Amazing Summer Job/Volunteer/Employment Opportunities for Toronto teenagers/youth

In honour of my 70th post on this blog, I am going to post 4 of the best Summer Job/Volunteer/Employment/Enrichment Opportunities and Programs for Toronto kids, all at a minimal or decent expense.

1. YMCA Summer Work Student Exchange (SWSE)

The YMCA Summer Work Student Exchange is a unique national exchange program that brings together youth from various communities across the country. Participating youth, aged 16 and 17, have the opportunity to improve their second official language skills, and gain important employment experience through a work placement while on their exchange.

Within local participating communities, other community partners such as exchange hosts, employers, our summer staff and the community at large also both contribute to the program and benefit from participation.

In 6 short weeks over the summer, participants go on a journey that will forever impact their life. Learning more about themselves, discovering another part of Canada and the people that make up our great nation, taking on new challenges, making new friends and, having so much fun, participants agree this experience is THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME! The cost is only $50 for registration fees. The rest of the program is covered through VIA Rail and the Government.

 2. The Explore Program

Five-Week French-Language Bursary Program — Most expenses are covered!

Are you looking for a spring or summer program to learn French? Do you want to discover another region of Canada and meet new people? Go Explore!

Explore is a five-week intensive language-immersion course. You can take the course in the spring or summer, whichever you prefer. Participants in Explore receive a $2,000 bursary (taxable income) that covers tuition fees for the courses, instructional materials, meals and accommodations, workshops, and other mandatory activities. Eligibility requirements include being 16 or over and finished Grade 11.

The best part is that you can receive a $2,000 bursary for the institution you applied to study at (ranging from University of Victoria to University of Montreal). You have a choice to put down preferences for which province/territory you want to study at during the spring/summer.

3. Katimavik

Katimavik is Canada’s leading youth volunteer service organization for Canadian citizens aged 17-21 or 18-35 (for the eco-internship). By taking part in one of our intensive volunteer service and learning programs, you will help change Canadian communities,  be the difference, and learn more about yourself.

As a Katimavik volunteer, you will work full-time for not-for-profit organizations that play an important role in community development and support. Volunteer periods are for 6 months, starting in either January or June each year, where you are reimbursed for you volunteering at $2 per day. It is a lifetime oppurtunity to meet other youth from around Canada. Spots are always limited as they pay for your housing, transportation, food, basic necessities, and program activites for 6 months. There is only a $300 registration fee and a $350 travel deposit upon acceptance.

4. Ontario Rangers

DO YOU... 

·         Need a summer job?

·         Want to help the environment?

·         Enjoy the outdoors?

·         Seek out new adventures?

·         Like to make new friends?  

WERE YOU ... Born in 1995?  (You can ONLY BE ELIGIBLE if you are in your Grade 11 summer)

If so, the Ontario Ranger Program might offer the once-in-a-lifetime summer job experience that you are looking for! Accommodation, food, and most travel is covered. You can even earn 1 or 2 co-op credit for doing this, WHILE getting paid simultaneously. There are always thousands of applicants each year. Spaces are limited, but if you're lucky, you can be drawn by our lottery system.

 This program aims to provide participants with a unique combination of work, learning and life experiences.

As an Ontario Ranger, you will live and work at one of 13 Ontario Ranger camps across the province for 8 weeks in the summer. 

Some of your work projects may include: 

·         Working in Ontario Parks -- creating and maintaining portages, hiking trails and water access points

·         Assisting in research of species at risk and other wildlife

·         Planting and cleaning-up along streams

·         Creating and monitoring habitat for fish and wildlife

·         Participating in local community events

There you go! I really hope you get the chance to apply for these. I know I really wanted to do Ontario Rangers last year but couldn't because I missed the application deadline by 3 days. I was devastated. But please look into them. They are once-in-a-lifetime enrichment opportunities that can't be missed.

Prom Tingz 2012

Alright, ladies and gentlemen! The post-prom information session!

Prom night went very well. I am pleased. Everything worked out the way I wanted it to.

In the morning, I prepared everything I needed for the night, and didn't forget anything. I got my hair done at Fiorio, which took 2 hours, but it turned out amazing, I love it. (The poof wasn't as big as I wanted it to be, but hey, great enough for $55!!!) Thanks to Joy and that Iranian lady I can't pronounce the name of. :D

It was hilarious. I felt kinda special. There were 2 ladies working on me and like occasionally, flocks of 4-5 people came to work on me. Is this surgery here or what? And the lady in charge, who is originally french, looked exactly like Miranda the black resident/attendant on Grey's Anatomy, omg. I loved my hair!

