Four Rivers Youth River Guardians Internship Program to Provide Training and Career Pathways in Environment and Technology

February 4, 2025. Thunder Bay, ON: This spring Four Rivers, Matawa First Nations Management’s environmental services group, will launch an innovative internship program to expand learning and career opportunities for Matawa First Nation youth and young adults in the fields of environmental stewardship and technology.

“We’re thrilled for the rollout of Youth River Guardians internship program, which will complement our Community Guardians program and increase the range of opportunities available to Matawa youth who are interested in the intersection of environmental stewardship and technology,” says Sarah Cockerton, Managing Director of Four Rivers.

Four Rivers and Matawa First Nations Management, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, designed the Youth River Guardians internship program to provide skills training and create pathways for Matawa members who wish to pursue careers in STEM-related fields while contributing to their community’s environmental and technological priorities, including maintenance of Rapid Lynx’s fibre optic broadband network.

Starting this spring and running through 2028, Four Rivers will hire the first cohort of 18 Youth River Guardian interns, aged 18-35, including two from each Matawa First Nation. Youth River Guardians interns will receive training and mentorship from experts on environment, technology, and field-based skills, which will allow them to gather data about the lands and waters within the Matawa homelands to monitor trends and identify changes in the climate and ecosystem. This critical information will be used to inform community members and decision-makers, and support policy development and implementation.

“Four Rivers’ Youth River Guardians interns will set an example of what’s possible as they learn and contribute directly to their communities. Thousands of other young people will also have access to rich learning opportunities across Matawa territory in environmental stewardship and cultural preservation,” says Jennifer Brennan, Senior Director, Canada Programs at the Mastercard Foundation. “The strength and wisdom of this program is that it is a solution driven by community. It will prepare Indigenous youth to lead in areas like climate change and technology, contributing to their communities today and for generations to come.”

For more information, please contact:

Charnel Anderson
Communications Generalist, Matawa First Nations
canderson@matawa.on.ca
(807) 621-9405

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