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Science Horizons Youth Internship Program
The application period for the 2012 – 2013 Science Horizons program ended on March 2, 2012. It is anticipated that organizations will be notified by email of funding decisions during the month of May. Circumstances can occur which affect this timing but notifications will be sent at the earliest possible date. Project expenditures incurred prior to the date on the funding notification will be the sole responsibility of the applicant organization.
Science Horizons Overview
Science Horizons is a Government of Canada program aimed at advancing research and achievements in the field of environmental science while giving young people the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and experience that will prepare them for sustainable employment in environment based careers.
Through funding and collaborative partnerships with successful applicant organizations, Science Horizons and these organizations offer promising young, post-secondary graduates hands-on experience working on environmental projects in internships lasting from 6 months to 1 year. During these projects, they are guided under the mentorship of experienced scientists and program managers. Up to a maximum of $12,000 in Science Horizons funding is available for each approved project.
The Government of Canada announced a Youth Employment Strategy (YES) in February 1997. Environment Canada participates in the YES through the Science Horizons Youth Internship Program and the International Environmental Youth Corps Program. In the past thirteen years, Environment Canada's Science Horizons Program has helped over 1200 young men and women across Canada obtain practical work experience in environmental projects in areas of importance to Environment Canada.
Interested Organizations
Environment Canada invites the following organizations to submit project proposals. Organizations are to submit one application per project only. However, they can submit more than one project for funding consideration.
- Post-secondary educational institutions;
- Not-for-profit organizations such as charitable and volunteer organizations, professional associations, and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs);
- For-profit organizations such as small businesses, companies, corporations and industry associations;
- Municipal/local governments;
- Provincial/territorial governments if specified in a federal-provincial/territorial agreement or Memorandum of Understanding, or specified by the Minister of the Environment;
- Aboriginal organizations or associations; and
- Local organizations such as community associations and groups, seniors’ and youth groups, and service clubs.
Interested Interns
Post-secondary graduates who are able to meet the intern requirements listed below can submit a résumé by email to sciencehorizons-cv@ec.gc.ca. In a cover email, potential interns must identify in which Canadian geographic region they are interested in working.
Résumé submissions are not to be considered as applications to the Science Horizons program. Environment Canada will make résumés available to organizations which are successful in receiving Science Horizons funding and which are seeking assistance in hiring interns for their projects. Interns will be hired directly by organizations. Graduates may wish to seek out organizations in their area or else where which may be engaged in environmental research and might choose to apply to the Science Horizons program.
Potential interns must be able to meet the following requirements in order to participate in a project submitted by an organization:
- Have graduated with a degree or diploma from a university, college, post-secondary school of technology, post-secondary institution or CEGEP (collège d’enseignement général et professionnel, Québec). These may be privately or publicly funded institutions.
- Are not attending school.
- Are unemployed or under-employed (working in a position that requires less than a person's knowledge, skill or ability).
- Are not in receipt of Employment Insurance during their internship.
- Are aged 30 years or under (at the commencement of the project).
- Are legally entitled to work in Canada (includes individuals who are Canadian citizens, those with permanent Canadian residency status, those with a valid Canadian work permit to work on a full time basis, or persons who have been granted refugee status in Canada).
- Will complete and submit the Personal Identification Form and Employer/Intern Letter of Understanding (templates provided by Environment Canada).
- Will make available to Environment Canada any models developed and data gathered while undertaking the project.
- Will consent to participate in the assessment of the project.
- Will submit a final project report to the employer by the completion of the project.
Assessment of Proposed Projects
At a minimum, all proposed projects must be aligned with Environment Canada’s mandate (please consult Environment Canada’s mandate and Report on Plans and Priorities). In addition, assessment will be made of the relevance that proposed projects have to the Science Horizons program's key science priorities and for their administrative compliance with the requirements of the Science Horizons program.
Key Science Priorities
Following are the key science priorities that will be given priority consideration in the assessment of proposed projects for 2012-2013. The technical soundness of projects will be assessed by Environment Canada staff which work in these areas.
