Serving the Eastern Townships English-speaking Community since 1979.
Discover the Estrie…for FREE! Young, post-secondary graduates are invited to tour the Estrie and learn about its services and opportunities via Townshippers’ Association’s Make Way for YOUth project.
Sherbrooke July 9, 2010
It may only be July, but plans are already taking shape for this year’s Make Way for YOUth Discovery Days activities, scheduled to take place in August, September and October of 2010, and March of 2011. The Make Way for YOUth Discovery Days are a perfect way for post-secondary students and/or recent graduates to discover (or re-discover) the Estrie region. They include 42 hours of free activities that help introduce young professionals to the people, places and services of the Estrie English-speaking community.
For each set of activities, participants in the Make Way for YOUth Discovery Days get to meet new people, see new places, learn new things about the Townships and, of course, have fun! The best part? ALL costs relating to the activities (including lodging, meals and transportation) are covered through Townshippers’ Association’s Make Way for YOUth project. It’s an inexpensive way for young professionals to learn more about the area and meet new people.
According to Michelle Lepitre, coordinator of the project, “one of the great things about these activities is the fact that participants get to experience first-hand the friendliness of our community here in the Townships. Sure, they get to see lots of interesting places and eat lots of amazing food, but the thing I’ve noticed consistently with past participants is that they always meet people with whom they just want to talk. Our networking activities go on for hours! By the end of the weekend, participants usually leave feeling as though they are already part of the community, and I think that’s great. That sense of belonging is so important when a person chooses to make a place his home… it helps makes the decision to take that step so much easier.”
This year’s scheduled activities include visits to the Haut-Saint-François and Granit MRCs from August 13-15, the Val-Saint-François and des Sources MRCs from September 17-19, the Memphrémagog and Coaticook MRCs from October 29-31, as well as a special activity in Sherbrooke at the end of March, 2011. To participate in one (or all) of these Discovery Days, youth must be post-secondary students or graduates between the ages of 18 and 35 with a real desire to learn more about the Eastern Townships.
To obtain more information about this year’s Discovery Days activities, or to sign up, contact Michelle Lepitre, Make Way for YOUth/Desjardins Migration Agent, by phone at 819-566-5717 (toll-free at 1-866-566-5717) or by e-mail: mwfy@townshippers.qc.ca. Interested candidates should note that the number of participants for each activity is limited, so they should register before August 2, 2010 to guarantee their spots.
Make Way for YOUth is part of a province-wide organization, Place aux jeunes en région, which encourages the migration and settlement of youth in areas outside Québec’s large city centres. The activities of Place aux Jeunes en région are made possible thanks to the financial support of the Secrétariat à la jeunesse, the Mouvement Desjardins and numerous businesses and organizations throughout the Estrie region.