​BRAMPTON, ON (May 31, 2021) – The City of Brampton launches its new Black and Indigenous Youth Internship and Co-op Program in the performing arts, the first of its kind in Canada, on Saturday, June 5.

Designed by and for Black and Indigenous students, the program was developed to celebrate and elevate Black and Indigenous youth, increase cultural understanding, provide opportunities for professional development, and prepare students for future leadership positions and careers in the live performing arts industry.

Recognizing the need for action on equity and social impact, the program will help break down barriers that Black and Indigenous youth experience in acquiring training and opportunities in the arts. The program is supported by Algoma University and managed by the City of Brampton, in coordination with local school boards.

Over the past three months, the first cohort of five students started the pilot program with lead mentors and community members Cameron Grant, Angela Boyer, Deneille R. Walters, as well as the City’s Performing Arts staff. The team worked on this virtual pilot project to design a framework for the program for years to come.

On Saturday, June 5, at 1 pm, attend a virtual presentation to learn more about the 2021 pilot program, the students' roles as program designers, and how to get involved at therosebrampton.ca.

In 2022, one paid internship spot, will be open to university and college applicants, and four co-op spots, open to high-school applicants, will be available through the program. The City of Brampton’s internship co-op program is built to align with the City’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to focus on attracting and growing a diverse workforce reflective of the community.
Celebrating Brampton’s Mosaic

Brampton is one of the youngest cities in Canada with more than 130,600 youth between the ages of 14 and 29. This year, Brampton was named one of RBC’s Best Cities for Youth to Work, ranking 18th out of 27 cities on the list, for our leading City Economy.

In March 2020, the City of Brampton received a Platinum Youth Friendly Community designation from Play Works, a program supported by Parks and Recreation Ontario. This is the third time the City of Brampton and community partners have been recognized for outstanding commitment to growth and development opportunities for youth.

To identify and remove barriers in the workplace and community, Brampton City Council established an Equity Office in December, 2020, which will work to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all individuals and promote a harmonious environment for residents. In June 2020, the City of Brampton launched its first Black African and Caribbean Social, Cultural and Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit to take meaningful action against anti-Black racism and empower individuals to be successful and productive.

QUOTES

“Brampton is proud to support the first Black and Indigenous Youth Internship and Co-Op Program for the Performing Arts. This program will celebrate and elevate Black and Indigenous youth, increase cultural understanding, provide opportunities for professional development, and prepare students for future leadership positions and careers in the live performance industry.”
- Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton

“The City of Brampton is committed to prioritizing the voices and needs of youth and recognizes the importance of and value in taking action and investing in our young people. Internship and co-op programs benefit youth tremendously and I’m proud to say Brampton is the first city in Canada to offer this program to Black and Indigenous youth in the performing arts.”
- Rowena Santos, Regional Councillor; Wards 1 & 5; Chair, Community Services; City of Brampton

“With a specific focus on Black and Indigenous youth, the City of Brampton acknowledges the importance of action toward equity and social impact, and breaking down the barriers that Black and Indigenous youth experience in accessing training and opportunities in the arts.”
- David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton

“One of the Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit’s goals is to identify and develop opportunities for Black and Indigenous youth achievement. It’s critical to encourage young people to lead and this is a fantastic program to do just that, as it inspires opportunities for personal and professional growth. I’m excited about their possibilities to make a mark in the live performing arts industry, and thankful to Algoma University for helping make this possible!”
- Gwyneth Chapman; Senior Advisor, Black African and Caribbean Social, Cultural and Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit; City of Brampton

“Welcoming co-op students and interns to our Performing Arts Team is a tremendous opportunity to further support Black and Indigenous youth in our community. We hope students participating with this program will explore careers in Performing Arts, work toward their own learning goals, and create innovative initiatives that celebrate and uplift youth in Brampton!”
- Steven Schipper, Executive Artistic Director, Performing Arts, City of Brampton

“When the opportunity to be a part of such an important initiative came up, we jumped at it. The City of Brampton’s Performing Arts co-op and internship program will provide students with a fantastic opportunity to develop critical soft and hard skills to give youth the foundations to be career-ready in future years. We are excited to be part of something that strives to promote inclusivity, diversity, and cross-cultural learning and experience within our communities. We are proud and honoured to be able to support this program, and we are pleased to be in Brampton, to be part of Brampton’s growth, and to support youth at all stages of their education journey.”
 - Craig Fowler, Vice-President, Growth, Innovation and External Relations, Algoma University

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