Inspiring young Canadians to build a better Canada through conservation
By Contributor
Youth will soon be travelling by dog sled, helping species like turtles and eels and having a whale of a time with the Canadian Conservation Corps, a new service program funded by the Government of Canada as part of the Canada Service Corps.
“Thanks to the federal government these youth aged 18-30 will be able to spend nine months learning from conservation and education specialists, three months implementing their own environmental action projects and a lifetime building a better Canada,” said Rick Bates, CEO of the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF).
As part of the Canada Service Corps announced by the Prime Minister Jan. 16, the Canadian Conservation Corps aims to support young Canadians to get involved in their community through service opportunities while at the same time gaining valuable skills that will benefit them in life and work.
“The Canadian Conservation Corps offers young people the opportunity to explore and experience Canada while making contributions to the conservation of wildlife and habitat. Young people will have the chance to implement their own environmental action projects while building a better Canada through community service,” said the Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.
The Canadian Conservation Corps will recruit 90 participants, half from areas where young adult conservation programming is currently available and half from underserved parts of the nation. This will enable a twinning component, where youth from different regions can learn from each other. The program has three parts:
- An expedition in an unfamiliar region of Canada that will help participants learn about themselves, their peers and the community at large
- A field work stage where participants will team up on the Canadian landscape with environmental experts in three broad categories: habitat creation and restoration, wildlife management and/or environmental science.
- A community outreach and service stage in their home communities where participants will inspire their peers and younger youth to improve their environment through service projects. The Canadian Conservation Corps is a natural addition to CWF’s broad range of public engagement programs which include Help the Bats, Help the Turtles, Hinterland Who’s Who, Love Your Lake and Wild Family Nature Clubs.
Many partner organizations will welcome opportunities to work with the participants in the field following their core training. This may include parks, nature centres, fresh water and marine programs.
The first adventure begins this February in Ontario.
The dates and locations of the 2018 launches are as follows:
- Feb. 12-21: Group One Orientation and Dogsledding, Huntsville, ON
- May 13-26 Group Two Orientation and Sea Kayaking, Saint John, NB
- June 11-24: Group Three Orientation and Sea Kayaking, Comox BC
- Sept. 13-26: Group Four Orientation and Backpacking, Canmore, AB
- Sept. 12-25 Group Five Orientation and Canoeing, Huntsville, ON
To learn more and get involved, visit CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca
About the Canadian Wildlife Federation:
The Canadian Wildlife Federation is dedicated to fostering awareness and appreciation of our natural world. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, sponsoring research, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, recommending legislative changes and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature. Visit CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca for more information.
