The Newcomer Youth Green Economy Project (NYGEP) is a powerful opportunity for newcomer youth ages 18-35 to start or advance a career in the Canadian environmental sector and grow professionally through job skills training, networking, experiential group projects with host employers, mentorship, and field trips.

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 RESTORATON

WATER MANAGEMENT

GREEN ENERGY/ GREEN BUILDING

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Quick Links

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

• Must be 18 to 35 years of age
• Interested in learning about careers in the environmental sector
• Must be a newcomer to Canada¹
• Must be any of the following:
  1. A permanent resident of Canada
  2. Conditionally approved for permanent residence
  3. A protected person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)
  4. A convention refugee selected for resettlement in Canada by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
  5. 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
  6. A Ukrainian temporary resident and/or the dependent of such (eligible until March 31, 2024)

¹Canadian citizens are not eligible.
²Persons who hold only a work permit or student visa are not eligible.

PROGRAM DATES

Spring 2024 cohort:
May 4, 2024 to September 28, 2024 (Cohort is five months long)

WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE?

Experiential Group Project Placements:
Participants will be placed with a host employer in one of the four environmental career pathways (below) to gain Canadian environmental sector work experience. The host employer will provide a mentor who will guide the working group through completion of a real-world project.

Environmental Career Pathways

	Green Energy involves working with renewable natural resources. Green building is a resource-efficient method of construction that produces healthier buildings which have less impact on the environment.
	Ecological Restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded.
	Water Management is planning, developing, distributing, and managing the optimum use of water resources.
	Environmental Education involves teaching about how natural systems work, and how we can manage behaviour and ecosystems to create a more sustainable future.

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.

Training is delivered one Saturday per week.

Dates:
May 4, 11, and 25, June 1, 8, 15, and 22, and July 6, 2024

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 Field Trips:
We host a number of educational field trips* per cohort to learn about the local natural environment, career pathways, and to build community connections. Trips include:

• Kortright Centre for Conservation
• Alderville First Nation Ecology Centre
• Claremont Nature Centre
• Camping
• Hiking
• Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre (Virtual)

*Trips are subject to change based on availability.

Employment Coaching:
Six hours of one-on-one employment coaching will be provided to assist participants with job search, applications, and interviews.

Indigenous Education Workshops:
Presentations:

1. Indigenous Peoples in Canada
   Participants will learn about the various Indigenous peoples and nations across Canada prior to European contact.
2. The Contact Period ~ European Arrival in the New World
   Travel through the history of the New World with a focus on the early history of North America. Participants will learn about European colonization and its impact on the Indigenous peoples of Canada.

The following groups were consulted in the development of these presentations:

• The Indigenous 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 to meet and share experiences and ideas with representatives of NGOs, academics, students, and employees from the public and private sectors, and others.

Testimonials

Attend a 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 FOR A WEBINAR NOW:

Information webinars are available for the following dates and times:

HOW TO APPLY FOR NYGEP

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
Email: nygep@trca.ca

MENTOR RECRUITMENT

Canada needs green professionals to help cultivate the next generation of conservationists.

If you are an environmental professional willing to share your experience and knowledge, please click Apply Now and submit an application, or contact Zar at zahran.aufi@trca.ca for more information.

APPLY NOW

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How has the program been adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic?
The NYGEP program is hybrid, meaning that it takes place both online and in the field, while observing all corporate, federal, and provincial directives pertinent to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most in-person activities are livestreamed to allow participants to tune in remotely if necessary.

Where will training be held?
Training sessions are held virtually, with some in-person meetings, events, field trips, and site visits that are often livestreamed for remote access.

Will I get a job after completing this program? How will NYGEP benefit me?
NYGEP is a career accelerator. The goal of NYGEP is to create a clear career path by learning about the opportunities in the environmental sector, participating in field work for real-world experience, receiving job skills training, working alongside experienced mentors, and making professional and community connections.

When the program concludes, you will be presented with a certificate of completion.

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 are no fees to participate in NYGEP. Your enrollment is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

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?
NYGEP uses a hybrid learning model, so living in the GTA is not a requirement to participate. All in-person activities will take place in the GTA and will often be livestreamed for remote access.

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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