More Than a Summer Job: Celebrating Our Canada Summer Jobs Students
This summer, 14 young people didn't just work at the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA, they became part of our team, and their impact is still being felt across the organization.
The Hamilton Burlington SPCA has been fortunate to participate in the Canada Summer Jobs program for several years, but this summer marked our highest level of program support and participation yet. That growth wouldn't have been possible without the support of the Government of Canada and our local Member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain, Lisa Hepfner.
The Canada Summer Jobs program helps youth gain paid work experience while developing skills for the job market. This year, HBSPCA received funding to support 14 youth in roles across the organization, including our hospital, kennels, adoptions, foster program, and community outreach. Over the course of their 12-week placements, each of these students made a meaningful contribution to our day-to-day operations, and gained hands-on experience in the not-for-profit and animal welfare sectors along the way.
Here's what a few of them had to say about their summer at HBSPCA:
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- Isabella, Community Outreach and Events: "It helped me expand my communication skills a lot. Now I'm able to talk to people in a very normal manner."
- Harpreet, Community Outreach: "With this job, I think it's just helped me build my confidence talking to people."
- Mia, Animal Care Attendant: "I've gotten to put what I have learned at school into practical use, which has been just amazing."
- Victoria, Adoptions Assistant: "It's always pet first, always putting the pets' needs and well-being first to make sure that they get a good, right fit for their house."
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Beyond the day-to-day work, students also had the chance to meet MP Lisa Hepfner in person, as she made a special trip to visit with them during their placements. While most of this year's students have since returned to school, two made such a significant impact that they were offered part-time positions with HBSPCA.
We're deeply grateful to the Government of Canada and to MP Lisa Hepfner for making this opportunity possible, and even more grateful to the students themselves, who spent their summer showing up for the animals and the community we serve.
