Program announcements

February 2, 2023

Young Canada Works Heritage Funding Application Deadline has now passed

Thank you to all who applied for funding through Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations and Young Canada Works in Building Careers in Heritage for 2023-2024. The deadline for applications for YCW funding has now passed. Thank you to all who submitted an application to create a position for a student or post-secondary graduate.

We were pleased to receive applications for 2153 positions through YCW in Heritage Organizations stream and for 279 positions through YCW at Building Careers in Heritage.

Best wishes to the applicants and we look forward to a productive year for our YCW employers, students, and interns. If you have any questions on Young Canada Works, please email us at ycw@museums.ca.

December 8, 2022

NEW SESSIONS: Register for YCW Information Sessions

Young Canada Works: How to Create a Winning Application

Are you considering submitting a funding application for Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations or for Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage for 2023-2024?

Join the Canadian Museums Association for a free online information session. We will review tips on how to submit a successful funding application for Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations or Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage.

Date: Tuesday, January 10 at 2 pm EST

Moved to Action: Supporting Indigenous Initiatives in YCW Applications

Planning to apply for Young Canada Works funding for 2023-2024? If you are considering including Indigenous initiatives in your project, join us for this workshop where we will share the standards from the CMA’s Moved to Action report for museums. We will share strategies for conducting Indigenous engagement, seeking Indigenous applicants, or supporting UNDRIP in museum operations.

Date: Thursday, January 12 at 2 pm EST

Visit the YCW website to find out if your organization is eligible for funding and for additional information on how the program can benefit your organization: Employer guide — Young Canada Works (YCW). Reminder that the Young Canada Works application deadline is January 20, 2023 .

If you have any further questions, please visit the YCW Resources section of the CMA website or email us at ycw@museums.ca.

November 16, 2022

Young Canada Works accepting applications for 2023-2024

Canadian heritage organizations can now submit funding applications for both streams of Young Canada Works (YCW in Heritage Organizations and YCW at Building Careers in Heritage). Submit your applications on the Young Canada Works website.

Do you need financial support to grow your team?

Are you looking for youth to join your workforce?

Would you like to help strengthen diversity and inclusion in the heritage, arts, and cultural sector?

The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening diversity and inclusion in youth employment.

Applications are open until January 20, 2023

November 29, 2021

Young Canada Works program open for applications for 2022-23

The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) is delighted to officially launch the Young Canada Works (YCW) program for the 2022-23 year. Applications for financial support may now be submitted for both program streams:

Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (YCW-HO): short-term work experiences for students
Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (YCW-BCH): internships for college or university graduatesThe YCW program may fund up to 75% of the cost of an eligible position.* The deadline for applications is January 21, 2022 for both YCW-HO and YCW-BCH,** so we encourage you to start now.

During the application assessment process, priority will be given to employers whose contributions are close to 50% of the costs of the employment. Government priorities will also be taken into account, including Indigenous organizations, Indigenous youth, Indigenous cultural heritage (First Nations, Inuit or Métis), underserved communities and populations (i.e. Indigenous communities, ethno-cultural communities, youth that are facing barriers to employment, etc.). If you hire a person with a disability, YCW may reimburse a maximum of $3,000 per participant for reasonable costs related to job accommodation requirements

YCW is an important investment in the future of the museum industry, creating professional development opportunities, while bolstering the capacity of museums and heritage institutions.

Employers, please visit our Information for employers page for all the information you need including:

Program eligibility details
Tips to build a better application
Program resources and success stories (including a recently updated wage guide)

Questions about the YCW program? Contact us at ycw@museums.ca.

*Please note that the eligible percentage of wage funding (75%) has reduced from last year (85%), up to a maximum of $10,000 for YCW-HO student jobs and $15,000 for most YCW-BCH internships

**Employers looking to submit to the YCW-BCH program should note that the application deadline is the same as the YCW-HO deadline this year (previous years: March 1st)

Volunteer for our Peer Review Committee

As our review periods for both YCW-HO and YCW-BCH will overlap this year, we will need more reviewers than in previous years, and opportunities for participating in both YCW-HO and YCW-BCH peer review committees will be limited. If you have a preference for which committee you would like to join, please let us know as soon as possible to ensure your spot is saved. If you haven’t participated before but have been considering it, please take a look at our Peer Review information page for more information.

