ENVIRONMENT CANADA'S
SCIENCE HORIZONS YOUTH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

All 2009/2010- placements are filled.
No additional funding available until 2010/11. Please check back in December 2009.

Environment Canada is inviting universities, private businesses, and non-government organizations to submit project proposals for the 2009 / 2010 Science Horizons Youth Internship Program.

The program offers promising young scientists and post-secondary graduates hands-on experience working on environmental projects under the mentorship and coaching of experienced scientists and program managers.

Detailed information on how to apply is listed below. The deadline for all applications is May 8, 2009.

Background:

The federal government announced a Youth Employment Strategy (YES) in February 1997. Environment Canada participates in the YES through the International Youth Internship Program and the Science Horizons Youth Internship Program. In the past eleven years, Environment Canada's Science Horizons Program has helped over 1000 youth across Canada obtain practical work experience in environmental projects in areas such as climate and ecosystem research, wildlife research and management, ecological monitoring and assessment and the development of scientific tools such as standards and guidelines of environmental quality.

What is Environment Canada's Science Horizons Youth Internship Program?

Environment Canada's Science Horizons Program is a collaborative effort with Canadian universities, the private sector and other non-government organizations which offer promising young scientists and post-secondary graduates hands-on experience working on environmental projects under the mentorship and coaching of experienced scientists and program managers.

How many placements will Environment Canada allocate in 2009-2010?

Approximately one hundred youth placements, lasting from 6 months to 10 months, will be awarded across Canada.

What is the timeframe for the 2009-2010 Program?

Approximately one hundred youth placements, lasting from 6 – 10 months , will be awarded across Canada.

What is the timeframe for the 2009-2010 Program?

The 2009-2010 Science Horizons program begins in June 2009 and finishes on March 31, 2010.

When do the Employer Project Proposals have to be submitted?

Proposals must be received by the appropriate Environment Canada offices no later than May 8, 2009

What funding is available for projects?

A maximum of $12,000 per placement. Employers must provide a minimum of 30% of the eligible cost of the project. Project costs must be only those costs associated with the Youth's involvement in the project.

Eligible Costs
Eligible costs may include any of the following:

• salaries, wages and related expenses of interns such as statutory employee benefits;
• operating expenses such as travel, training, utilities, materials and supplies, rental of premises, disbursement for research and technical studies.

It is expected the major cost of any project would be the salary or wages paid to the interns. Central administrative costs are NOT eligible costs.

How do employers participate in the program?
Potential employers should submit an application form electronically, by mail or fax (see schedule A (for application and instruction) for project approval to the desired Environment Canada addresses listed under Schedule B.
Environment Canada will assess the projects against the following criteria:

• the degree of congruence and relevancy of the proposed project activities to the Science Horizons Youth Internship program objectives and the mandate of Environment Canada
• the project must provide meaningful work experience for the youth
• the duration of projects must be from 6 months to 1 year.
• all projects must start on or after June 2009 and terminate by March 31, 2010
• the employer must provide a minimum of 30% of the project costs
• a mentor must be identified for each project

Environment Canada will negotiate approved project proposals directly with successful employers. Successful employers will recruit and match youth to projects. The salary of the youth will be negotiated with the employer. Employers are encouraged to recruit youth from employment equity groups.
All employers will be notified whether their project was approved or unsuccessful.

What are the Employer Obligations to the Science Horizons Program?
Employers will:

• recruit and match youth who must be 30 years of age or under and eligible to work in Canada
• match youth with mentor/coaches (experienced scientists or program managers in the private or public sector)
• try to select youth from employment equity groups.
• assume responsibility of hiring the youth, negotiating the salary, paying the wages and any other approved costs subject to the cost-sharing agreement with Environment Canada
• ensure that the consent of the youth is obtained to participate in the evaluation/assessment of the program
• ensure the achievement of project objectives and compliance with the financial requirements of the project
• disclose to ENVIRONMENT CANADA all technical information, inventions, designs, methods and processes and other intellectual property rights related to the Project that are conceived, developed or first reduced to practice in the carrying out of the Project (collectively, the "Intellectual Property"). All Intellectual Property shall be the property of the EMPLOYER or the YOUTH as appropriate. ENVIRONMENT CANADA shall have a non-exclusive, unconditional, irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free right to use the Intellectual Property.ensure submission of a statement of expenditures for the project
• ensure submission of a final project report by the Employer and the Youth to Environment Canada by the termination date of the project, and
• assist in securing longer term employment for the Youth in the Canadian labour market

How do youth participate in the program?
Science Horizons youth participants will at the commencement of the internship:

