Funding: Service Placements National stream – Canada Service Corps

The Government of Canada is launching a call for proposals (CFP) under the Canada Service Corps that will provide funding for diverse organizations across the country to support local action on federal priorities to improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of communities. This CFP identifies the engagement of Indigenous and under-served youth as a key program focus and the need to increase the level of participation of these youth in the program.

Funding for approved projects will begin in 2022-23 and projects should focus on one or more of the following service themes:

• reconciliation;
• building an inclusive Canada;
• preserving the environment;
• promoting civic and democratic engagement;
• strengthening youth resilience; and/or
• potential new themes identified by youth.

Organizations must also confirm that they will be able to provide a safe and inclusive environment that is free from racism, harassment and discrimination for program participants and others in the organization.

The Canada Service Corps (CSC) promotes civic engagement among young people from 15 to 30 years old through access to meaningful volunteer service placements that help them gain essential life skills and experience.

Objective of the CFP

The objective of this CFP is to continue to expand the CSC program and strengthen diversity. This goal is aligned with the Government of Canada’s commitment to youth programming and the pledge to equity, diversity and inclusion through the new Anti-racism Strategy. This CFP identifies the engagement of Indigenous and underserved youth as a key program focus and the need to increase the level of participation of these youths in the program.

Objective of the Service Placements National stream

This stream provides funding to organizations to establish projects that deliver volunteer service placements across Canada, so that youth can gain valuable skills and experiences, contribute to communities, and promote civic engagement and inclusion.

The objective of this stream is to fund high-capacity organizations with a national reach that also have prior experience working with youth, including youth from Indigenous and under-served populations.

The government will invest up to $25,300,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 in Grants and Contributions (Gs&Cs) to fund national projects through the Canada Service Corps. A majority of this funding will be spent on amending current contribution agreements and support the continuation of existing programming with the remainder supporting the establishment of projects through this Call for Proposals. The government will invest up to $30,725,000 in fiscal year 2023-24 in Grants and Contributions (Gs&Cs) to fund national projects through the Canada Service Corps with this funding supporting projects funded through this Call for Proposals. Eligible organizations can receive up to a maximum of $10M annually to develop CSC projects.

Projects under the Service Placements National stream will be required to:

• Take place in at least two or more provinces and/or territories
• Have a minimum of 100 service placements annually for youth participants;
• Service placements can be either flexible or full time:
  • Flexible service placements lasting a minimum of one hundred and twenty (120) hours within a twelve-month period. Hours of service are counted from the start to finish of a youth’s engagement in a project. This includes hours spent by the youth during the initial contact and recruitment period; hours spent by the youth for orientation, training and development, and implementation of service activities; and hours spent by the youth for any final reflection or evaluation following their service activities.
  • Full-time service placements lasting thirty hours per week for a minimum of three (3) consecutive months within a twelve-month period. Hours of service are counted from the start to finish of a youth’s engagement in a project. This includes hours spent by the youth during the initial contact and recruitment period; hours spent by the youth for orientation, training and development, and implementation of service activities; and hours spent by the youth for any final reflection or evaluation following their service activities.
• Ensure 50% of participants identify as Indigenous and underserved youth per project.

Project proposals must also describe:

• How they will provide youth with the knowledge and tools to engage in service
• How they will promote and deliver service placements
• Their plan to reach/enrol and support Indigenous and under-served youth to meet the target of 50% Indigenous and under-served youth per projectsFootnote1
• How the organization will collect data and report on results
• How they will involve youth in co-creating volunteer service placements to meet the needs and interest of youth, while also addressing community needs
• If applicable, how they will plan to test methods and/or non-financial incentives to encourage youth to participate and successfully complete service placements

Innovative approaches to encourage youth volunteer service including non-financial incentives, supports, and recognition to attract and retain youth in service projects (e.g., completion certificates, digital badges, and networking opportunities) can be explored. ESDC welcomes organizations to submit these ideas in their application.

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