PLT Canada launches second Green Leaders Program to empower, connect, and upskill future Indigenous forest and conservation leaders

October 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.

• Learn more about different Green Jobs through PLT Canada’s career fact sheets, A Day in the Life video series, and the Green Jobs Career Personality Quiz

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:

• PLT Canada green leader organizes virtual family ice fishing derby
• Green leader supports his community with a food drive
• What’s old is new again: Green leader engages community by upcycling fabric into blankets
• How to ‘go green’: Tips from a PLT Canada green leader

NT5