The Canada Student Service Grant & Social Innovation Lab Program
Dear Students,
We know that the past few months have presented new challenges to nearly all facets of everyday life, and we continue to feel a deep gratitude for your perseverance. The struggles we have faced through the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the importance of working together to support one another. It is to this end that we are thrilled to announce the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) program with you, in the hopes that you will participate.
This exciting program unites Canadian not-for-profit organizations in a collective mission, providing meaningful service opportunities to thousands of post-secondary students and recent graduates, creating impacts in communities across the country, and empowering young people to develop their own skills through service. Upon completion of the CSSG volunteer opportunity, student participants who meet the eligibility criteria (please see below) can also apply to receive a grant between $1,000 and $5,000.
After you register, you will be invited to join volunteer training. Upon completion, student volunteers will begin service activities.
**Full details on the Canada Student Service Grant Program are available here.
The Social Innovation Lab Program
The Social Innovation Lab is a specialized unit within the Canada Student Service Grant that focuses on overall health and well-being. Students in this program will volunteer for 300+ hours, work directly with industry professionals and/or mentors, as well as other like-minded students remotely. Collaboratively, students will tackle emerging challenges facing Canadians in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis and a post-pandemic world as it relates to wellness, mindfulness, and overall well-being.
The Social Innovation Lab is comprised of three distinctive streams of focus: Nutritional Research, Business Ideation, Content Creation. Students are encouraged to register for the stream that best aligns with their educational background.
1. Nutritional Research (Wellness): Neuroscience, Nutritional Science, Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Life Sciences, Medicine, Physiology, Kinesiology
2. Business Ideation (Technology, Business and Design): Marketing, Tech/computer science, Industrial Engineering, Information Science, Graphic Design, Digital Marketing, UX/UI
3. Content Creation (Content, Art and Media): Digital Media, Journalism, Filmography/Videography, PR, Fine Arts, Culinary Arts
CSSG Registration
Interested students can now register for the Canada Student service Grant program at https://apply.iwanttohelp.org/.
To apply for the Social Innovation Lab program, students may register using one of the following codes:
· Business Ideation: IDEA2020
· Content Creation: ICON2020
· Nutritional Research: IRAD2020
*Please note that registration for the Social Innovation Lab fills on a first come, first serve basis.
Canada Student Service Grant Program Eligibility Requirements:
Volunteer opportunities through the CSSG are open to applicants who meet the following criteria:
- Canadian Citizens, permanent residents, First Nations, Metis or Inuit, or those with Refugee status.
- Students who are enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution in September 2020 or recently graduated no earlier than December 2019.
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- This includes part-time or full-time studies in pursuit of a degree, diploma or certificate at an accredited institution over a period of at least 12 weeks.
- Accredited institutions include universities, colleges and Indigenous learning institutions accredited by the province or territory in which they are located.
- Canadian students who study abroad but are currently residing in Canada and do their volunteer hours in Canada.
- Students currently attending spring/summer classes are also eligible.
- All students who meet the above criteria will be eligible to apply for the grant upon successful completion of their CSSG volunteer opportunities.
To be eligible to receive the CSSG funding student participants must be:
- Canadian citizens, permanent residents, First Nations, Metis or Inuit, or those with Refugee status.
- Enrolled and attending an accredited post-secondary institution during spring, summer and/or fall 2020 or recently graduated no earlier than December 2019.
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- This includes part-time or full-time studies in pursuit of a degree, diploma or certificate at an accredited institution over a period of at least twelve weeks.
- Accredited institutions include universities, colleges and Indigenous learning institutions accredited by the province or territory in which they are located.
- Canadian students who study abroad but are currently residing in Canada and do their volunteer hours in Canada.
- All post-secondary students and recent graduates, up to the age of 30, who meet the eligibility criteria, including the required number of volunteer service hours, will receive the grant.
- Students who received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) ($2,000monthly) at any point are ineligible to receive the CSSG.
Should you have any questions feel free to connect with a member of our team:
- Support phone number: 1 (833) 521-0117
- Support email EN: support@iwanttohelp.org
- Support email FR: soutien@jeveux-aider.org
If the CSSG is of interest to you, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible as there are many exciting opportunities to be taken advantage of.
We hope that you take advantage of this exciting opportunity to showcase your talents, and find strength and connection within your community during this unprecedented time.