Students must read and adhere to these conditions to participate in Level UP. Riipen reserves the right to remove or suspend participants for violations.
This article is a general guide to the Level UP program. You are required to read and sign the official participation agreement provided for your specific cohort when you join the program.
1. Eligibility Requirements
To participate in the Level UP program, I confirm that I meet all of the following criteria:
I am currently enrolled at an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution or approved institution and will maintain this status throughout my participation.
I am enrolled in at least one course during the current or upcoming academic term.
I am a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person, and legally authorized to work in Canada.
I will be physically located in Canada for the full duration of the project.
I am not an international student.
Riipen reserves the right to verify eligibility at any time. Failure to meet these requirements will result in removal from the program.
2. Level UP Participation Requirements
By participating in Level UP, I agree to the following:
Program limits and account integrity
I will maintain only one Riipen account.
I will participate in a maximum of one Level UP project per funding period (May 2026 to April 2027).
I will not attempt to bypass program limits through duplicate accounts or alternate identities.
Engagement and accountability
I will remain active and responsive throughout the program.
I understand that inactivity, missed milestones, or lack of engagement may result in removal from the project and forfeiture of compensation.
Compliance
I understand that failure to comply with any program requirements will result in removal from the program and forfeiture of compensation.
3. Employment Status
I acknowledge that:
I am not an employee of Riipen Networks Inc.
I am not an employee, contractor, or affiliate of the project employer.
I do not have a conflict of interest with the project employer (including family, financial, or professional relationships).
I am not eligible for Employment Insurance as a result of this experience.
I am responsible for reporting any income earned through this program in accordance with Canadian tax laws.
Note: Riipen is not required to provide T4As as per new tax legislation.
4. Project Requirements
Participation in Level UP is contingent on meeting all requirements and deadlines outlined below.
Placement and Selection
Submitting applications does not guarantee placement in a project.
Selection is determined by the employer based on suitability and availability.
Students who are successful in securing and completing placements are expected to demonstrate a thorough understanding of program requirements, timelines, and processes. They must also uphold a high standard of professionalism in all interactions with employers, including consistent communication, reliability, and appropriate workplace conduct. Failure to meet these expectations may impact a student’s participation and success within the program.
Timelines and Completion
All deadlines are fixed and communicated at the start of the cohort and within the cohort breakdown.
Extensions are not permitted under any circumstances.
Failure to meet deadlines will result in the project being marked incomplete and ineligible for payment.
To receive the $1,400 stipend, I agree to:
Participation and Engagement
Be officially matched to a project and press “Start” on the Riipen platform on or before the project start date.
Actively participate and maintain regular communication with the employer throughout the project.
Commit to a minimum of 8 hours per week, including meetings.
Project Matching
Once matched to a project, the match is final.
Project changes, transfers, or accommodations are not permitted.
Work Requirements
Complete a total of 60 hours of work within the allocated timeframe.
Accurately log all hours using the Riipen work log.
Not exceed:
10 hours per day
30 hours per week
Understand that:
Work not logged on the platform will not be counted.
Work completed without employer oversight will not be counted.
Work beyond 60 hours will not be compensated.
Partial completion will not be compensated.
Deliverables and Documentation
Submit all required deliverables through the Riipen platform, including:
Final project submission
Completed work log
Required reflection
Complete:
Entry survey (at project start)
Exit survey (at project completion)
Feedback to employer through the platform (at project completion)
All final deliverables must be submitted in full through the Riipen platform and must clearly reflect the work completed during the project period. Deliverables must include sufficient detail to demonstrate the scope of work completed and align with the number of hours being claimed for compensation.
Limited redaction of confidential or sensitive information is permitted; however, all submissions must remain compliant with Riipen’s NDA policy and retain enough detail to validate the work performed.
Failure to submit complete and compliant deliverables may result in the project being deemed incomplete and ineligible for payment.
Provide any additional requested information within 10 days of request. Failure to do so will result in the project being deemed incomplete and ineligible for payment.
Communication and Support
Maintain consistent communication with the employer.
Notify Riipen immediately if:
The employer becomes unresponsive
There are issues affecting project completion
Delays in reporting may impact eligibility for payment.
Payment conditions
Payment is only issued for projects that are:
Approved by Riipen
Completed in full
Completed within the stated timelines
All payment-related questions must be raised and resolved within the funding period.
Payment will be issued according to the cohort schedule.
6. Prohibited Behaviour
The following actions are strictly prohibited and may result in removal from the program and loss of compensation:
Creating multiple accounts or misrepresenting identity or eligibility.
Participating in more than one Level UP project within the funding period.
Collaborating with employers where a personal, professional, or financial relationship already exists.
Completing or submitting work outside of the Riipen platform.
Logging hours that were not worked or not supervised by the employer.
Falsifying deliverables, submissions, or survey responses.
Failing to complete required milestones, deliverables, or surveys.
Accepting or requesting additional compensation outside of the Level UP program.
Engaging in plagiarism, unauthorized use of AI-generated or AI-assisted content, or any other misrepresentation of source of work.
Failing to follow employer direction within the agreed project scope.
Using employer and/or project data for use outside the Level UP program.
Withdrawing from a project without informing the employer and/or the Riipen team.
Removing or deleting work delivered to the employer after project completion.
Riipen reserves the right to investigate and determine violations at its sole discretion.
6. Misrepresentation and Compensation Suspension Notice
Any misrepresentation of identity, eligibility, or participation will result in immediate removal and forfeiture of compensation.
If I receive payment I am not entitled to, I agree to repay the full amount upon request.
Riipen reserves the right to pursue recovery of funds and take further action where necessary.
6. Respectful Behaviour Agreement
I agree to:
Conduct myself with professionalism, respect, and integrity at all times.
Refrain from harassment, discrimination, hate speech, threats, or abusive behaviour.
Engage constructively with employers, teammates, and Riipen staff.
Understand that violations may result in immediate removal without notice.
Acknowledge that Riipen’s determination of misconduct is final.
7. Data Collection, Use and Sharing
By participating in this program, I acknowledge and agree that:
Riipen may collect, store, and use my personal and participation-related information for the purposes of program administration, eligibility verification, reporting, and evaluation.
This information may include, but is not limited to, my name, contact information, educational or organizational details, project participation data, and survey responses.
Riipen may share relevant information with its funding partner, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), to meet program reporting, auditing, and compliance requirements.
My information may be used in aggregated and anonymized formats for internal analysis, impact measurement, and reporting purposes.
Riipen will handle personal information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and regulations.
I understand that participation in the program is conditional upon consent to the collection, use, and sharing of this information as outlined above.
8. Acknowledgment
By participating in the Level UP program, I acknowledge and agree that:
I have read and understood all requirements, expectations, and deadlines outlined in this agreement.
I understand that this is a government-funded program with strict compliance requirements.
I accept full responsibility for managing my time, completing all work, and meeting all deadlines.
I understand that failure to meet any requirement will result in my project being deemed incomplete and ineligible for payment.
I understand that no extensions, exceptions, or accommodations will be granted beyond what is explicitly stated.
I understand that Riipen reserves the right to enforce all terms of this agreement at its sole discretion.