The third intake of the Work Experience Opportunities Grant has opened up more British Columbians will get help thanks to broader eligibility requirements.
The grant is part of B.C.’s COVID-19 response, which includes the BC’s Economic Recovery Plan to protect people’s health and livelihoods while supporting businesses and communities.
The grants were established last year for non-profit organizations, allowing them to apply for $5,000 per participant for 12-week work experience placements.
Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicolas Simons says the third round of the supports will help more people thanks to expanded eligibility criteria.
“Based on feedback we received during the first two intakes, we’re broadening the grant’s eligibility criteria,” said Simons. “By doing this, we’ll be able to help more people in need access paid work experience opportunities.”
For the third intake, criteria have been expanded in three areas:
- Organizations can increase the number of participants they provide work experience to from five to 10.
- Private-sector businesses, social enterprises and non-profit organizations can apply.
- Any person qualified to receive income assistance or disability assistance, as well as Indigenous peoples on reserve qualified to receive federal assistance, can now be considered as a participant. For the first two intakes, only people with disabilities or persistent multiple barriers to employment were considered eligible participants.
Under the new eligibility criteria, applications will be accepted until midnight, March 8th.
Over 115 organizations applied to the first two intakes of the Work Experience Opportunities Grant.
