Youth Travel and Exchanges

YMCA Summer Work Student Exchange (SWSE) is a six-week program that offers youth ages 16–17 the opportunity to gain paid work experience, practise their second official language, and discover another community in Canada.

Program Benefits

1. Travel 

Travel and live in a new community where you will stay with a host family while your family hosts another SWSE participant.

2. Work

Gain work experience with a full-time paid summer job in the public sector or with a non-profit organization. This will give you a chance to contribute and make an impact in communities across the country .

3. Learn Your Second Official Language

Learn and practise English or French, as you will be in a community where your second official language is spoken.

Program Eligibility

• Be 16 or 17 years old at the start of the program. 
• Live in Canada and be eligible to work in Canada.
• Your family must be able to host a youth from another community during the exchange. Let us know if this is a barrier, and we will work with you to find a solution. 
• Must be enthusiastic and excited to try new things, learn, and grow.

YMCA Youth Exchanges Canada (YEC) is a group exchange program that helps adult leaders organize exchanges across Canada for their groups of youth ages 12 to 17. 

Participants travel to and discover a new part of Canada, engage in various hands-on learning experiences, and make new friends.

Groups are matched with another group from a different province or territory. They travel to each other's communities, taking turns hosting one another and experiencing all aspects of the exchange program.

Program Benefits

1. Discover New Places and Explore New Communities  

YEC participants travel to a new community and host their twin group in their community.

2. Make New Friends

Youth can build lifelong friendships with peers from other communities in Canada.

3. Learn About Canada’s Diversity

Participants improve their knowledge and understanding of Canada by learning about its history, geography, economy, institutions, cultures, communities, languages, and more.

4. Have Fun With Educational Activities

Each group plans local activities when hosting their twin group. They also work together on community projects.

Program Eligibility

• Be part of a group of youth (10–30 members) from a recognized community, organization, or school 
• Be 12- to 17-years-old
• Have not previously participated in the program
• Be ready to live away from home for at least five days
• Participate in hosting activities in their community
• Participate in planning activities before, during, and after the exchange
• Help organize fundraising events to help cover the cost of hosting activities and local transportation