The province’s Green Team programs will provide about 1,400 summer jobs for young Manitobans between the ages of 16 and 24 this year, along with four $500 scholarships, Education, Citizenship and Youth Minister Peter Bjornson announced.
Funds totalling $4.1 million are being provided to the Urban, Hometown and Conservation Green Teams for summer job programs and scholarships this year.
“Our Green Team programs are very important to municipal governments and not-for-profit organizations because they help support vital development projects that clearly provide long-term benefits for their communities,” said Bjornson. “These programs also provide meaningful work experience for young people across the province and, at the same time, give them an opportunity to make real contributions to their own communities.”
The Green Team employment programs hire enthusiastic, talented young people who can work on a variety of projects in urban and rural communities and parks all across Manitoba, the minister said. Priorities for funding include drop-in centres, sports camps and the hiring of Aboriginal youth.
“These summer jobs mean more than just wages to help young people with their schooling,” Bjornson said. “They also give them the opportunity to directly improve the quality of life in their communities and contribute to a healthy local and provincial economy.
Everybody benefits when we support green projects including our youth, communities and province.”
Youth workers hired through the Urban and Hometown Green Team programs work on a variety of projects including recreation activities, housing rehabilitation, neighborhood safety, park and riverbank cleanup and public education. Summer 2009 positions are available either from May 4 to Aug. 21 or from June 15 to Aug. 21.
Youth hired through the Conservation Green Team programs work in provincial parks and offices across the province doing general maintenance, wildlife, forestry and environmental projects. They can also be hired as interpretive assistants to lead campfire talks, develop amphitheatre programs and give information at park interpretive centres or museums. Summer 2009 positions are available from May 19 to Aug. 21.
The four $500 scholarships will be awarded at the end of the summer to students who best demonstrate how their participation in the project has benefited the community.
Municipal governments that participate in these programs receive funding on a fifty-fifty cost-shared basis and not-for-profit organizations receive 100 per cent funding to cover salaries and other support costs for up to four young people.
“These jobs have a significant effect on students’ long-term career goals,” said Bjornson. “They gain important work skills, develop strong work ethics and earn money to help support themselves in their schooling.”
Interested young people can apply for Conservation Green Team jobs at the nearest Manitoba Conservation district office. Call 1-800-282-8069, ext. 7182, for job locations or go online. Urban and Hometown Green Team jobs are available by registering online at or by calling 945-2343 or toll-free 1-800-282-8069, ext. 2343, after April 15, to find out which organizations are participating.
Additional information about the Hometown Green Team is available online. Additional information about the Urban Green Team and applications are available online.
