Growing Knowledge and Abilities
Below is a listing of the 2023-24 programs and services connected to the theme Growing Knowledge and Abilities Safer Communities. A complete description of Saskatchewan’s Children and Youth Strategy is found in the Executive Summary.
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1. Learning Supports
| Program/Initiative | Purpose | Partners |
| Alternate Format Materials (AFM) Library | Alternate format materials are used by students who have a visual impairment or other physical condition which makes using standard print difficult. This includes large print, Braille, audio, e-text and kits. | Ministry of Education, Saskatoon Public School Division |
| Community Initiatives Fund (CIF) | CIF makes effective investments in community-based projects and programs that contribute to the healthy growth and development of children and youth, individual and community well-being, as well as developing leadership capacity throughout the province. | Community Initiatives Fund, Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation and Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport |
| Education and Literacy Program in Youth Custody Facilities | Facilities employ full time teacher therapists who develop Personal Academic Plan(s) for the residents who require a K-12 education. School program consists of Saskatchewan high school core curriculum. | Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety |
| Kindergarten | A universal, school-based early learning program for all five-year-olds on a half day basis in provincial schools. | Ministry of Education and school divisions |
| Programming Adaptation | School divisions may provide courses and programs that differ from those provincially developed when those courses do not meet the unique student needs. This includes Alternative Education Programs (grades 10-12) and Functional Integrated Programs (grades 9-12). | Ministry of Education and school divisions |
| Provincial Education Plan 2020-2030 Framework | The four priorities within the framework are: inclusive, safe and welcoming learning environment; ensuring students have the skills and knowledge for their future; forming connections and relationships; and supporting mental health and well-being. The long-term provincial education plan is in development and will focus on the needs of all Prekindergarten to Grade 12 students. | Ministry of Education; school divisions; First Nations education authorities; Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations; Métis Nation-Saskatchewan; Office of the Treaty Commissioner; business; industry; post-secondary; parents; school boards; League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents; Saskatchewan Association of School Business Officials; Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation |
| Saskatchewan Student Aid | Provides needs-based and income-tested assistance to ensure post-secondary education remains accessible and affordable. This includes loans, grants, scholarships, and targeted supports for those with the greatest need. | Ministry of Advanced Education and post-secondary sector partners |
| Youth in Custody – Educational Transitions | Aids in the transition of students in open and closed custody facilities to their home school division. | Ministries of Education and Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, and school divisions |
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2. Paths to Employment
| Program/Initiative | Purpose | Partners |
| 16-/17-Year-Old Program | A voluntary program for youth who require support and services when they are unable to safely reside in their family home. It supports the youth and their family to work toward reunification, while supporting youth to continue their education and/or training. | Ministry of Social Services |
| Addressing Barriers Leading to Education/Employment (ABLE) Program | Supports students ages 16 to 22 who face barriers to employment with job search and connections to employment. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Apprenticeship | Students in grades 11 and 12 who successfully complete a trade-related credit may apply for up to 100 trade time hours towards apprenticeship through the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC). In grades 10 to 12, students can earn up to 300 hours by participating in the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship Program offered by the SATCC and supported by the ministry. | Ministry of Education, Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission |
| Big Brother/Big Sister | Matching mentorship program for children and youth to make a positive difference in their lives by developing and implementing a broad range of programs. Serving as role models, mentors teach by example the importance of giving and giving back, of staying in school and of having respect for family, peers, and community. | Ministry of Social Services, Big Brother/ Big Sisters |
| Building Bridges to Employment | Supports individuals by reducing and eliminating barriers to employment by offering life skills training, employability skills classes, work assessments and supervised volunteer work placements. It is designed to help individuals build a solid foundation of life and employment skills in order to successfully transition to employment. Individuals are equipped with resources and learning tools to assist them in making informed choices in relation to employment opportunities, training and education. | Justice ministries, Street Worker’s Advocacy Project |
