Fabienne Audette, chief Executive Officer, Fondation des jeunes de la DPJ, Véronique Moreau, development and administration coordinator, Gîte Jeunesse, Marc Guy, executive Director, Gîte Jeunesse et Chentale de Montigny, director of programs, impact and community relations (Maternity replacement)
Located in the Quebec City area, Gîte Jeunesse provides temporary housing, support and psychosocial assistance to troubled youths aged 12 to 25, many of whom are or have been in the child welfare system. Thanks to the Fondation’s $45,000 funding, Gîte Jeunesse will be able to consolidate its post-housing service to provide even more services to vulnerable youths transitioning to adulthood.
As a member of Regroupement des Auberges du cœur du Québec (grouping of community youth shelters in Quebec), the Gîte Jeunesse community organization provides transitional housing for troubled youths by fostering their social and housing stability. The organization’s approach is based on voluntary participation, developing independence and accountability. It has two separate residences, each tailored to a specific age group. The first residence houses children aged 12 to 17, and the second is for young adults aged 18 to 25.
Post-housing follow-up: essential for maintaining skills
The Gîte Jeunesse residence in Ste-Foy for vulnerable, at-risk or homeless youths between ages 18 and 25 allows the youths to stay there for up to six months. Personalized, judgment-free support, a listening ear and various services are available to foster their stability and independence.
Post-housing follow-up, including psychosocial support, is then offered on a voluntary basis to youths transitioning to adulthood who had been living at the residence. This support allows them to maintain the skills they acquired during their stay in the residence, to bolster their confidence and independence, and to break their isolation.
The housed youths receive support and guidance from the workers, allowing them to consolidate and develop the skills they need to live independently. Once they leave, it’s challenging for them to transfer the skills they learned at Gîte Jeunesse at first, and without any support, in their everyday life. Post-housing follow-up is imperative to ensure their stability as they go on with life. The funding from the Fondation allows us to expand this follow-up to a greater number of youths and to make a greater impact on them.
Marc Guy
Executive Director, Gîte Jeunesse
Leading as many youths in care as possible towards independence
Post-housing follow-up was initially provided by a single worker. Faced with the growing needs of young adults, the organization had to consider reorganizing its staff’s work hours and work schedules. Thanks to the Fondation’s funding, Gîte Jeunesse is able to increase the resources allocated to post-housing follow-up and intervention, meaning it will reach a greater number of young adults.
Organizations like Gîte Jeunesse make a huge difference in their community for youths in care of the DYP transitioning to adulthood. The youths living there face significant challenges and we believe post-housing follow-up is a foundational key element to their future.
Fabienne Audette
Chief Executive Officer, Fondation des jeunes de la DPJ
The Fondation is pleased to contribute to Gîte Jeunesse’s initiative to address the needs of youths in care in the Quebec City area. By guiding them towards independence and giving them the tools they need to succeed, we help to shape a positive future for these youths together.
This project was funded as part of the 2024 call for proposals, through which the Fondation des jeunes de la DPJ supports innovative projects that help youths in care transitioning to adulthood, in Montreal and various regions of Quebec.
Learn more about regional projects
Sign up our newsletter and receive the latest news about the Foundation