Young Canada Works is generously supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage.

November 8, 2021

Updates for Applications to Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (YCW-BCH) and in Heritage Organizations (YCW-HO)

Employers wishing to apply for Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (YCW-BCH) & Heritage Organizations (YCW-HO) streams will be able to submit funding applications for the 2022-2023 intake period starting at the end of this month. The CMA will be notifying its membership when the website is open to accepting applications. The deadline to apply for both streams is January 21, 2022 . Program information can be found here.

Notice for youth applicants:

Graduates between the ages of 16 and 30 (who meet the YCW-BCH eligibility criteria) seeking short-term work can use the YCW job board to find remaining opportunities for this year’s YCW-BCH positions.

September 10, 2021

Now accepting applications for Young Canada Works graduate internship progra

Thanks to the supplemental funding from the Government of Canada for the YCW program, we are looking to fund a further 50 Young Canada Works graduate internships for the 2021-22 program year. The CMA is now accepting additional applications for the YCW at Building Careers in Heritage* (internships for graduates) program. The deadline to submit a YCW-BCH application is September 29th, 2021 .

Please take the opportunity to submit your application to help increase the capacity of your institution and provide development opportunities for dedicated young graduates and future colleagues. These internships will need to be carried out between mid-November 2021 and March 31st, 2022.

Visit the CMA's YCW’s Program web pages for program updates and important information on Employer Eligibility Criteria, Selection Criteria and FAQs.

This isn’t a good time for an internship at your organization, but you would like to learn more about the program and evaluation process? Please consider volunteering for our Peer Review Committee. Find more information here.

*Please note that Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (short-term jobs for students) is not accepting new job funding applications at this time.

July 29, 2021

Young Canada Works supplemental funding update

As previously announced on June 4th, 2021, thanks to supplemental funding from the Government of Canada for the Young Canada Works (YCW) program, we are now in a position to fund a greater number of jobs and internships, and to maximize funds available for museums currently participating in the program.

There is additional funding available for employers in the Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (short term jobs) stream, both to fund additional applications at already funded organizations* and to extend existing positions for a longer work term. Funding can be used to fund positions retroactively (if you have already hired an eligible candidate) or can be used to hire a new student on a full- or part-time basis in the fall and winter.

Your organization may have already received notification that additional funding is available to you under the Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations program (short-term jobs for students), so please check your inbox. If you did not receive an email, you can confirm your eligibility and take advantage of these additional funds by contacting your YCWHO Program Officer.

*Please note that Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations is not accepting new job funding applications at this time.

June 4, 2021

Supplemental funding for Young Canada Works program

One of our objectives at the Canadian Museums Association (CMA) is to strengthen the museum workforce today and for the future. We do this in several ways, including through our delivery of the Young Canada Works (YCW) program.

The CMA is happy to confirm that, thanks to supplemental funding from the Government of Canada for the YCW program, we are now in a position to fund a greater number of jobs and internships, and to maximize funds available for museums and future museum professionals.

An additional $2.4 million will go toward Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (short-term job experiences) and an additional $2.6 million will be devoted to Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (internships for graduates). This is in addition to existing program funding of $5.9 million for the YCW-HO program, and $134 thousand for the YCW-BCH program.

With this funding the CMA hopes to provide an additional 690 positions in the museum sector with the support of the Government of Canada.

What this means for employers

Employers with applications on either our YCW-HO or YCW-BCH waitlists will be individually contacted regarding funding offers in the upcoming weeks.

Should additional funding remain after the waitlist has been exhausted, the CMA may release an additional call for applications.

Click here for comprehensive information concerning YCW for Employers.

What this means for students and EMPs

Job seeking students and Emerging Museum Professionals (EMP) aged 30 or under, and who meet the other YCW program requirements, should be sure to submit or update their profiles on the YCW website and watch for job listings on the dedicated job board. Other good resources for EMP employment include the CMA’s Jobs in Heritage job board, which has a YCW search function, as well as the EMP Canada Facebook group.

Click here for comprehensive information concerning YCW for Youth Applicants.

YCW is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy. The CMA works with the Department of Canadian Heritage to deliver the YCW program, which funds work experiences in museums and cultural heritage organizations. YCW is an important investment in the future of Canada’s museums and cultural sector, creating professional development opportunities for young Canadians who will become our future colleagues.