| Canada Digital Adoption Program | A unique work experience program that provides skills training in digital consulting from a recognized postsecondary institution as well as leading industry sector partners. It is for young adults ages 18 to 30, from underrepresented groups who have graduated from high school, are currently enrolled in post-secondary or are recent post-secondary graduates. Participants are trained and mentored as E-commerce Advisors to provide technical and consulting services to eligible businesses. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Career Development for Youth | This program offered through the Regina District Industry Education Council (RDIEC) Inc., provides labour market and career development information through experiential learning to students in Regina Public School Division, the Regina Catholic School Division, the Prairie Valley School Division and the File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council. The RDIEC acts as information conduit between students and employers in the Regina area by providing business and industry a first-hand opportunity to relay relevant and accurate labour market and career information to youth; and, maintains an effective and sustainable partnership between industry and education. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Career Development Services provided by the La Loche Friendship Centre | The La Loche Friendship Centre Corp provides specialized career development services for at risk youth aged 18 to 30 years old, who are residents of La Loche and service area including Clearwater River Dene Nation, and who are not currently involved in employment, education or training, and who are facing difficulty transitioning into the labour market. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Connecting Youth to the Labour Market | This program, offered through the Saskatoon Industry Education Council Inc. (SIEC), provides career development information and opportunities to youth, educators, and participants from community-based organizations (CBOs) where applicable, and career practitioners through programming and events which facilitate connections to the Saskatchewan Labour Market. Serves students from the Saskatoon area, Saskatoon Public Schools, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, Prairie Spirit School Division and the Saskatoon Tribal Council. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Dual Credit Policy | The purpose of the Dual Credit Policy is to provide alternative pathways to graduation by allowing high school students the opportunity to earn high school credits, and post-secondary credits or other program recognition concurrently in the same course. High school students may participate in training or post-secondary courses earning both high school and postsecondary credits or other recognition for the same course or program. | Ministry of Education, various organizations |
| Education and Employment Placements for At Risk Youth | Provides structured and supervised activities for youth who do not have an education/employment placement, locates appropriate placements for youth, supports youth to transition into, maintain and succeed in placements, and transitions the youth to independent participation in their placements. | Justice ministries, Saskatoon Downtown Youth Centre (EGADZ), Street Worker’s Advocacy Project Regina, Ile a la Crosse Friendship Centre, Rainbow Youth Centre |
| Education and Training Initiative (ETI) | Provides a supplement to Saskatchewan Income Support or Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability Program to incentivize training. Training can be Adult Basic Education or other post-secondary. | Ministries of Social Services and Immigration and Career Training, post-secondary institutions and career service suppliers |
| Employment Program in Youth Custody | Youth who attend school full-time and are eligible could hold part-time jobs, obtain a driver’s licence, achieve employment readiness, and obtain safety tickets for construction employment as part of their reintegration plan back into the community. | Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety |
| Employment Support Program for Youth | The Employment Support Program for Youth (ESP4Youth) provides career preparation and skill building programming to at-risk youth, ages 16-29, experiencing multiple barriers to obtaining and maintaining employment. Serves youth in the Prince Albert area.< | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Extension of Supports for Youth in Care | A voluntary program for young adults transitioning from ministry care, to provide financial and other support services up to the age of 21 for long-term and permanent wards who are pursuing educational or vocational training. | Ministry of Social Services |
| Fostering Learning and Marketable Employment Skills (FLAMES) | The Ignite Adult Learning Corporation's FLAMES program supports at-risk young adults aged 16 and over who have not completed grade 12, are unemployed or underemployed. The program provides them with the opportunity to focus on education and acquire workplace essential skills to successfully obtain and maintain employment. The goal of the program is to have each participant secure employment or pursue post-secondary education opportunities. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| myBlueprint | A digital portfolio, education and career/life planning resource that supports students’ transition through secondary school and beyond. This digital platform allows students to develop individualized graduation and post-graduation plans by exploring their career identity, building their personal plans for post-secondary education and employment and, creating a skills portfolio they can build upon throughout their career. | Ministries of Education, Advanced Education and Immigration and Career Training |
| Prairie Harvest Employment Program | The program provides specialized career and employment services to at risk youth, ages 16-29, facing multiple personal and systemic barriers to employment. The program supports youth in the Yorkton area. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Regina Public Schools - Pathways Partnership (Part of the Gang Violence Reduction Strategy) | The program supports high school students living in high-risk communities in their transition from high school to employment opportunities. Students can choose from four pathways: Media and Design, Communications, Hospitality, and Leadership and Mentorship. | Ministries of Justice and school divisions |
