Johanne Baril and Josée Duranleau, educators in charge of the Fondation’s Stay in School Fund
Every day, Johanne and Josée devote themselves to helping youth in care pursue their studies with the support of the Fondation. Thanks to the generosity of the Fondation’s donors, the two women are able to offer those young people the financial support they need to look to the future, while building strong relationships with them so that they feel supported every day.
Their names are Samuel, Cristhin, Jamal, Émilie, and Jacques. Each of them has a unique story and has had to overcome challenges that no young person should ever face.
The daily work of Johanne Baril and Josée Duranleau, who are both educators in charge of the Fondation’s Stay in School Fund, revolves around those young people. Through the generosity of our donors, Johanne and Josée are able to not only support the youths as they navigate their academic journey, but also build relationships with them that go well beyond just paying bills.
The support provided by the Fondation’s donors makes a huge difference in the lives of the young people we work with. For many of them, receiving that assistance means becoming aware that people believe in them and are ready to support them. That feeling is often a first for those young people.
When young people walk into Johanne’s or Josée’s office, they are taking the first step towards getting the help they need to reach their academic goals. But they come for much more than that. They need so much more. These young people carry the burden of deep, unimaginable wounds from a life marked by trauma. They have experienced abuse, abandonment, intimate partner violence, and neglect, and the personal stories they share with Johanne and Josée show how difficult their journey has been and how important it is to support them in their endeavours.
For many, their educator is the only adult they can turn to for guidance and support as they begin living independently. With the donations we receive, we can give those young people the help they need to achieve their academic goals, providing them with the essential building blocks to living the happy lives we want for them. The financial assistance youths have access to through the Fondation’s Stay in School Fund enables them to stay in school, while empowering them to believe in themselves.
To us, supporting youths through school goes well beyond paying bills: it’s about building relationships that are deep and meaningful. We know that the birthday wishes we send them are often the only ones they’ll receive…
While Johanne and Josée may be in the lives of youths for just a few months or years, the confidence and tools the youths acquire during that time will stay with them forever.
The list of expenses involved in turning a young person’s dream into their desired career reality is a long one and includes tuition, transportation, rent, specialized equipment, medical tests for specific jobs, exam fees, and professional dues. Through the generosity of the Fondation’s donors, we are able to cover those expenses for the young people who need our help the most. But we’re also building relationships.
Every day, Johanne and Josée are the first ones there to celebrate the victories, big and small, of the young people they have the privilege of supporting through the Fondation.
Each person faces different challenges and issues. When someone has earned a diploma that they worked hard for, we need to acknowledge that. It’s a major achievement and a source of pride that must be shared! But we also celebrate things like the courage of a young man who overcame his anxiety to get out of the house and attend his Tuesday morning class, for instance. The road to graduation has many ups and downs, and every little step is important.
While the youths supported by Johanne and Josée each have a unique story to tell, they also have one thing in common: they can all count on the Fondation’s donors, who are like fairy godmothers to them. Thanks to our donors, those young people can concentrate on what matters most—building a future for themselves.
Supporting the Fondation means investing in the young people who need our help the most, giving them the opportunity to fulfill their potential and achieve their dreams. Every day, Johanne and Josée are able to work their magic through the generosity of our donors. Thank you for believing in them.
Investing in young people is the best choice we can make as a society—because they’re our future!