Canada Summer Jobs Program Applications Due January 25!
Keep the Canada Summer Jobs program in mind for your 2022 planning!
Every year the Federal government supports job opportunities for youth. It is designed to focus on local priorities while supporting youth in getting job experience.
Keep the Canada Summer Jobs program in mind for your 2022 planning!
Every year the Federal government supports job opportunities for youth. It is designed to focus on local priorities while supporting youth in getting job experience.
United Church congregations across Canada have hired youth for property maintenance, messy church, drop in centres, summer camps, social media and technical support, community gardens, farmers markets, archiving, day camps, sports music and theatre camps, v.b.s., and many community outreach activities.
Here is a glimpse of what some churches have done in past years:
- Kimbourne Park United Church and Willowdale United Church, hired youth to work in their community gardens and interact with the community.
- Robert McClure United Church hired a youth to help launch their farmers’ market activities, in conjunction with the Embracing the Spirit funding they received. This helped them scale up the project even faster, as the student was able to help with the management of the market’s logistics and sign up vendors.
- Deer Park United Church ran drop-in day camps for people in the neighbourhood, at times when it was needed and convenient for them.
- First Metropolitan United Church launched a live streaming service, run by youth (who were great with technology), which reached shut-ins.
- Hillhurst United Church hired a youth who was dedicated to communications and media relations.
- Grace United Church hired a social media marketer who could also do videography, which was an unexpected bonus.
Learn more about the Canada Summer Jobs program.
Other Canada Summer jobs success stories…
Keswick Ravenshoe, ON (2021) - "I volunteer with the Georgina Historical Society which includes looking after the Georgina Pioneer Village. We use students through this program every year and it really does help! Both the Society and Village and the students benefit because we hire students who are entering a career that involves history, etc. so it gives them a really close look at what goes on and helps them to decide whether they will want to make a career in this area. It benefits all who use it."
Athabasca, AB (2021) - "We hired students to do research projects on the historic church (built 1913, designated historic in the eighties by the restoration committee) and various prominent members. The organist in the 50s had the local theatre named after her, various mayors learned how to lead from chairing the church council, we had a famous bush pilot (who has a neighborhood street named after him in Edmonton) memorialized with the donation of a communion table in the 50s after his commercial plane crashed on its maiden voyage in Karachi, India (!?!), and dignitaries from Suffragette Nellie McCLung to Moderator Stan McKay. They also share the research they do through presentations to the congregation, and through guided tours of the building during summer hours. The building has been a designated bomb shelter, a public school classroom, a drop in centre for people on disabilities, and has been rented by AA and Al Anon almost since they started meeting in Athabasca. I like to say that if you know the history of the church, you know the history of the town!"
Westminster in Thamesford, ON (2019) - "I am pleased to say that we have been successful in receiving this grant for the past three years towards staffing for our nine-week, all day summer day-camp. This past year we received just over $19,000 to support the staff positions, which included an Inclusions Counsellor to aid and support children with special needs. We are looking forward to being able to apply again this year to keep our day-camp sustainable in the Thamesford Community. You can find out more about our camps on our website."
Ralph Connor in AB, (2019) – "…in 2017 and did utilize these CSJ funds as well as UC seed money. The summer student was a young adult networker who studied the life realities of young adults in our community. A project was founded from that, which came to be known as the Canmore Young Adults Network, and it continues to thrive." Church website. Canmore Young Adults Network Facebook.
St Andrew's Hamilton ON, (2018) - They use the Canadian Summer Jobs program to hire 14-16 students to operate a day camp through presbytery. Some worked full-time, others worked part-time, and those too young to be hired with Canada Summer Jobs funding worked as counselors-in- training. They have seen a huge level of growth in their youth; some that were working under this program are now leaders in the congregation. They often see more youth involved from unchurched families than those from their congregation.
PLEASE NOTE: Canada Summer Jobs is a federal government grant. If you have questions, please direct them to 1-800-935-5555 or your nearest Service Canada location.
[Image credit: Damian Zalesky on Unsplash] |
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John Pentland Discusses New Ideas on Curiosity and Congregational Vitality 
Are you fishing for new tips to sprout growth within your congregation? Are you looking for effective ways to move the culture of your community forward? Join author the Rev. Dr. John Pentland for “Fishing Tips 2.0” on January 26 at 3:00 p.m. EST, where he'll be talking with the United Church Bookstore about his book Fishing Tips, and discussing how his ideas on curiosity and congregational growth have evolved throughout the pandemic. This event will be on Zoom for those who sign up early here, as well as livestreamed on the United Church Facebook page.
[Image credit: United Church of Canada]
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Last Chance for Cohorts!
Curiosity Cohort – Starts Thursday, January 20, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST
If you are ‘curious’ about what the next step is in reimagining church outside of Sunday, this is it! Curiosity is the mindset shift that; - Allows us to ask questions and keep asking questions.
- Assists us in letting go of needing “the” answers and to relinquish control.
- Teaches us to follow the Spirit and to keep listening and discerning.
- Enables us to take leaps of faith and be courageous in experimenting.
Register for Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. EST for five weeks starting January 20 by emailing your name and email to carla@edge-ucc.ca. Theory of Change – Starts Monday, February 7, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST  A Theory of Change is a ministry’s story of how you believe change will unfold. Working on your Theory of Change strengthens effectiveness, provides a solid framework for evaluation, and helps demonstrate impact. A Theory of Change can aid in aligning congregations, councils and communities with each other, their larger mission and their roles in achieving that mission.
Embracing the Spirit has benefited greatly from the Theory of Change workshop. We expect it of the Growth Grant recipients but welcome all communities of faith who are interested. If you have any questions, or to RSVP please email the facilitator with any questions at chrisrotolo@gmail.com or register here.
[Image credit one: Mark König on Unsplash]
[Image credit two: Edge/ United Church of Canada] |
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Bonus: Dreamwork Canada Workshops!
These sessions will offer an approach to understanding our dreams as one of the ways God speaks to us. We’ll learn how Indigenous communities relate to their dreams. Come and learn how to hear the messages being sent to you in your dreams from your ancestors. Just like the Creator, they are always there guiding you and keeping you safe by sending you messages while you sleep. Learn what they are trying to tell you. Please register here for this January 25 workshop or more in the series. [Image credit: Bloor Street United Church] |
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Embracing the Spirit is a learning network and innovation fund. It offers funding and support for innovation ideas hatched out of faith communities and communities in ministry. Some of the stories and best practices that are happening throughout The United Church of Canada are shared in this newsletter. If you have an idea that you want to launch, reach out and tell us about it! Proposal deadlines are quarterly, and due on the 15th of the month: January, April, July and October. Find out more. |
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