**** CNS Media Release
More School Supplies Support for Families on Income Assistance
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Families on income assistance will get more help with the cost of school supplies this year.
Parents of children aged five to 18 will receive a one-time increase on their income assistance payment by the end of August. The benefit has also been extended this year to include four-year-olds attending pre-primary this fall.
“Affordability is an issue for many Nova Scotia families, and additional costs like school supplies, shoes and clothes create even more financial pressure – not to mention stress,” said Brendan Maguire, Minister of Community Services. “A larger, one-time payment for the upcoming school year will help offset some of those costs for our clients, so they can focus on getting their children off to school.”
The payment for children aged 13 to 18 will increase from $160 to $200. The payment for children aged five to 12 will increase from $80 to $100. Children who turn four by the end of December and are eligible for pre-primary in the fall will now receive a $100 payment.
No application is required; the payment will be included on clients’ August 29 payment.
Supports are also available for families on income assistance to support older children and adults with costs of post-secondary education or employment-focused opportunities.
The Youth Development Initiative provides eligible youth who are connected to the Department and are aged 12 to 20 with access to work placements, volunteering, leadership development, community projects and more, to help them reach their educational and career goals.
The Educate to Work Program funds tuition and other school-related costs for core programs at Nova Scotia Community College for income assistance clients, while the Career Seek program helps clients with living expenses as they attend post-secondary education.
Income assistance clients and dependents may also be eligible for other career and educational programs, including EDGE, Skills2SucSEED and Career Rising.
Quick Facts:
– the Province is investing $410,000 for this one-time increased payment
– about 8,500 children are eligible for the payment, including about 3,000 children 13-18, 4,700 children 5-12, and 800 children who will be four by the end of the year and attending pre-primary this fall
– families on income assistance with children ages 19 and 20 who are attending high school and living at home may also be eligible for a school supplies payment
– income assistance clients and their dependents should contact their caseworker if they have any questions about programs to support their career and educational goals
Additional Resources:
Youth Development Initiative: https://novascotia.ca/coms/employment/employment_services/YouthInitiatives.html
Educate to Work Program: https://www.novascotia.ca/coms/employment/employment_services/EducatetoWorkProgram.html
Career Seek: https://www.novascotia.ca/coms/employment/income_assistance/CareerSeek.html
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