FCM's Jack Layton Fellowship Program honours and celebrates Jack Layton's legacy by engaging young Canadians in politics.
Each year the program provides an opportunity for community-minded leaders to turn their good ideas into real action and real change.
The issues local governments address each day are important to all Canadians, yet young Canadians are becoming more disengaged with politics at all levels of government.
Reaching out to these young people and finding ways to engage them in contributing to the cities and communities we all want is critical.
About Jack and FCM
Jack Layton was a long-time City Councillor in Toronto, before he became leader of the federal New Democratic Party in 2003. He was an active leader in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), serving as President in 2001. This fellowship has been created to honor Mr. Layton’s contributions to Canada’s cities and communities.
FCM is the national voice for Canadian municipalities and is dedicated to improving the quality of life in all communities by promoting strong, effective and accountable local governments.
The Fellowship
During his two decades dedicated to public service, Mr. Layton believed that ideas, no matter how small or odd-sounding, are something to be explored, nurtured and developed, and that grass roots, community-based initiatives, with proper support, can result in real change. This fellowship program is built on and is a reflection of these beliefs.
The FCM Jack Layton Fellowship Program will provide an opportunity for up to 7 community-minded leaders to turn their good ideas into real action and real change. Specifically, the Fellowship will seed, support and develop good ideas that engage Canadians in public policy and civic participation at a local level.
How it works
FCM will be hiring up to 7 university students at the graduate or undergraduate level to work during the spring and summer. The Jack Layton Fellows will spend 80 per cent of their time occupying separate positions within FCM, serving Canada’s municipalities. An outline of these positions is found below.
The remaining 20 per cent of their time will be dedicated to developing the Jack Layton Fellowship project. Building on the work done last year, Fellows will identify a project for this year as a team, focusing on a priority area for which Mr. Layton was a champion, including youth engagement, the role of municipalities, affordable housing or public transit. Upon completion of the term, Fellows will be given the opportunity to have their work presented to municipal leaders from across the country.