April 30, 2021

Young Canada Works 2021-2022 program update

Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (student employment) will be releasing funding decisions in less than two weeks! If you applied, keep an eye out for an email from the YCW website, follow the link to review and accept.Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (student employment) decisions have now been released! If you applied, this is a reminder to check your inbox (and junk folder) for an email from the YCW website, follow the link to review and accept.

Additionally, we did note that funding for additional positions was allocated to the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, of which Young Canada Works is part. We are monitoring this development with interest and will advise should supplemental funding become available for the YCW program.

Looking for candidates for your newly approved position? Consider posting to the CMA Jobs in Heritage Board. Member institutions receive five free posts!

April 9, 2021

Young Canada Works 2021-2022 program update

Looking for candidates for your newly approved position? Consider posting to the CMA Jobs in Heritage Board. Member institutions receive five free posts!

March 12, 2021

Young Canada Works 2021-2022 program

Application deadlines for both streams have passed. Applicants to the YCW-HO stream can expect a funding decision by mid-April and YCW-BCH funding decisions will follow by mid-May.

Are you an employer looking for student and recent graduate applicants? Consider posting your YCW positions to the CMA’s new-and-improved Jobs in Heritage job board. Member institutions receive five free posts!

Febuary 12, 2021

Young Canada Works 2020-2021 program update

The deadline for submissions for the YCW in Heritage Organizations (short-term employment for students) funding has now passed and applications are being assessed. Applicants will receive information from us shortly to confirm receipt and to outline critical program information.

Meanwhile, there is still time to submit an application for the Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (graduate internships) stream. The March 1, 2020 deadline for these applications is fast approaching — don’t miss this chance to bolster your museum’s capacity and to give a career-launching experience to a recent grad.

To help YCW employers, the CMA has a number of great resources to help you with your application. Just this week we launched two new technical guides we recently created, based on our experience dealing with popular questions: Setting up an account and Submitting an application are both available on the CMA’s YCW Program Resources page.

Meanwhile, we know that YCW employers can occasionally have challenges finding young candidates. We want to help! We’ve been reaching out to museum studies and related programs across the country to share information about the program, to speak to the students and to encourage them to sign up. If you’re an instructor or student and you’re interested in knowing more about this, email us at communications@museums.ca.

January 20, 2021

Get your Young Canada Works applications in and take note of recent changes

January 15, 2021

Deadline extension

The deadline for YCW in Heritage Organizations (YCW-HO) program stream funding short-term jobs for students has been extended slightly to February 5, 2021, so get your applications in.

December 17, 2020

Apply for the Young Canada Works 2021-22 cycle

The CMA is currently is currently accepting YCW applications for the 2021-22 program cycle, funding innovative employment opportunities for students and young graduates. We encourage museums interested in developing young museum professionals to apply.

There are two key deadlines: YCW in Heritage Organizations (YCW-HO) program stream funding short-term jobs for students, January 22, 2021 , and YCW at Building Careers in Heritage (YCW-BCH) program stream funding internships for graduates, March 1, 2021 .

Start today by visiting the CMA's YCW program web pages. There you will find an overview of the program, a great new video resource with application tips, and our frequently asked questions. Applications must be submitted online at young-canada-works.canada.ca.

December 2, 2020

Join the YCW Peer Review Committee

Young Canada Works program open for applications for 2021-22

September 1, 2020 — Second YCW-BCH (graduate internship) application intake period

The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) is launching a second call for Young Canada Works Building Careers in Heritage (YCW-BCH) program applications for the 2019-2020 program year.

Please submit your YCW-BCH application by September 23rd, 2020. For more information please view our recent announcement or the YCW for Employers page.

August 27, 2020 — YCW Update

Thanks to supplemental funding from the Government of Canada for the YCW program, we are now in a position to fund a greater number of jobs and internships. The CMA is now accepting additional applications for the YCW-BCH (internships for graduates) program. The deadline to submit a YCW-BCH application is September 23, 2020.

Please take the opportunity to submit your application to help increase the capacity of your institution and provide development opportunities for dedicated young graduates, all while demonstrating the need for funding in the museum sector. These internships will need to be carried out between mid-November 2020 and March 31st, 2021.

Visit the CMA's YCW Program web pages for program updates and important information on Employer Eligibility Criteria, Selection Criteria and FAQs.

