Nearly $200K for program to promote 'vibrant' French community on P.E.I.

A new program is teaching Francophone youth leadership skills with the aim of keeping their culture alive and vibrant on Prince Edward Island.

Faut que ça grouille! was launched in June and got funding from Employment and Social Development Canada, which is contributing $191,805 through its Canada Service Corps.

Thirty participants between ages 15 and 30 will attend six weekend leadership camps throughout the year — the first was held in June. 

"The goal is really to get them involved in their community and making sure that we continue with the volunteer activities that people have been doing for so many years in their different French communities," said Gilles Arsenault, project co-ordinator for RDÉE Prince Edward Island Inc., P.E.I.'s Francophone economic development council.

There are presentations on communications skills and finances, he said.

'We need to move forward'

Arsenault said to keep Francophone culture alive in the province, young people must be willing to lead.

"Some of us are getting older and maybe not as active as we would like to be in every affair of every community that we used to be, and I think it's nice to have someone coming up and making sure that the rest of our activities continue and to show that there is an engagement," he said.

"It's also a citizen component to these camps that will show people that we need to move forward and to make sure that activities and a vibrant community stay alive in Prince Edward Island."

The participants were chosen based on their interest in becoming involved in their community and leadership activities in which they had already been involved.

The program will wrap up in March 2020. 

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