Experience the Environmental Youth Exchange
Young people looking for an international work experience of a lifetime may want to apply for the Environmental Youth Exchange.
The program offers four Nova Scotians between the ages of 21 and 24 the chance to work on environmental projects inside the province and in St. Lucia as part of a cross-cultural exchange. The deadline for applications is March 26.
The program is a partnership between Nova Scotia Department of the Environment, Canadian Crossroads International and the government of St. Lucia. It introduces young people to environmental and cross-cultural issues, and bridges gaps between countries and communities.
"This is a great opportunity for young people to gain valuable skills for jobs in the environmental field, along with memorable cross-cultural experiences," said Environment Minister Michel Samson, who is also Minister responsible for the Youth Secretariat Act. "They'll learn about different approaches used to address environmental issues and understand firsthand that environmental issues know no boundaries."
Since 1997, youth from Nova Scotia and St. Lucia have lived and worked together as counterparts on environmental projects in each other's countries from mid-June to late October.
"The Environmental Youth Exchange program opened a whole new world to me," said Kimberly Sheppard, a Guysborough resident and a past participant. "No other form of travel could provide an experience so rich and so diverse, where you're completely immersed in other cultural learning far beyond the educational goals of the program.
"Every single day I'm amazed at the profound effect this experience has had on my life."
The Department of Environment's Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps oversees the program. Application details are available provincewide at Access Nova Scotia centres, Human Resources Development Canada employment centres, university and community college employment centres, and on the provincial government web site at www.gov.ns.ca/envi/dept/ess/ycc/
Applicants must be 21 to 24 years old, a permanent resident of Nova Scotia, and a member of a Nova Scotian family eager to host a St. Lucian counterpart.
For more information on how to apply, contact Heather Gordon at 902-424-4924 (e-mail: [email protected]), or telephone Anne-Marie Walsh of Canadian Crossroads International at 902-422-2933 (e-mail: [email protected]).