Young people participate in welcoming newcomers to the Acadian Peninsula

Our project is to give gift boxes to Moroccans, Algerians and Malians who come, so that they feel more includedexplains Théo Simard, a student.

Since February, the students of the Challenges course, focused on the acquisition of new skills, have been involved in this unifying and training project.

The village of Saint-Isidore is preparing to welcome some forty workers and their families. Their arrival was delayed, in part due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and delays in the immigration process to Canada.

The workers are hired by the Oxford Frozen Foods plant.

The students approached different businesses to raise $1,200 to buy materials to give gifts to newcomers. They are very proud of it.

It’s incredible! The rest of us, we were going to get $150 at the start and then we end up with $1050 more!launches Ariane Brideau.

Among other things, the students bought soccer balls, but also showed their creativity by making works of art, bracelets, cards containing welcome messages and typical Canadian products.

We researched products, things that came from here, we discovered a lot of things. I didn’t know that ketchup chips were only in Canada, they weren’t sold elsewhere!laughs Théo Simard.

Eva Picard and her colleagues have chosen to make video clips explaining how the school works for new students who will soon become their new classmates.

Classes, how it works, just a map of the school, activities, committees, so they know a bit when they arrive and it’s not brand newsays Eva Picard who also made a video explaining how to make a blueberry cake, a small fruit very present in the Acadian Peninsula.

Some students have even taken up knitting to offer handmade cloths, under the supervision of their colleague Ariane.

Their teacher points out that the project had a unifying effect with the students, because they helped each other through the different creations for the gift boxes. She adds that the students learned several essential skills.

Communicative skills, skills in terms of know-how, knowing how to be, awareness, communication when they have to work in a team, a lot of skills, calling companies, asking them for donations, getting grants, going to present in front of Club Richelieu for example, so a lot of skills that I myself didn’t even think they were going to getsays Mélissa St-Coeur.

Myriam Léger, the reception coordinator for new arrivals at Saint-Isidore, is delighted with the initiative of these very creative students.

Wow, it’s a group of young people aged 14-15 who care, who wanted to develop a welcome kit for newcomers! For me, it hit me straight to the heart, because they put the things that are in the basket, it’s really things that come from their imaginationsays Myriam Léger.

The students now hope to be able to present the fruit of their labor to these immigrants who come to settle in their home.

It’s a bit uncertain when they will arrive, but I would love to be able to give them the bag in person because we worked so hard on it and it would be like a reward to be able to give them and see how they reactlaunches Theo Simard.

Based on the report by Janique LeBlanc