Enrichment and Summer Opportunities


  • The following programs offer opportunities for students aged 15 to 19 to study abroad:

    • AFS Intercultural Programs: Spend a school year abroad living with a host family in one of 55 countries.

    • ASSE: Founded in 1976, this non-profit organization offers student exchange programs in more than 25 countries.
  • Deep River Science Academy: A six-week program for 15- to 18-year-old high school students from across Canada. Participants take part in science and engineering research projects and earn secondary school credits.

  • Encounters with Canada: A one-week program of Canadian studies held at the Terry Fox Canadian Youth Centre in Ottawa for students 15 to 17 years old.

    • If you're 17 to 21 years of age, want to discover Canada, learn new skills through volunteering and develop your potential, Katimavik is for you!

  • Exchanges Canada is a new service that gives you direct access to over 300 existing programs through a single window that connects Canadians to one another and to the world.

  • Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP): This program offers full-time students the opportunity to apply for student jobs with the federal government.

  • Forum for Young Canadians: This one-week program brings together in Ottawa 500 senior students from across Canada to learn first-hand about our country and its leaders, about the machinery of government, and about what it means to be Canadian.

  • House of Commons Page program: Each year, there are 40 students selected from high schools and CEGEPs across Canada to come and work as Pages in the House of Commons. Those hired as Pages work on a part-time basis during their first year of study at one of the universities in the National Capital Region.

  • International Youth Programs – Travel and Work Abroad: Comprehensive information on dozens of exchange and employment opportunities, maintained by the Government of Canada.

  • Legislative Page Program: An opportunity for Ontario's outgoing, high achieving, community-involved grade seven and grade eight students. They serve a Term of Duty of up to six weeks and are granted a leave of absence from school during that time. Pages participate in the legislative process, act as messengers in the Legislative Chamber, meet with politicians and officials, learn how laws are made and how the Province of Ontario is governed.

  • Ontario Rangers: Eight weeks of outdoor work, outdoor learning and outdoor recreation provides participants with working experience and helps them understand and appreciate resource management.

  • Ontario Summer Jobs: A guide to summer employment opportunities prepared by the Ontario Ministry of Education.

  • Ontario Science Centre Science School: "Click on Teachers and Students" – 28 students apply to spend a semester at the Ontario Science Centre. Students acquire a solid academic background in classes that are small and informal with experienced, enthusiastic and imaginative teachers in a unique and challenging environment in their choice of three of the following classes: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Advanced Functions or Calculus and Vectors.

  • Outward Bound: Courses stress adventure-based education, with activities including canoeing, backpacking, rock-climbing, camping, navigation, and wilderness first aid. Developing interpersonal abilities such as effective communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills is a key part of the experience.

  • Senate Page Programme: Each year, 15 university students from all over Canada are chosen as Senate Pages. They are hired for a one year contract with the possibility of renewal for a second year. The Chief Page and the Deputy Chief Page also have the option of signing a third year contract. All Pages must be enrolled as full-time students in one of the 4 Universities in the National Capital Region.

  • Shad Valley: Shad Valley is a program for high school students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 who are interested in pushing their creative and intellectual capacity to the limit. This four-week residential program takes place each July and is hosted at 12 top Canadian university campuses. Students are encouraged to open their minds and explore new career opportunities in math, science, engineering and entrepreneurship.

  • Get in on the conversation! French is spoken by close to 9 million Canadians and over 250 million people around the world. Learn French through the Summer Language Bursary Program (SLBP) for five weeks this summer and join them!

  • Youth Challenge International is a community development organization which sends teams of volunteers between the ages of 18 and 25 to Costa Rica and Guyana.