Post-secondary students graduate from their programs brimming with knowledge and eager to start out on their chosen career path.  However, with employers looking for a combination of education and work experience, getting their foot in the door for that first job can be a challenge … especially in smaller communities.

This is where the Government of Alberta was approached by the Alberta Students’ Executive council (AESC) with a proposal:  why not develop a program that rewards students for developing their skills while giving back to the community?

The proposal began a collaboration between the government, student groups and Volunteer Alberta, and resulted in the Serving Communities Internship Program (SCIP) – a unique opportunity for post-secondary students to earn a $1,000 bursary for completing an internship in the non-profit or voluntary sector. 

Beginning this fall, students can apply for one of up to 500 internships available.  If chosen, these interns can expect to gain meaningful experience at a non-profit organization, putting their education knowledge and skills to work.

To provide these internships, the initiative is looking for non-profit/voluntary organizations who can benefit from post-secondary student’s knowledge and experience while providing support and guidance.

The benefits of this program are two-fold, with students gaining valuable hands-on experience working on meaningful projects, and voluntary organizations accessing skills, knowledge and time that they are all-too-often short on.

Interested students and organizations can find more information about the program here.

Source:  Alberta Advanced Education and Technology

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Unlike rural school consolidation – a policy which has drawn much (and often negative) media attention – successful rural school stories are harder to come by.

Schools, particularly in rural areas, are focal points for communities, serving children, youth and families, providing public space, offering programs, hosting events, building social connections, and providing a hub for many facets of community life.

And while it’s not as simple as saying, “let’s save all our rural schools,” in British Columbia, strategies to promote rural school sustainability have demonstrated surprising success.

Using the small communities of Port Clements and Wells as examples, a recent presentation by RuralBC Secretariat outlined how the co-location of Neighbourhood Learning Centres (NLCs) and community and local government services served to unite a community, foster stronger relationships, and turn unused public school space into vibrant community assets.  Click here to access the presentation.

Through partnerships and innovative approaches, change was achieved. 

Other communities in BC are also seeking unique solutions in an era of declining services and budgets, as reported in The Tyee. 

For too long, policy makers have had the mistaken view that consolidation is the only way to save money and improve curriculum in rural areas.  As these examples show, that is not the case.

Do you have any similar examples to share?

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To battle declining student enrolment and loss of their small school, one New York community (in the state, not the city) has turned to recruiting international students to its rural school.

Located in a valley in the Adirondack mountain range, the community of Newcomb has a year-round population of just 450.  But by successfully recruiting overseas students, Newcomb is one place that has chosen to fight to maintain its rural community.

“To lose your school is to lose your identity as a town, and we would fight to hold that no matter what.”

- George Canon, Newcomb Town Supervisor

Read the full article – or listen to it online – here.

Thanks to reader Krista Gebbia for the lead!

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