Child and Youth Care Certificate Program (CYCCP)

Are you looking for a career where you can utilize your valuable cultural and life experience to help children and youth in our community?

The Ndinawemaaganag Endaawaad Inc. (Ndinawe) Child and Youth Care Certificate Program is an eleven (11) month full-time accredited training program that is offered in partnership with Red River College Polytechnic and is offered in a safe community environment. The program starts with a four (4) week life skills pre-acceptance component. If you are a successful candidate, you would start the Red River College Polytechnic accredited, ten (10) month full-time college program right after the life skills program.

We are located within the community we serve and provide our students and youth with programs and cultural support based on the Seven Sacred Teachings – Love, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility, and Truth.

Candidates Eligibility:

We are a responsible pre-employment program, knowing the result would be a college education, employment, and serving our community youth. We have an obligation to ensure that students are ready to serve as well. The recommended timeframe to be an eligible candidate in our program is 5 years clear of experience from:

• Justice system
• Probation
• Substance Use/Misuse
• Recovery Programs

We honour past live experiential lifestyles and welcome candidates with criminal records, substance use/misuse history, experience of homelessness, sexual exploitation, lived experience in government programs and facilities as these are not barriers in our community work. We also are interested in the personal healing work that your life’s journey has taken you on.

The path to a seat in the college program includes: 

Candidates Eligibility:

• Filling in the intake form (online, below)
• Attending an intake interview
  • Confirming five (5) years or more outside any life experiences of the justice system, probation, substance misuse, and recovery program
• Writing and submitting a biography and supplying two (2) character references
• Attending a panel interview
• Filling out forms to have required background checks (Ndinawe covers these costs)
  • Child Abuse Registry: candidates must not have their name listed on the registry
  • Prior Contact Check (PCC): students are unable to start practicum with open support files and open protection files are ineligible
  • Criminal Record Check: to be in the program, it is okay to have a history with the justice system, however, five (5) years out of prison or probation is required
• Qualifying results from the Academic Communications Assessment
• Full participation and attendance of the four (4) week life skills component

Acceptance to the program would be determined after the six (6) above requirements are completed.

Upon completion of the first-year college certificate program, you can work in the community as a: 

• Youth Care/Support Worker
• Family Support Worker
• Youth Activity Worker
• Drop-In Worker
• Outreach Worker
• And More!

Ineligibility for the program includes:

• Five (5) years or less of any experiences of the justice system, probation, substance use/misuse, and recovery program
• Open files from background checks:
  • Identification: unable to provide 2 active government issued identification with current address (this is required to complete checks)
  • Prior Contact Check: students are unable to start practicum with open support files; open protection files are ineligible
  • Child Abuse Registry Checks: candidates name must not be listed on the registry
  • Criminal Record Check: candidate has been part of the justice system and/or probation within five (5) years or less
• Unable to complete/attend the four (4) week life skills component

Ndinawe works in partnership with Employment and Income Assistance (EIA). If you meet the eligibility requirements and are on EIA, please speak with your EIA counsellor for more information on the program. 

If you are interested in working with children and youth in the community and applying for this program, please complete the online intake form. Please note, that only individuals who meet all eligibility criteria will be contacted.

Application Deadline: Ongoing