YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Gillian’s Place is able to offer a variety of engaging youth programs that include: school-based and youth group educational workshops, male allyship/healthy masculinities workshops, youth ambassador programs, school projects, and volunteer opportunities!
Note: School presentations are available in the following areas: St. Catharines, Thorold, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and West Niagara including Jordan, Vineland, Beamsville, Grimsby and Smithville. If your school is in South Niagara, please contact Birchway Niagara (Women’s Place of South Niagara)
School Programs
A large part of the prevention strategy at Gillian’s Place is focused on our partnerships with local schools. School programs are presented in the classroom in an age-appropriate manner and are designed to raise awareness and provide information on how gender roles and expectations, as well as our culture, influence dating violence. Students also learn about resources, risk reduction strategies and how to help a friend who is experiencing abuse. Teacher and parent information sessions are also available.
School Projects
Gillian’s Place is pleased to offer support, guidance, and informational interviews to students (secondary and post-secondary) completing projects on gender-based violence or local service agencies, including ways student groups can support the work we do at GP!
Student Placement Opportunities
Gillian’s Place accepts a limited number of placement students in our Shelter Counselling Department and Child & Youth Department throughout the year. We are only able to take on post-secondary placement students (not high-school) at Gillian’s Place.
Our student placement positions offer comprehensive training and onboarding, shadowing of experienced counsellors, child & youth workers, housing workers, and a variety of other positions, and a collaborative learning plan that includes your own personal and professional goals as well as opportunities for unique hands-on experiences – we work with you to support you through your learning objectives, building to more independent work throughout your placement with us.
Unpaid Placements
Unpaid student placements occur during the fall and winter terms, typically September to December and January to April – successful placement students may be invited to join us for placement for one term or both terms.
Students should apply to our placement positions through their co-op/practicum department at their school, this process typically begins in the spring and summer.
Paid Placements / Canada Summer Jobs Positions
Paid placement opportunities occur only during the spring and summer terms and are contingent on funding from the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program; criteria for eligibility (beyond our own requirements) are set by CSJ.
The CSJ positions are open to non-students (e.g., recent graduates or folks seeking summer employment between semesters), but priority is given to student placements for these roles whenever possible.
The CSJ contracts are full-time, 16-week contracts, and successful candidates must be able to commit to the full length of the contract, even if they are a student and their placement hour requirements are less than this. The typical CSJ contracts run from early/mid-May to end of August.
If the successful candidate is simultaneously completing a student placement, it is their responsibility to determine if they are eligible to be paid for their student placement time with their school. It is also the student’s responsibility to be aware of timelines for applications, selection, interviews, and offers of employment (this information will be in the respective job postings) as we are unable to change these timelines and they may not work with when students must have secured placement by.
Our Canada Summer Jobs opportunities are typically posted on our website here and community job boards in March, interviews are conducted in April, and we make selections by end of April. Confirmation of funding usually happens by end of April/beginning of May and we aim to have our CSJs start their position by the 2nd week of May (approximately). If CSJ funding is not secured, successful applicants who are simultaneously completing a student placement will be offered unpaid placements for the spring and summer months.
For more information about our student placement program, contact Jami Coughler, Manager of Quality & Engagement, at 905.684.4000 ext. 235 or jami@gilliansplace.com
Schedule YOUR Youth Engagement
If you would like to find out more about how to engage your student/youth group in the work to end gender-based violence, contact Jami Coughler, Manager of Quality & Engagement, at
905.684.4000 ext. 235 or jami@gilliansplace.com or complete our Community Education Request Form and we can create a customized youth engagement plan that is right for your youth group!