RDÉE Canada and its members recognize the importance of supporting the youth of Francophone and Acadian communities in their efforts to find employment, start a business and/or participate in their community’s economic development. The Network, made up of 12 provincial and territorial members, is carrying out more than 75 projects in support of Canada’s Francophone youth. In 2014, the Network formed a pan-Canadian working group to develop a national youth economic strategy to
- Build RDÉE members’ youth entrepreneurship and employability capacities;
- Form and strengthen strategic partnerships; and
- Promote the development of structuring employability and entrepreneurship projects.
Forum Ô chalet : résultats du sondage
En prévision du forum, le RDÉE Canada a mené une enquête auprès de centaines de jeunes francophones canadiens·nes pour en apprendre davantage sur leur rapport à la sécurité linguistique, l’employabilité, l’entrepreneuriat et à leur positionnement face à divers enjeux de société, économiques et environnementaux. Découvrez les faits saillants de ce sondage!
Today’s youth are bilingual—even multilingual—and aware of the fact that the labour market is changing and that technologies are advancing at lightning speed. Young people are open to the entire country and the rest of the world and want to be involved in large-scale projects. Maintaining Canada’s linguistic duality depends largely on its youth (Youth Business International, OECD LEED, 2013). Francophone and Acadian communities are embracing a vision in which young people can see a future in terms of employment and living in a community: education, culture, services and recreation.
The employability and entrepreneurship of Francophone and Acadian youth are at the heart of the national “youth and economics” issue. The Network is working with its partners to encourage young entrepreneurs, increase the number of entrepreneurs, reduce the unemployment rate, facilitate the transition from school to work, and ensure the retention of young people in the regions. To this end, the “youth and economics” issue focuses on the added value of bilingualism, technology, the creation of sustainable partnerships and structuring projects.
Brochure des projets jeunesse
Chaque année, les membres du réseau du RDÉE Canada réalisent plus de 45 projets jeunesse en accompagnant plus de 10 000 jeunes! Cette brochure permet de découvrir quelques projets phares de nos membres qui ont été déployés partout au Canada francophone!
Northwest Territories
Youth Entrepreneurship Project
The Youth Entrepreneurship Project is a program offered to young Francophones by CDETNO that follows them from kindergarten to grade 12. In addition to fun and educational activities related to entrepreneurship, the project also accompanies young people in grades 8 to 12 who are planning an entrepreneurial career, in order to help them realize their dream of starting their own business with the support of partners in the community.
Alberta
CDÉA’s youth start-up
For one day, young entrepreneurs benefit from two hands-on workshops: "Creating your business model" and "The pitch." The participants are divided into groups and are instructed to work on the project in an efficient way and present it in the form of a three-minute pitch to a jury composed of French-speaking entrepreneurs. Depending on the case, there can be cash rewards for the best ideas. At the end of the day, the CDÉA team follows up with the participants to help them start up their business.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Orientation, bilingual careers and entrepreneurship day
A bilingual and entrepreneurship career awareness day for Grade 11 and 12 students in Francophone and French-immersion schools in the eastern and western regions of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Saskatchewan
Employment access
The employment access program is delivered by the Conseil économique et coopératif de la Saskatchewan (CÉCS) in conjunction with the federal government's Youth Employment Strategy. The aim is to help young people overcome barriers to employment and develop the necessary skills.
Nova Scotia
Entrepreneurship Camp
Every year, the Louis E. Deveau Entrepreneurship Centre hosts 15 entrepreneurship camps run by the CDENE, including four camps in Cape Breton, two camps in Clare and three camps in Par-en-Bas. During the summer and March break, students in Grades 4 to 6 enjoy a week full of business ventures and learning experiences every day. These camps provide the students not only with fun and educational activities but also with the opportunity to have real entrepreneurial experiences through hands-on learning, as they are able to operate their businesses for a day. Through a variety of activities, field trips, challenges and market sales, the young people develop important skills such as leadership, teamwork, creativity, organization, management and accountability.
New Brunswick
Exploring trades and technologies careers for girls
A total of 170 female high school students from the Acadian Peninsula participated in a half-day session in which more than 20 women talked about their occupations, including computer science, biology, welding, electricity, the Canadian Armed Forces and fishing.
Prince Edward Island
PERCÉ program
The PERCÉ PEI program focuses on educating Prince Edward Island postsecondary students about the economic/cultural resources and opportunities in their region to show them that it is possible to make a living and have a career in PEI. It provides participants with the opportunity to gain work experience in their field of study (through a paid internship) and to learn about employers and jobs available in their home province.