Quebec Group Brings Social Entrepreneurship Program To Moncton Youth
MONCTON – Chantiers Jeunesse, a Quebec-based non-profit organization dedicated to youth development, has opened its first office in Atlantic Canada, and its first one outside Quebec in 40 years.
The organization was created in 1980 to promote the development of active and engaged youth, while fostering community development locally and globally. Staff began building the Moncton presence back in February, but the office’s official opening party happened online on Thursday evening.
One of Chantiers Jeunesse’s key programs is the Social Entrepreneurship Program, which offers up to $2,500 per project, mentorship, and skills development for youth volunteers all over Canada. Permanent residents, citizens and refugees aged 15 to 30 years old can sign up as individuals or as teams if their project idea is bigger.
Moncton outreach development officer Kelsey Kliparchuk says there’s been a significant increase in the take up of the program recently. And although the program is offered nationwide, the local office will bring it closer to young people in the Maritimes.
“To have our location here specifically in the Maritimes, I think, will just increase and build inspiration for youth, and [they’ll] have an opportunity to really make the change and make a difference in their communities in ways that they feel is relevant,” she said.
The program is free for youth volunteers to attend and takes between six months to a year, intermittently. It emphasizes the development of leadership and entrepreneurial skills, so volunteers can learn the basics of managing a full-scale project while helping out in their community.
Youth will be supported by the Chantiers Jeunesse team and mentors to develop and implement projects that cater to a need in their communities. The youth can also work with any resources they deem appropriate for their project, including professional training.
“What we noticed and observed in New Brunswick is that so many youth leave the province to seek more opportunities and more connection. So with that alone, we feel there’s a great need to retain youth who are here and to help build their skills,” Kliparchuk said.
Brandon Hilts is a Moncton-based alumnus of the social entrepreneurship program. He started Parks With Purpose with an aim of beautifying neighbourhoods and public spaces by planting trees, and cleaning them up. Socio-economically challenged areas were one of his priorities.
“I noticed a lot of our communities could use a little clean up just to instill some pride in people to take care of where they live.”
While the project changed direction over the year as he found the obstacles would take him time past the limit of his Chantiers Jeunesse program, Hilts continued to encourage people to take care of their green space and community areas in their own ways.
He said going through the program allowed him to go to Montreal for training with local entrepreneurs who have done similar projects. Still, from the training he received, he learned how to come up with a project plan, budget, and apply for funding, among other things. He can also now use the experience on his resume and apply for other programs.
The Francophone Pull
With Chantiers Jeunesse’s programming being bilingual, Kliparchuk said Moncton’s Francophone population is a pull. Chantiers Jeunesse already works closely with Le CAFi, a Moncton-based non-profit organization dedicated to welcoming Francophone and Francophile immigrants to Southeast New Brunswick.
Chantiers Jeunesse also has an office in Calgary, as well as an international component to its programming.
“Here in the Maritimes specifically, it’s important for us to have the in-person office presence because we know there’s a growing need for youth opportunities here,” Kliparchuk said.
“Moncton is a hub city. There’s a lot of multicultural organizations, there’s a huge number of newcomers as we’ve seen int he last decade, and so we’re hoping that these additional programs and options and visibility will be able to meet the growing needs that the province has now and in the coming years.”
Aside from the social entrepreneurship program, Chantiers Jeunesse also has pivoted its short-term summer volunteer opportunities due to Covid-19 and turning them into longer-term programs that will kick off in the winter. Young parents or guardians within the prescribed age range can take part as well.
“I think right now for the opportunities that we can offer youth in the Maritimes is opportunities to engage in social enterprise projects, as well as just to stay in the loop for perhaps the mid-term, long-term volunteering opportunities that we’re developing here in the Maritimes,” she said.
Hilts hopes others will take up the chance to get involved.
“I’d like to let others know that even if you feel your small change isn’t going to affect anything, and you may be hesitant, initiating the change or action leads others to become involved,” he said.