• have graduated from a recognized post-secondary academic institution in one of the environmental or related disciplines
• be out of school (fulltime studies)
• be unemployed or under-employed young scientists or post-secondary graduates in the sciences who are 30 years of age or under
• be legally entitled to work in Canada (This includes permanent residents of Canada but does not include 1) those awaiting permanent status, 2) persons with temporary work visas, such as students who have graduated and have temporary work visas)
• not have participated in Science Horizons or any other federal Youth Employment Strategy program except where (1) the work experience was terminated early due to employer business failure, participant became ill or incompatibility between employer/youth or (2) the component of the Youth Employment Strategy the youth participated under was for summer employment.
• consent to participate in the assessment of the program and may be required to provide their Social Insurance Number (SIN)

Interested youth who meet the criteria can e-mail (link) or fax their résumé along with a covering letter to the desired Environment Canada offices (see Schedule B). Environment Canada regional managers will provide employers who are awarded projects with résumés of youth who match the requirements of those projects. Résumés from other regions may be requested in the event that a suitable youth cannot be found within their own area. Only youth being considered for employment in a project will be notified.

What are the Youth's Obligations?

Youth will:

• demonstrate motivation, shared responsibility and commitment to achieving project goals
• make available to Environment Canada any models developed and data gathered in undertaking the project
• submit a final project report to the employer by the completion of the project
• provide their consent to participate in the evaluation/assessment of the project and may be required to provide their Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• complete and submit the Performance Identification Form (PIF)
• not be in receipt of Employment Insurance at the commencement of Internship

SCHEDULE A

Download SCHEDULE A "Employer Application" in Word format

To file applications electronically, click on the link found under each of the organizations listed below. A separate application will be required for each desired organization.

SCHEDULE B

ATLANTIC REGION
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
Environment Canada
45 Alderney Drive, 16th Floor,
Dartmouth, N.S.
B2Y 2N6

FAX: (902) 426-6434

QUEBEC REGION
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
Environment Canada
1141 Route de l'Église, 9th Floor,
P.O. Box 10,100
Sainte-Foy (Quebec)
G1V 4H5

FAX: (418) 649-6475

ONTARIO REGION
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program,
Environment Canada
4905 Dufferin Street,
Toronto, Ontario
M3H 5T4

FAX (416)-739-4691

PRAIRIE AND NORTHERN REGION
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
Environment Canada
11 Innovation Blvd
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7N 3H5

FAX: (306) 975-6879

PACIFIC AND YUKON REGION
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
Environment Canada
5421 Robertson Road
RR 1 Delta, BC
V4K 3N2

FAX (604) 946-7022

NATIONAL WILDLIFE RESEARCH CENTRE
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
National Wildlife Research Centre
1125 Colonel By Drive, Raven Road
Carleton University
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H3

FAX (613) 998-0315

NATIONAL WATER RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Locations in Burlington, ON and Saskatoon, SK (as well as Gatineau QC, Victoria BC and
Fredericton NB)
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
National Water Research Institute
867 Lakeshore Road
PO Box 5050
Burlington ON L7R 4A6
Canada

Fax : 905-336-6430

ECOLOGICAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT NETWORK (EMAN)
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
EMAN Co-ordinating Office
867 Lakeshore Road
Burlington, Ontario
L7R 4A6

FAX: (905) 336-4499

Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
National Guidelines and Standards Office
7th Floor, Place Vincent Massey
351 St. Joseph Blvd.
Hull, Quebec
K1A 0H3

FAX: (819) 956-5602

ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
Atmospheric Science and Technology Directorate
4905 Dufferin Street
Downsview, Ontario
M3H 5T4

FAX: (416) 739-4265

List of YES Programs

Agriculture Canada/Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Science Horizons
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation - Housing Internship Initiative for First Nations and Inuit Youth
Canadian Heritage - Arts Development
Canadian Heritage - Canadian Heritage Information Network
Canadian Heritage- Heritage Development
Canadian Heritage- Information Network
Canadian Heritage - Multiculturalism
Canadian Heritage - Official Languages
Canadian Heritage - S&T Connections in Heritage
Canadian Heritage - Science Horizons - Arts Development
Canadian Heritage - Science Horizons - Canadian Conservation Institute
Canadian Heritage - Young Canada Works Internationally
Canadian International Development Agency - International Youth Internship Program
Environment Canada - International Environmental Youth Corps
Environment Canada - Science Horizons
Foreign Affairs and International Trade - Youth International Internship Program
Human Resources Development Canada - International
Human Resources Development Canada National Sector Councils
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - First Nations and Inuit Youth Work Experience Program
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - First Nations and Inuit Youth Business Program
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - First Nations Schools Co-Operative Education Program
Industry Canada - Computer for Schools Program
Industry Canada - Information Highway Initiative - Community Access Program
Netcorps Canada - The Community Access Program's Youth Employment Project
Industry Canada - Netcorps Canada International
Industry Canada - SchoolNet Youth Employment Project
Industry Canada - Science Horizons - Information Highway Science and Entrepreneurship Camps (ISE Camps)
National Research Council - Science Horizons - Science collaborative research internships
National Research Council - SMEs
Natural Resources Canada Science Horizons