Youth Corps Program Receives Award

The Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps has received the Yellow Star Award from the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development(CEED) for successfully introducing environmental concepts to young entrepreneurs.

The Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps provides students with an opportunity to work in the province's environmental industry.

The award was given because of the work two corps members performed for CEED's Open for Business Program this summer. Joanne Firth and Patricia-Lynn Tower established workshops on greening your business, developed recycling games and activities for children and performed a waste management audit for CEED that led to positive recycling practices at the office.

"I'm pleased to see this program -- and its young members -- being recognized for the important part they play in the conservation and enhancement of the environment," said David Morse, Minister of Environment and Labour.

The corps members responsible for the award say that joining the program has been very rewarding.

"My experience with the Youth Corps led to a job with the Open For Business program," said Joanne Firth, who is a graduate of the Environmental Sciences program at Saint Mary's University. "Now every day, I'm helping young entrepreneurs think about how to operate their businesses in an environmentally friendly way."

CEED was one of 23 community partners who worked on environmental projects this summer by partnering with the Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps. The program is managed through the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour. The program encourages environmental stewardship among young people and makes them aware of their own responsibility in addressing environmental issues.