Program gives students a chance to work and see the country

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If you're a high school student aged 16 or 17 and would like to spend your summer working in Quebec, or if you're a university student who will be continuing your studies in the fall of 2003 and are looking for summer employment, Lorna Standingready would like to hear from you.

Standingready is the regional director of the Summer Work/Student Exchange program, which is co-ordinated by the Canadian Unity Council, a non-profit organization that works to promote a greater understanding of Canada among its people. Standingready is responsible for the program in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

"It's for 16 and 17 year olds to switch houses as an exchange. So they switch bedrooms for the summer, and they go and work in those provinces. They work for six weeks at the minimum wage of the province. And on weekends, there is money set aside for weekend activities like camping and sightseeing and touring," Standingready said.

"The program also provides employment for university students, and that's what I'm in the process of trying to do, is recruit university students to work for the program."

In each participating riding, Standingready explained, a university student will be hired to co-ordinate the program, and that student will promote the program among local students, then recruit five students to take part in the exchange.

"They might have 10, so they select the best five to go, with the best French-speaking skills-as long as they have basic French skills. And they'll send these students to Quebec. In the meantime, these co-ordinators are in contact with the co-ordinator in Quebec, and in Quebec, they will have those five students come to this riding, and they just pair them up with the homes the best possible way they can."

The co-ordinator positions are part-time from April 14 to June 6, then full-time from June 9 to Aug. 15. The rate of pay for coordinators during the full-time portion of the program varies depending on the number of students they are working with, but starts at $400 a week for coordinators responsible for five students, and increases to $500 a week for those responsible for 10 students. Additional money is provided for gas and meal expenses.

What traits make a good co-ordinator? According to Standingready, she's looking for candidates with some previous experience with exchanges, or experience working as counsellors at a summer camp. Preference will also be given to candidates who are bilingual, and those that are good with computers. They must also have access to a vehicle and the Internet throughout the six-week exchange, and must be very familiar with the region they live in.

"As long as they have the desire, the commitment to make their work enjoyable. They plan and organize activities on weekends for the students, for the 16 and 17-year-old participants. And they must participate in these activities as well, and they always do. The laughter, and the fun they have, is all part of it. But it's a lot of work. During the week, they have to visit the students in their host homes and see how things are going, and it's mandatory to visit the students at work."

As well as trying to find coordinators to take part in the exchange program, Standingready also wants to get information about the program out to would-be participants.

Each year, the number of students participating in the program has grown. Only 36 students took part the first year the program was offered seven years ago, and by last year, that number had grown to 1,189. Organizers hope to get that number to 1,200 this year, she said.

Standingready would like to see those numbers include more Aboriginal students, especially in the region she is responsible for.

While there were a few Aboriginal students in Saskatchewan taking part when the program first started, last year only one was involved in the exchange.

The Summer Work/Student Exchange program offers participants a chance to travel, and shows them that the country-and the wold-isn't as big as they think it is, Standingready explained. And successfully participating also gives them the confidence, and inquisitiveness, to take on other challenges.

"It takes a type of student who will pursue something. And it's free, because VIA Rail sponsors transportation there and back. And while they're there, they make the money. And on weekends, they get to know more about that community, and do these fun activities."

For more information about the Summer Work/Student Exchange program, call Lorna Standingready toll-free at 1-866-543-8966, e-mail her at lstandingready@1617.ca, or visit the program Web site at www.summer_work.com.