Mary Ann
| Jan 30, 2026

United Way: Work Experience Opportunities Grant

Deadline: February 24, 2026

Program Summary:

Many British Columbians continue to face challenges in economic recovery and securing stable employment. United Way BC’s Work Experience Opportunities Grant supports BC non-profit organizations to provide paid work experience placements to individuals on income or disability assistance. Participants will gain essential work-related skills and hands-on experience to improve their employability and prepare them for in-demand jobs across BC.

The community objectives of the BC Work Experience Opportunities Grant (WEOG) are:

Support Economic Recovery: Provide paid work experience opportunities to help individuals receiving or eligible to receive income assistance including those impacted by the tariffs to move towards economic recovery.
Enhance Skill Development: Equip participants with essential skills and work experience to improve their employability and prepare them for in-demand jobs.
Address Employment Barriers: Assist individuals facing significant barriers to employment, including those receiving income or disability assistance and Indigenous people receiving equivalent federal assistance.
Promote Inclusive Employment: Broaden eligibility criteria to include more participants and funded partners, fostering inclusive employment practices. Provide opportunities across the province of B.C. supporting an equitable regional distribution of placements and funding.
Benefit Communities: Support non-profit funded partners that deliver work experience placements, enhancing community benefits.

At an individual level, the objectives are:

Increased Skill Development: Participants gain essential skills and hands-on work experience, enhancing their employability and preparing them for in-demand jobs.
Increased Employability: By participating in the initiative, individuals improve their resumes and job prospects, making them more competitive in the labour market.
Increased Financial Support: The grant provides paid work experience to BCEA and Indigenous recipients across the province of B.C. including those impacted by tariffs, offering financial assistance to participants while they gain valuable work experience.
Improved Networking Opportunities: Participants have the chance to build professional networks and connections that can help them in their future careers.
Personal Growth: Engaging in meaningful work experiences helps individuals build confidence, develop a strong work ethic, and achieve personal growth.

Work Experience Placements:

Participants are expected to complete 200 hours (Low Intensity Option) or 240 hours (High Intensity Option) of work experience
Each participant is to receive a stipend totaling a maximum of $3,000 (low intensity) to $3,600 (high intensity) for their work experience placement
Recruiting can begin once funding confirmation is received
Participant eligibility must be verified (see below) by successful applicants (guidelines to be provided)
Each agency and participant will complete pre and post surveys
All work experience placements must be completed by February 28, 2027

Participant Stipend:

A. Low Intensity Option: Participants must complete a total of 200 hours of work experience. The total cost of participant stipends must be a maximum of $3,000 per work experience placement. If an applicant fills a vacant placement with a second or subsequent participant, the total stipend for all participants in a single placement must be a maximum of $3,000.

B. High Intensity Option: Participants must complete a total of 240 hours of work experience. The total cost of participant stipends must be a maximum of $3,600 per work experience placement. If an applicant fills a vacant placement with a second or subsequent participant, the total stipend for all participants in a single placement must be a maximum of $3,600.

C. Work Experience Categories:

Administration, clerical, and bookkeeping
Animal care
Arts, culture, and entertainment
Caregiving – child care and homecare (Elders and Seniors)
Community outreach, peer support and mentoring
Community safety
Cultural programming and activities
Data processing and IT
Environmental stewardship
Events and festivals
Food production, recovery, distribution, and services
General labour
Homelessness outreach and support
Indigenous programs (including cultural knowledge transfer)
Literacy
Manufacturing
Marketing, social media and communications
Property/building maintenance and janitorial
Recreation and sport
Research (Please specify)
Retail
Service projects such as park and beach clean-ups, recycling programs
Social programs (please specify)
Trades
Transportation
Special projects and other (Please Specify)

Eligible Applicants:

WEOG Applicants Eligibility and Criteria:

Eligible Funded partners must be:
- Non-profit funded partners (societies) incorporated under the Societies Act (British Columbia); or
- Charities and qualifying donees registered federally under the Income Tax Act; or
- First Nation bands, governing bodies or Indigenous-led non-profits
Based in or operating in British Columbia. There must be a physical office located in British Columbia.
Registered non-profits or charities that own, operate, or administer a social enterprise are eligible to apply. In cases where a non-profit owns or operates a social enterprise, the work experience placement activities may take place at either the non-profit or the social enterprise business; however, in either case the non-profit society must hold the grant and administer the placement. This non-profit partnership does not extend to a partnership with a for-profit organization.
Funded partners must be registered and in good standing (premiums, reporting) with WorkSafe BC, and must be compliant with all related Acts and Regulations.
Funded partners must have third party liability insurance.
Each applicant must commit to monitor and support each participant for the duration of the placement.
Organizations must adhere to all federal, provincial, and regional public health orders to reduce the transmission of communicable diseases.
Funded partners with an existing WorkBC contract may apply for funding, however the WEOG funded activities may not duplicate services already provided under WorkBC contracts.

WEOG Participants:

Eligibility and Criteria:

The focus of grant funding is to support individuals who are recipients or eligible to receive income or disability assistance and who may have barriers to labour market participation.

Each WEOG Participant must be:
- BCEA recipient or qualified to receive assistance under the Employment and Assistance Act; or
- On disability assistance or qualified to receive assistance under the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act; or
- Hardship Assistance (HA) recipients
- Income assistance through the Person with Persistent Multiple Barriers to Employment (PPMB) benefit
- Qualified to receive assistance from a Treaty First Nation that is funded through the Federal Department of Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada; or
- Qualified to receive assistance from a First Nation Administering Authority that administers an Income Assistance Program on behalf of Indigenous Services Canada.
Each participant must be legally able to work in British Columbia.
Indigenous people receiving equivalent federal assistance, can participate in work experience projects that occur only on Indigenous reserves or Treaty Lands.
Individuals who have previously completed a work experience placement through the Work Experience Opportunities Grant may participate again in limited circumstances.
Where required, participants may transition between low and high intensity streams to accommodate changes in need for supportive services, employment readiness, etc. This transition may occur at the discretion of the grant holder; however, the grant holder must notify UWBC of the change.