interested in the environmental and water sectors to meet and share experiences and ideas, including representatives of NGOs, academics, students, and employees from the public and private sectors.
NYGEP Information Webinar
Our team is hosting a series of webinars to give applicants more information about the Newcomer Youth Green Economy Project and provide an opportunity to ask questions.
You can sign up for a webinar by entering your details in the form below. Please select the earliest session that is convenient for you. Once the program is full, the remaining webinars may be cancelled.
You will be sent a reminder 24 hours before your webinar begins.
REGISTER NOW:
HOW TO APPLY
COMPLETE THE NYGEP APPLICATION FORM
It should take less than 30 minutes to fill out the application.
When completing your application, you will be required to upload your resumé. You will not be able to save a draft of your application and return to it later, so please have your resumé on hand.
Once you submit the form, you should see a message on your screen thanking you for your NYGEP application. This message is confirmation that your form has been successfully received.
QUESTIONS? DIFFICULTIES WITH YOUR APPLICATION?
Please contact:
Zar Aufi
Coordinator, Newcomer Youth Green Economy Project
Phone: (437) 239-2019
Email: zahran.aufi@trca.ca
MENTOR RECRUITMENT
Are you looking to gain leadership and mentor skills? We are in search of industry professionals employed in green careers who are willing to virtually share their work experience to a small group of NYGEP participants!
You must be available to host a small information session (virtually or in person) about your line of work, company, and career journey, and to assign a real-world project to participants.
Interested? Please select the Apply Now button below to complete an application form, or contact Zar at Zahran.Aufi@trca.ca for more information.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If COVID-19 social distancing continues in 2021, will you still run the program?
Yes, the program will still run online.
Where will training be held?
Training will be held at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) head office at 101 Exchange Avenue in Vaughan, and at other locations across the GTA, all accessible by public transit. Staff will provide more information once you apply.
Will I get a job after completing this program? How will NYGEP benefit me?
The program is designed to be a career accelerator. The goal of NYGEP is to create a clear career path through learning about the opportunities in the environmental sector, participating in field work for real-world experience, and making professional and community connections. When the program concludes, you will be presented with a certificate of achievement for your successful completion of NYGEP.
How much time do I need to commit to the program?
NYGEP is a part-time program. You will need to be able to commit to approximately one session per week for three hours (for the first two months of the program), with training on Saturdays and some weekdays for field trips and project placements. Coaching services will be delivered during the last three months of the cohort, from Monday to Friday.
Is there a fee for the program?
There is no fee to participate in NYGEP.
Will I receive an e-mail from NYGEP confirming that you have received my application?
Yes, you will receive an e-mail confirmation that your application has been received by program staff.
If I live outside of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) can I still participate in the program?
All program activities take place in the GTA. If you can commit to participating in the program and you are located within reasonable distance from the GTA (approximately one hour), your application will be considered.
When can I expect to be informed about the status of my application?
We thank all applicants for their interest. You will be contacted regarding your application within one week of applying.
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