Then I went to pick up my corsage placed in my locker kindly by Chn. By then, we were already running a little late heading to Z's. But thank god my mother was there to help me dress and everything. Everyone else was fucken impatient and not a real friend so they left without me in the car to pre-prom. S stayed so we left together, just a minute after. Ha, take that! They didn't even compliment my hair or dress...bitches. Whatever, they're not my real friends at all that I would actually hang out with outside of school and when high school is over. Never.

So we get to her house, we are greeted ever so sweetly by her cute grandmother, omg! Her house is ginormical. The outside isn't that pretty but damn. The inside is humongous, very fancy. Everyone just hung out and took pictures of her backyard. No one was touring around her house/living room/dining room, etc. Everyone was in the backward/balcony mingling around, taking pictures. Saw the backyard tennis courts and the indoor pool, my god. She's loaded. 

So after some good group photos, we went past the fountain and outside where everyone awaited for their limos. #LimoFiasco! Our's came on time thank god and we finally arrived around 7:30. Everyone else came like 8, 8:30 because the limo guy was very unreliable.

Anyways, the limo ride was okay. I kinda got a headache because we sat sideways and the limo diver was like worse than my father. The music was remixes, but only on a CD, so not too good song selection. Although, I did scream out the window. (Not the sunroof, unfortunately. We were not allowed, dammit!!!!) I was really looking forward to screaming out the sunroof with blaring music on, going so fast down the highway. Ha, no. It was bumper-to-bumper traffic because of the One Direction concert, so that fantasy was crushed right there. And everyone kinda started getting a headache because people got really hungry, including me, who only just had breakfast.

We get to prom itself, whoo hoo! I see my friend. My jaws dropped for him, by golly. Showing up in a dress, it's gutsy. Anyways, some pics were taken. We had Shirley Temples. It was right by the lake. And there was a really nice patio in the back. But not worth the $115. The rest of the night was kinda mundane. Just normal dinner, not outstanding food. 

Then DANCE time! There were only like 3 actual good songs that people danced to. We also took pro photos with the photographer. But by 10-10:30, everyone already started leaving right after dinner because I guess they wanted to make it to AFTERPROM.

AFTERPROM is where the real party started, motherfuckers. People were smoking and drinking everywhere. There was a small bench and all three clique of girls made out with their guys. Beer and liquor was everywhere on the floor. We got some fresh air for quite awhile at the balcony (wasted time listening to E's conversation with another random frat guy). But after a big chunk of Captain Morgan rum, a shot, and some beer, I really started to have fun and let loose. Dancing all out with Gabe, lol. That was pretty fun. I'd say, that dancing was kinda the highlight of my night, just completely letting go and having fun and not worrying. Dancing in the dark to blaring music in a dark, crowded frat house basement. Zomg. I would definitely do it again.

I gotta say, my grade was so dang classy at prom. No one wore cheap American Apparel, club, or Urban Outfitter dresses. Well, if they did wear an UO dress, they made it not seem like one. Everyone looked fabulous and classy and elegant and very well-dressed for the occasion, for sure. I, of course, was confident in my dress and heels and jewellery and hair that I spent hundreds on. Then a ride back to S's, where I (the only one, because everyone else decided to stay home when we had previously agreed to a girl's sleepover), slept over.

Overall,  it was a very fun night. Some memorable parts, other forgettable and mundane. But hey, it's the only night where all the grads in our grade can get together for one night during the year and just glam-up, take pictures, and create memories. That's what it's all about: stories and memories. So thank you. It was a wonderful night; I had fun. I'd probably give it a rating of 8/10 on the whole night. But I would defnitely do afterprom again. Haha, Round 2 anyone? After exams? Let's actually get something going so we can look forward to it. Hmmmm, I wonder why no one has thought if this before: charging ppl expensive tickets, renting out a place, and throwing a massive party for one night, then basking in the profit.

Night, people. #GottaLoveLifeNoMatterWhat #ThankYou #PromTingz #FunNight #WouldSoDoItAgain

#LiveMyLife #NoRegrets #FREEEEEEEEEEE