August 11, 2020

Supplemental funding for Young Canada Works program

July 17, 2020 — YCW Update

We recently told you that the Government of Canada has said it will be offering a supplement to the Young Canada Works program for jobs and internships in 2020-21. Last week, we completed and submitted our application for this supplement. We will keep you posted on developments and we look forward to the possibility of funding a greater number of jobs and internships, and to maximizing funds available for museums and future museum professionals. If all goes well, we hope to release new funding decisions in the next few weeks. Any employers receiving funding offers from our waitlists will be contacted individually.

In the meantime, we would encourage employers on our waitlists to start thinking about how to adapt their project proposals in light of closures and public health protocols. There are many useful projects that a student or graduate intern can do for your institution, all while having a high-quality work experience to help them launch their own careers. Provided tasks remain within the spirit of your original application, we will be very open to discussing modified workplans. The CMA also anticipates issuing an additional call for applications under our graduate internships program.

July 3, 2020 — Young Canada Works supplemental funding for 2020-21

We have just learned that the Government of Canada will be offering a supplement to the Young Canada Works program specifically for jobs and internships in the heritage sector for the 2020-21 fiscal year. The $11 million supplement will be split among the delivery organizations. This means the CMA will be in a position to fund a greater number of jobs and internships, and to maximize funds available for museums. We are currently working hard at the CMA to analyse scenarios and we expect to prepare a proposal to the Department of Canadian Heritage for the Minister’s approval. The Department has emphasized a certain increase in flexibility, for example regarding amounts to be funded, the approach to positions and the periods during which jobs can be undertaken. We will provide more information in due course, but we wanted to share this positive news as ultimately this is good news for Canada’s museums and future museum professionals.

May 15, 2020 — Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (graduate internships, 2020-2021)

Initial funding decisions for BCH (graduate internships) have been released. If you have not heard from us, please send an email to ycw@museums.ca.

May 15, 2020 — Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (summer student positions, 2020)

Initial funding decisions for the Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (summer jobs) program have been released. If you have not heard from us, please send an email to ycw@museums.ca.

We understand that museums across Canada are being impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. In this light, we encourage you at this time to carry forward as though you will continue to require a summer student, but to stay in contact with YCW program staff to adjust your funding offer to best suit the needs of your organization. At present, the CMA can accommodate the following adjustments:

As in previous years, both start and end dates of positions as well as the total length of your work term remain flexible.
Reduce the number of hours per week (to a minimum of 30 hours/week) to stretch the work term over a longer period.
Reduction of the total length of work (to a minimum of 6 weeks of work) to lessen the financial strain on employer organizations by reducing the matching contribution from the employer needed to host a meaningful summer job for a young Canadian.
Allow remote work for part or all of the work term, with appropriate supervision.

May 1, 2020 — Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (graduate internships, 2019-2020)

All YCWBCH graduate internships funded under the 2019-2020 program year must have ended on April 30th, 2020. YCW Program Staff are processing final payments as quickly as circumstances allow.

You must submit all of your final reporting before we are able to process your final payment. If you have any questions about your reporting requirements, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Program Officer, or contact us at ycw@museums.ca.

December 12, 2019 — Announcement: Young Canada Works 2020-2021 program cycle now accepting applications

The Young Canada Works (YCW) Program is now accepting applications for the 2020-21 program cycle, funding innovative employment opportunities for students and young graduates. We encourage museums interested in developing young museum professionals to apply. 

Employer applicants are encouraged to apply for funding based on the anticipated needs of their organizations in 2020. Please consult the Employer Guide (2019 – updated version coming soon) for any funding restrictions per position and per organization. 

There are two deadlines, the deadline for applications to the YCW in Heritage Organizations program stream (summer jobs for students) is January 15, 2020. The deadline for applications to the YCW at Building Careers in Heritage program stream (internships for graduates) is March 1, 2020. 

Please visit the Canadian Museums Association's YCW program web pages for program updates and important information on employer eligibility criteria, selection criteria and frequently asked questions.

Applications must be submitted online at young-canada-works.canada.ca. The CMA strongly suggests that all employer applicants start their 2020-2021 applications well in advance. We also recommend that employers prepare and save the content of their application in a Word or text file prior to accessing the online application. 

For technical support, please call us at 613-567-0099. 

Thank you to our supporters

This program is made possible by the Government of Canada.

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