News Release Archive

ENVIRONMENT--YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH SAINT LUCIA ANNOUNCED
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Environmental issues and solutions know no borders. Environment
Minister Wayne Adams announced today that his department, through
the Environmental Industries and Technologies Division and the
Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps (NSYCC), has established an
Environmental Youth Exchange (EYE) program with Saint Lucia in
the Caribbean.

"Development of exchange opportunities such as these are an
investment in the Nova Scotia economy and in young Nova Scotians.
It will allow us to demonstrate Nova Scotia environmental
know-how to another part of the world while also developing
skills in our youth that will enable them to compete in the
global marketplace for jobs" said Mr. Adams.

This program has been developed in partnership with the
Government of Saint Lucia and with Canadian Crossroads
International.

Nova Scotia youth ages 20-24 looking to add marketable work
skills in the environmental sector to their resume and to develop
an understanding of global environmental issues will be excited
to learn about today's announcement. The EYE program will provide
an opportunity for youth from Nova Scotia and Saint Lucia to work
together as a team in each other's countries during a four month
environmental program of hands-on activities. The program will
begin during the last week of June with Nova Scotia hosting four
youth from Saint Lucia through to the end of August. The Saint
Lucia youth will be paired with Nova Scotian youth and assigned
to a community-based environmental management project through the
NSYCC. At the end of August, the Saint Lucians and their Nova
Scotian counterparts will spend the next two months in Saint
Lucia where they will continue to work on environmental-related
activities. The exchange program will wrap up at the end of
October.

The goals of the EYE program include:

- Foster a global understanding of environmental issues in
  participants and instill in them the conviction that one can
  make a positive contribution towards a healthy environment;

- Provide an opportunity for deserving youth from the two
  countries to gain valuable environmental work experience and
  skills in an international setting;

- Foster an understanding of the cultural richness of both
  regions that can lead to long-term cooperation;

- Contribute towards positive economic developments and trade
  links between the two regions in the environmental and other
  sectors; and

- Stimulate opportunities for employment with environmental
  sector employers in both regions for program participants.

Youth interested in applying for this program must be:

- Open and adaptable to a cultural exchange opportunity;

- have little or no previous international experience but are
  seeking to embrace a new experience;

- a permanent resident of Nova Scotia;

- not afraid of hard work and keen to develop new skills;

- want to contribute to the environmental objectives of their
  community, the province and Saint Lucia through their personal
  leadership in work on watershed management, waste management,
  integrated pest management, environmental education, or tree
  planting initiatives;

- available from late June until the end of October;

- able to host a Saint Lucian counterpart during the Nova Scotia
  phase of the program.

Participants selected for the EYE program won't receive wages
during the program but will receive a modest weekly incidental
expense allowance and a completion bonus upon successfully
completing the program. A hosting allowance will also be provided
to defray costs associated with hosting a Saint Lucian
counterpart during the Nova Scotia phase and travel expenses to
Saint Lucia - transportation, meals and accommodations - will be
covered by the program partners.

To apply send a cover letter describing how you can contribute to
the success of this program and what you hope to gain through
your involvement along with a resume including the following
details: current and permanent address and telephone number,
education and training completed, previous work or volunteer
experience, previous international travel and cross cultural
experience, extra-curricular activities and involvement in
environmental issues and three references. Please also state
whether you have any physical or health limitations. Applicants
are to mail their resume and cover letter to:

NSYCC Administrator
Department of the Environment
P.O. Box 2107
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 3B7

Or courier to 5th Floor, 5151 Terminal Road in Halifax.

Applications can also be sent by fax to 902-424-0503 or by
e-mail, SmithWD@gov.ns.ca

Applications will be accepted until April 11, 1997 at 4:00 p.m.

The NSYCC has another exchange program with Costa Rica, the
Environmental Leadership Program which is similar to the one
announced today. It has been in operation since 1993 and is in
partnership with Canada World Youth. For more information on the
NSYCC or its other programs, check out the Youth Corps web site
at: https://novascotia.ca/envi/dept/ess/ycc/

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Contact: Bill Smith      902-424-5071

         Mauritz Erhard  902-424-5205

trp                      Mar. 25, 1997 - 11:15 a.m.