Atmosphere
- Climate Change, Air Quality & Meteorological Research
- Climate Change Impacts & Adaptation
Water
- Water Quality: Monitoring (detection of contaminants, impact on aquatic life, impact on aquatic communities)
- Aquatic Ecosystems: Health, Vulnerability, and Impacts of Climate Change
- Water Science: Clean Water Action Plan, Laboratory Network, Science for Enforcement
Wildlife & Landscape
- Wildlife Research and Landscape Modeling
- Pollutants on Wildlife Species and Ecology
Chemicals
- Assessment of Risks and Management of Risks posed by High Priority Substances under the Chemicals Management Plan
- Research (Hazard or Exposure) or Monitoring to Address Chemicals or Substances of Emerging Concern
Science Strategies
- Delivering on Environment Canada’s Science Plan and Technology Role
- Optimizing Science Policy Making and Integration
Administrative Requirements
Proposed projects must meet the following administrative requirements:
- Projects must provide meaningful work experience for the intern;
- Project internships must be a minimum of 6 months and up to a maximum of 1 year in duration;
- Projects must start on or after April 01, 2012 and end by March 31, 2013;
- A mentor for the intern must be identified for each project; and
- The organization must provide a minimum 30% of the total project costs.
Note: This 30% includes cash and in-kind contributions from the organization making the application as well as that from any funding partners it may have for the proposed project. This could including funding from sources such as private or public sector organizations and other Government of Canada grant and contribution programs including those with Environment Canada. A proposed project will not be considered for Science Horizons funding if that project is receiving funding from any other Government of Canada funding program connected to the Government’s Youth Employment Strategy.
This 30% excludes any funding from the Science Horizons program.
It is expected that the major portion of Science Horizons funding be used toward the salary or wages paid to interns. Eligible project costs related to the intern’s involvement include: - salaries, wages and related expenses such as statutory employee benefits (Emplyment Insurance, Canada Pension Plan, Quebec Pension Plan); and
- project-related operating expenses such as travel, training, utilities, materials and supplies, rental of premises, disbursement for research and technical studies.
Note: Central administrative or overhead costs for organizational staff are not eligible expenditures.
Obligations of Organizations Receiving Science Horizons Funding
- Recruit interns who can meet both the project requirements and the intern obligations shown below. Recruitment can be either from the organization’s own sources or from résumés submitted to the Science Horizons National Coordination Office.
- Try to select interns from employment equity groups, i.e women, aborginal peoples, persons with disabilitiesand visible minorities.
- Match the intern with a mentor (experienced scientist or program manager in either the private or public sectors).
- Be responsible for hiring the intern, negotiating the salary, paying the wages and any other approved costs subject to the contribution agreement with Environment Canada.
- Obtain a signed Letter of Understanding between the organization and the intern (template provided by Environment Canada).
- Obtain the consent of the intern to participate in the project’s evaluation and assessment.
- Achieve project objectives identified in the contribution agreement between Environment Canada and the organization and comply with the financial and other non-financial requirements of the project as outlined in the contribution agreement.
- Submit both an employer and intern final project report to Environment Canada.
- 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 intern as appropriate. Environment Canada shall have a non-exclusive, unconditional, irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free right to use the Intellectual Property.
Organizations receiving Science Horizons funding may be visited by an Environment Canada Science Horizons representative. The purpose of such visits is to ensure that both Environment Canada and the organization/intern are achieving valuable results and that the funding provided through Science Horizons is being used appropriately and in accordance with the Treasury Board of Canada Policy on Transfer Payments (Directive on Transfer Payments).
Key Considerations for Selecting Interns
Organizations will carry out their own selection process to choose an intern who both meets the project requirements and who will receive real value from their involvement that will move the intern forward in obtaining experience and employment in their field of study.
In the interest of making opportunities which are supported through Science Horizons available to as many young graduates as possible, those hired by organizations should not have previously participated in Science Horizons or any other federal YES program unless:
- the work experience was terminated early due to employer business failure;
- the intern became ill and was unable to complete the internship;
- there was incompatibility between the employer and intern; or
- the intern’s involvement in a YES program was through the summer employment component of the YES program.
Schedule A – Application for Science Horizons Funding
All applications are to be submitted electronically by using the Schedule A link below. Interested organizations can submit one electronic application for each proposed project.
Link to Schedule A “Employer Application”
Additional Information
Requests for additional information about the Science Horizons program can be submitted to science.horiz@ec.gc.ca.
Find out more about the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy (YES).