News
PLT Canada launches second Green Leaders Program to empower, connect, and upskill future Indigenous forest and conservation leadersOctober 06, 2021
On September 16, 2021, Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) hosted the kickoff meeting for their second cohort of the Green Leaders Program. The Green Leaders Program involves mentorship, skill development, and community action. “PLT Canada is committed to supporting young Indigenous people along their green career pathways,” said Paul Robitaille, Sr. Director of Indigenous and Youth Relations at PLT Canada. “By building their professional networks, skills, and confidence, the Green Leaders Program can help youth achieve employment success and build a diverse and resilient Green Jobs workforce.” PLT Canada’s Green Leaders Program is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry and will be delivered in partnership with Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP). OYEP is a national network of land-based education, training, and work opportunities for Indigenous youth. During the seven-month program, 17 Indigenous youth in Ontario will be matched with mentors in the forest and conservation sector. They will also attend skill-building workshops, and deliver a community action project. For the community action project, the green leaders will do a short presentation on themselves and Green Jobs, then take community members to a nearby forested area and perform the Monitoring Forest Condition activities from Project Learning Tree. By completing these activities, participants will better understand how foresters, soil scientists, wildlife biologists, arborists, and other forest professionals monitor forests.
One of the green leaders is from Pikangikum First Nation, and the other 16 have participated in OYEP’s six-week work experiences which are funded through PLT Canada’s Green Jobs wage matching. You can read about the Green Jobs experiences of Indigenous youth on the Voices of Indigenous Youth web map. In addition to the Green Leaders Program, PLT Canada is launching another Green Mentor cohort in October. To date, over 250 people across Canada have participated in a PLT Canada mentorship program. Mentorship is an important way to foster and inspire the next generation of forest and conservation leaders and build a diverse and resilient Green Jobs workforce. Read past green leader highlights: | RELATED NEWS
New Project Learning Tree Canada K-8 Activity Guide Now Available to Help Students Explore Their Outdoor EnvironmentProject Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada), an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), works to advance environmental education, forest literacy and career pathways, using trees and forests as windows on the world. SFI and PLT Canada are getting ready for the Back-to-School period with the unveiling of the newest environmental education resource in Canada, the Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide. Research shows that every child benefits – academically, mentally, socially, and health-wise –when they learn outdoors. Young people,…
Back to School, Back to Nature with 20% off PLT Canada’s New K-8 Activity Guide!It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Back to School! Ahhhhhh…the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, the crispness of notebooks, the excitement of learning new things. This school year, keep the energy and excitement for learning high with some fun ways to engage learners. Plus, save on PLT Canada resources (including our brand-new Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide) with our fantastic back-to-school sale! See details below. 7 Ways to Engage Students Take learning outside. Being outdoors provides so…
Project Learning Tree Canada Celebrates Investment in Future Forest and Conservation LeadersOttawa, ON — The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, and the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, have announced $7.54 million in funding over two years to employ youth in natural and cultural heritage conservation with partner organizations. The Government of Canada has provided this funding to Parks Canada under the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) to employ youth in the conservation and enjoyment of natural…
From Green to GratefulIn Spring 2022, Dr. Cathy Keeler was beginning to wrap up her Ph.D. in Integrative Public Policy and Development at Tuskegee University and looking for job opportunities. While browsing the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) website, she found Project Learning Tree (an initiative of SFI) and the Green Mentor program. As a non-traditional full-time student, wife, mother, and woman of color, Cathy was looking for guidance and support to help her find her footing in the forest and conservation sector. She… |