| Road to Employment | The program helps youth, 18-25 years of age, address their personal, academic and employment concerns. Program serves youth in Regina. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Sask Lotteries Funded Programs | These programs initiate and sustain the participation of children and youth in new or existing arts, sports, cultural and recreational activities that advance their life skills, enhance their sense of belonging, and foster pride in their accomplishments and leadership skills. Over 12,000 sport, culture, recreation and community organizations benefit through grant funding or other programs and services. | Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, Sport Canada, Sask Sport, SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association (SPRA) |
| Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Programming in Youth Facilities | Coding, robotic and design/build practical and applied arts classes are offered to youth clients in custody. | Ministries of Education, Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, Saskatoon Economic Council and Sask Code |
| Skills Canada Saskatchewan | Annual provincial competitions. The competitions provide a forum for secondary, post-secondary and apprentice students to compete in over 35 trade and technology areas. Students participate in practical challenges designed to test the skills required in trade and technology occupations. The philosophy of the skills competitions is to reward students for excellence, to directly involve the industry in evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
| Trades Training Program | Provides hands-on construction projects, in which high school students construct a house under the supervision of their respective teacher(s) and site supervisor. | Saskatchewan Housing Corporation and various community partners |
| Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course | 14- and 15-year-olds are required to complete the Young Workers Readiness Certificate Course (YWRCC) before starting work in Saskatchewan. The YWRCC will help prepare youth joining the job market for the first time. They learn workplace health and safety and minimum legislation (e.g. for safety, pay and hours of work) they and their employer must follow. They will also learn about workplace rights and responsibilities for employees and employers and where to go for help. | Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety |
| Youth Transition Program delivered by Southeast Advocates for Employment | The program supports youth, ages 16-22 experiencing disabilities, through their transition out of high school into employment and/or post-secondary opportunities. | Ministry of Immigration and Career Training |
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3. Well-Equipped Educators
| Program/Initiative | Purpose | Partners |
| Annual Mental Health Training Grants for School Divisions | School divisions are provided with a suite of training options from which to choose to build the capacity of their staff in the areas of mental health, suicide prevention and/or student safety. Grant funding is provided to school divisions in support of various training opportunities. | Ministry of Education and school divisions |
| Digital Citizenship Education in Saskatchewan Schools | Supports Kindergarten to Grade 12 educators as they infuse digital citizenship concepts and skills into their teaching. It emphasizes that to prepare students to succeed in global networks, we must consider the rights and responsibilities we have in online spaces; and, we need to ensure that students are equipped with the skills to sift through an abundance of information and navigate online spaces. | Ministry of Education, post-secondary institutions, school divisions |
| English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Immigration Portal | Provides a platform and resources for school division level EAL professionals to connect with each other and discuss topics such as challenges experienced as well as resources and supports available online and in their school divisions. | Ministry of Education, school divisions, immigrant-serving agencies and federal government |
| English as an Additional Language (EAL) Initial Assessment Funding | Provides school divisions with funding ($500,000 in 2023-24) to support the initial assessment of newcomer learners with the intent of having educators identify the language and learning needs of newcomer students. | Ministry of Education and school divisions |
| Mental Health Capacity Building in Saskatchewan Schools | A collaboration between schools and communities that supports positive mental health and well-being by focusing on mental health promotion efforts and activities. | Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Saskatchewan Health Authority |
| Mental Health First Aid Course Based Training (MHFA) | Professional development offered to school divisions, to help train educational staff in MHFA. These trained individuals will be better able to assist a person who is showing signs of declining mental well-being or emergency. | Ministry of Education, Mental Health Commission of Canada and school divisions |
| Training to Support Early Childhood Educators (ECE) in Early Learning and Child Care Environments | Free, accelerated and remote ECE training and professional development opportunities that provide opportunities for ECEs to upgrade their certification and skills while working. Grants are also available to support ECEs to study while working or to address costs of training and professional development. | Ministry of Education, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Collège Mathieu, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, Dumont Technical Institute, regional colleges |
| Training to support Social, Emotional, Spiritual Development of Children in the Early Years Sector | Provides access to the early years sector to participate in several training and capacity-building opportunities for professionals who work directly with children and their families with respect to social emotional and spiritual development. | Ministry of Education, school division, community partners and child care centres |