We are incredibly grateful for the support provided through the Canada Summer Jobs program, which made it possible for the Shubenacadie Canal Commission (SCC) to create a Marketing & Community Engagement Coordinator position and continue our staffed Guided Tour position this summer.
For a small non-profit organization like the SCC, funding opportunities such as Canada Summer Jobs are incredibly important. They allow us to add valuable capacity at a time when there is so much work to be done, while also giving us the opportunity to develop new ideas, programs and resources that will continue to benefit the SCC and our community long after the summer positions have ended.
Over 12 weeks, our Marketing & Community Engagement Coordinator, Ella, worked on a wide range of projects, including supporting our raffle campaign (our main fundraiser), developing awareness and engagement initiatives for the Bicentennial, creating social media and seasonal content and researching youth engagement opportunities.
Our Guided Tour position, filled by Jon, also played an important role in connecting visitors with the history and natural environment of the waterway. Over the summer, Jon provided guided tours at no cost to school groups, daycares and day camps, while also creating social media content highlighting the history and nature of the canal. Twice a week, Jon was onsite at the Flume House in Starr Park, providing interpretation to visitors from near and far and helping them discover the fascinating history of the Shubenacadie Canal. He also offered a special history-based tour at Lock 6 Park as part of Wetland Appreciation Day.
Together, these positions helped us support key SCC programs and allowed us to keep the Fairbanks Interpretive Centre open to the public on Saturdays throughout the summer.
This is the real value of programs like Canada Summer Jobs. The investment provides young people with meaningful work experience while helping community organizations like the SCC strengthen their communications, interpretation, outreach and community connections. It allows us to do more, reach more people and create resources and experiences that have a lasting impact.
We sincerely thank the Government of Canada for supporting these opportunities and for recognizing the important role that summer employment programs play in strengthening communities. This funding has made a meaningful difference to the work we are able to do and to the experiences we can offer visitors and our community along the Shubenacadie Canal.