South Dartmouth church's loss of summer student meant youth soccer camp couldn't run, pastor says
South End Baptist said its youth soccer camp was put on hold this summer after it was denied funding through the Canada Summer Jobs program.
A Dartmouth church’s youth soccer camp did not run this summer after it was denied funding through the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program, leaving the church without the staffing capacity to run the program, according to the church’s pastor.
Last summer, more than 20 children gathered at the South End Baptist Church for a week of soccer, games and activities that connected sport with lessons about Emancipation Day and the history of African Nova Scotians.
The Youth Soccer and Emancipation Camp included drills, tournaments, arts and crafts, mentorship and a visit to historical sites, culminating in a closing celebration with music, food and performances.
Pastor Elias Mutale said the church applied in January for a “Church Ministries Support” position and was notified in April that its application had not been successful.
He said the only explanation the church was given was the volume of applications the CJS program received.
“We’ve given them an adequate background of what our community is like and how big an investment a summer student is,” Mutale told the Post. “We feel that smaller churches serving significant underserved communities like South End Dartmouth ought to have priority.”
The CJS program provides wage subsidies to employers, including not-for-profit organizations, to create summer employment opportunities for youth aged 15 to 30. Maja Stefanovska, a spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada, said the program’s core objective is providing work opportunities to youth facing barriers to employment.
For 2026, more than 2,000 applications were submitted by prospective employers in Nova Scotia, with close to 95 per cent approved for funding. Nationally, about 43,100 employers applied, up from roughly 42,800 in 2025.
“Demand for the program continues to exceed available resources,” said Stefanovska.
Applications first have to meet 15 mandatory eligibility requirements before being assessed against the program’s objectives. Eligible applications are then scored on factors including the quality of the work experience, opportunities for youth to develop skills, supervision and mentoring, wages above the provincial minimum, and whether the position responds to national or local priorities.
For this year’s program, the CSJ program identified national priorities including sectors such as construction and the environment, as well as technology and digital skills. Members of Parliament can also identify local priorities for their constituencies, including needs involving underserved or vulnerable populations.
After applications are assessed and ranked, MPs have an opportunity to review projects in their constituencies and provide feedback before funding is distributed.
In an email statement to the Post, Dartmouth–Cole Harbour MP Darren Fisher said the program provides young people with opportunities ranging from tour guiding and coaching soccer to helping run seniors’ programs and children’s day camps.
He said Dartmouth–Cole Harbour’s local priorities for 2026 included jobs supporting not-for-profit organizations, recreational activities, seniors, youth and small businesses.
Fisher also pointed to the program’s role in helping families of every income level access summer programming – a goal that closely mirrors the church’s soccer camp, which charged families $10 for the week.
He also said the program is oversubscribed and that he continues to advocate for increased funding.
Mutale said the church’s proposed summer student would have helped with weekly church operations, special events, community outreach and summer programming. The position sought someone with experience working with children and youth, strong communication skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced, intergenerational environment.
Last summer, the church received $4,923 through the CSJ for one student, who worked 35 hours a week from July to the end of August at $15.70 an hour.
That student helped create a church membership database, catalogued the ministerial library, assisted with English-language instruction and developed a proposal for an Emancipation soccer camp.
The student also ran the weeklong soccer camp – a role Mutale described as “both instrumental and critical” to the program.
Mutale said he can coach and teach, but managing a group of that size on his own is more difficult.
The church had expected another summer student to provide that additional capacity this year. Instead, the soccer camp was put on hold.
Mutale said he believes larger churches and organizations that have received summer student grants for years continue to receive funding, while smaller organizations like his can struggle to secure positions.
The CSJ program, however, said funding decisions are not based on renewal or past participation. Each years’ program operates through a new call for applications with updated national and local priorities.
There is also no formal appeal process for unsuccessful applicants. While organizations can request feedback from Service Canada, the government says individual assessment scores are not shared and decisions are final. Mutale has not heard back from Service Canada with feedback for South End Baptist Church’s application.
“We have capacity to really do a lot of good. But that kind of support would be critical.”