NYGEP is a Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) initiative, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, that is helping to produce new leaders in conservation.
Throughout the five-month part-time program, participants will have access to learning opportunities in these environmental career pathways:
- Ecological Restoration
- Water Management
- Green Energy/Green Building
- Environmental Education
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
- Must be 18 to 29 years of age
- Interested in learning about careers in the environmental sector
- Must be a newcomer to Canada1
- 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 person who entered Canada through the Live-in Caregiver Program and holds or has received approval for a work permit under section 112 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act OR has received initial approval for permanent residence2
Canadian citizens are not eligible.
Persons who hold only a work permit or student visa are not eligible.
PROGRAM DATES
Fall 2021 cohort:
October 16, 2021 to March 12, 2022 (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.
Job Search & Corporate Culture Training:
Eight half-day virtual 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:
October 16, 23 and 30, November 6, 13, 20 and 27, and December 4, 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
In-Person and Virtual Fieldtrips and Site Visits:
To Alderville First Nation and green education sites such as TRCA’s Kortright Centre for Conservation.
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:
- An Introduction to First Nations: Iroquoian peoples living around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin
- 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 will be invited to community led workshops, social outings and virtual meetings, as well as 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.
ATTEND A NYGEP INFORMATION WEBINAR
The NYGEP 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 for an Information Webinar
QUESTIONS? DIFFICULTIES WITH YOUR APPLICATION?
Please contact:
Zar Aufi
Coordinator, Newcomer Youth Green Economy Project
Email: zahran.aufi@trca.ca