Youth On Board Program

The Youth-on-Board Program is an opportunity for 25 rural PEI high-school students to be part of a rural non-profit board to inspire youth volunteerism in rural communities, learn how a board or council operates, and build the capacity of non-profit boards and municipal councils to engage with youth. 

Why Should I Apply? 

Youth accepted into the program will be provided with the opportunity to: 

• Deepen their understanding of non-profit functionality;
• Participate in board governance training 
• Connect with a mentor from a non-profit that will provide mentorship, guidance and education on board/council functionality
• Develop resume skills and networking experiences. 

Non-profits matched with youth will also be provided an opportunity to build their capacity to engage with youth in their communities as potential volunteers.

The program will also provide an honorarium to participating youth and non-profits. The amount provided will be based on the number of meetings attended by youth according to the following scale: 

Who Can Apply?

Youth currently enroled in Grade 10 to 12 (as of September 2024) are eligible to apply to the program. 

Priority may be given to: 

• Youth who live in rural PEI (defined as living outside of the Charlottetown, Summerside and Stratford areas) 
• Youth able to attend in-person Board Governance training tentatively planned for on Tuesday September 24, 2024 (location in Eastern PEI) or Thursday September 26, 2024 (Location in Western PEI) from 5:30 – 8:30 PM. 
• Youth able to commit to attending five or more meetings with a non-profit board between September 2024 and May 2025. 
• Youth who demonstrate an interest in learning more about non-profit governance 
• Youth who have not participated in the program in prior years.

Application Process 

• Youth can apply to the program online via the application button at the bottom of this page
• Applications will be accepted until Friday August 30, 2024. Late applications may be considered depending on program interest.
• Rural and Regional Development Staff may reach out to applicants if they have questions regarding their application.
• Youth will be notified acceptance into the program by mid September.

For Non-Profits Interested in Hosting a Youth:

If you are a non-profit interested in hosting a youth on your board, please contact a Community Development Officer in your area (contact information below). Participating non-profits must meet the following criteria in order to participate:

• Be an incorporated non-profit or be a municipality.
• Must have a mandate that benefits rural PEI or have an Island-wide reach. 
• Be able to host a student at their board meetings at least five times between October to May. 
• Be able to assign a mentor from the board that will meet with youth to help understand board meetings and answer any questions. Mentors must have a current criminal record check. 
• Have the mentor attend a training tentatively planned for Tuesday September 24, 2024 (location in Eastern PEI) or Thursday September 26, 2024 (Location in Western PEI) from 5:30 – 8:30 PM. 
• Have Youth be able to commit to attending five or more meetings with a non-profit board or municipal council between September 2024 and May 2025. 
• Demonstrate board approval for a student to attend meetings (youth will not join any in-camera or private discussions).
• Allow Rural and Regional Development staff to attend board meetings as requested

Participation in the program may also be impacted by the following criteria: 

• Organization has mandate that matches participating youth’s interest 
• Organization is able to host meetings that works with participating youth’s schedules 
• Organization has not participated in prior years of Youth on Board 
• Organization has long-term volunteer opportunities for youth after the program ends

Contact 

If you have any questions about the program, or are a non-profit interested in participating in the program, please contact the Community Development Officer in your region.