We have young people who come to us with more individual needs [relatifs] for their mental health, their health [physique], their need to leave the house. Our task [initiale] it should educate active, critical and responsible citizens. It still is, but it’s been sharper for a few yearsentrusted the director of the Val-Bélair youth center, Jean-François Bougie, to the broadcast First hour.

This change of course is no stranger to the pandemic either.

The youth centers have also adapted in recent years to the different clientele that visited them.

Sometimes we have groups of 12, 13 year olds. At some point it will be 15, 16, 17 years old. In Val-Bélair we also had a small baby boom with young mothers visiting us. We adjusted. We have changed the room layoutexplains the director.

Through schools, extracurricular activities and part-time jobs for young people, the youth centers try to fulfill their mission as best they can.

Due to the lack of staff, we hire young people aged 13, 14, but we ask ourselves questions at 14. We live things and that’s where we work. So what’s left for development?worried Jean-François Bougie.

Challenges that remain

The 25th Week of Quebec Youth Centers, beginning Monday, is also an opportunity for the community to affirm its funding and labor needs.

It is extremely difficult to have the necessary resources and the challenges have doubled since the pandemicsupports the director of the youth center of Val-Bélair.

Funding, which Jean-François Bougie says has always been a problem, makes it very difficult to retain employees.

” Often we say we do it for values ​​in the community, but there are limits. We have young people coming to us who earn more than our college educated workers! »

The Regroupement des maison des jeunes du Québec (RMJQ) is currently looking for short and medium-term solutions for the staff. The speakers are essential for the health of the youth centers, admitted Jean-François Bougie at the microphone of Pierre-Alexandre Bolduc.

A young person who arrives at 12, 13 and at 16, 17 has the reflex to come back to his leader, that’s what we want. It all comes down to the connection. If there is too much turnover, we cannot fulfill our missionthe director complains.

Therefore, the youth centers want to recruit more old young In the coming years. We will approach the community of the 70’s, 80’s to better equip ourselves in our neighborhoodsassures Jean-François Bougie.

Activities are planned throughout the week at youth centers across Quebec.