Specifics can vary from year to year. For 2022-2023, maximum contributions from the YCW-HO stream are $10,000 per job, while maximum contributions from the YCW-BCH program stream are $15,000 per internship in Canada, and $17,000 for an international internship.

Some details:

YCW-HO contributes a maximum of 75% of salary costs, but during the application assessment process priority will be given to employers whose contributions equal at least 25% of the costs of employment
YCW-BCH normally contributes between 50% and 75% of employment costs (wages, benefits and other eligible expenditures) and may, as warranted, contribute up to 75% of employment costs

Please note that a substantial portion of the CMA’s funding is reserved for small and medium-sized museums with annual operating budgets of less than $1 million.

What types of positions can be funded?

The CMA supports jobs that build upon the many functions of a museum, such as:

Collections management;
Curatorial research (please note that a small portion of YCW-BCH funding is reserved for Conservation Science and Preservation positions);
Conservation preservation;
Education, interpretation, public programming; and
Museum administration and marketing.

Applicants should consider offering innovative employment opportunities for our future colleagues that make use of their capacity and passion for the sector.

Please note that CMA’s YCW program does not fund general maintenance, custodial, or groundskeeping positions.

What is the potential duration of a YCW position?

YCW-HO positions have the following parameters:

Duration of 6 to 16 weeks
Part-time employment is permitted, but priority will be given to employers that submit applications for full-time jobs (30-40 hours per week)
Positions generally take place from May to early September, but may also take place during the fall and winter

YCW-BCH positions have the following parameters:

Duration of 4 to 12 months in Canada, 6 to 12 months for international projects
Part-time employment is permitted for for internships in Canada, but priority will be given to employers that submit applications for full-time internships (30 to 40 hours per week). Part-time work is not permitted for international internships.
The entire internship must be scheduled within the Government of Canada’s fiscal year (April 1 to March 31)
Most YCW-BCH internships typically begin in the autumn

How to apply?

Submit an online application at young-canada-works.canada.ca before the deadline.

Check it out: The CMA has developed an Application Tips video to assist you with your submission.

Note: The YCW website will time out after 30 minutes of non-activity (including typing in textboxes), so be sure to save your information often or complete your application in a word processor and copy and paste it into the application.

What are the application deadlines?

Please visit our YCW program homepage for information related to active calls for applications.

How are employer applications reviewed and selected?

All positions are evaluated by a peer review committee of museum professionals. Peer reviewers use the following program criteria established by the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Program election criteria for:

Interested in becoming a peer reviewer? If you are a Canadian museum professional (employee, volunteer, or retiree of a Canadian heritage institution) and would like to volunteer, please contact ycw@museums.ca.

When are decisions released?

Decisions for YCW-HO are typically released in April. YCW-BCH decisions are typically released in May. All employer applicants will receive a response.

If I am selected, what paperwork will I have to complete?

Approved employers will be required to sign a contract and complete mandatory reports at the beginning and end of the work term. This checklist created by the Government of Canada will provide you with more detailed information. Additionally, the CMA has created this Final Reporting resource to assist you.

Who can my organization employ with YCW funding?

YCW-HO positions should be filled by students who are intending to return to full-time studies in the next semester. Meanwhile, YCW-BCH internships are for post-secondary graduates.

In both cases, these participants must be from 15 through 30 years of age at the start of employment. You can review the complete YCW participant eligibility criteria for YCW-HO here and for YCW-BCH here.

Please note that approved employers are responsible for conducting their own recruitment. Employers must recruit for approved positions through a fair and balanced selection process (i.e. open competitions and unbiased adjudication of eligible candidates) and respond to youth applicants in a timely manner.

Employers must confirm that their candidates are registered on the YCW interactive website. This candidate inventory also serves as an online recruitment resource for employers to staff their YCW positions.

Can YCW fund international projects?

For YCW-HO:

No. All work locations must be at heritage organizations in Canada.

For YCW-BCH:

Yes. YCW-BCH funding may support both Canadian and international projects. Check it out: The CMA has created a YCW-BCH, International Component tip sheet to help you develop an international internship proposal.

Note that Canadian organizations that wish to apply for an international project proposal must coordinate their application with the host museum/organization abroad.

I had a great experience, how can I help spread the word?

When promoting the YCW program be sure to follow the requirements of your contract and acknowledge the Department of Canadian Heritage.

If posting on social media about the program, please tag the CMA (@musecdn on Twitter and Instagram). We appreciate seeing your content and sharing it with our audience from time to time. The CMA also welcomes more in-depth contributions in the form of Success Stories. For more information, please contact communications@museums.ca.