Montreal youth overcome social isolation through artistic expression
LOVE Quebec media arts program helps youth navigate online pressures
This story is a collaboration between Concordia University's journalism department and CBC Montreal.
Sean McLean, 20, trudged through the February snow in Old Montreal to return to a place that for years felt like a second home to him.
He sat at the front of the room at LOVE Quebec's alumni reunion event and recalled how the organization supported his growth and self-confidence throughout adolescence.
"When you're a youth, you have these feelings and don't know how to deal with them," said McLean. "You think it's normal, but it's not, and there's a way to solve it."
LOVE, or Leave Out ViolencE, started in the mid-1990s to reduce youth violence by helping at-risk young people develop empathy and confidence. Its media arts program, known as MAP, assists youth in addressing trauma through creative outlets like photography, painting and writing.
Now, in the age of social media, LOVE is confronting a new and growing issue: social isolation.
A space for expression
McLean, who joined MAP in 2019, said that the program became particularly important for him during the COVID-19 lockdowns. He recounts how his life "took a dark twist" after being confined indoors but says the support from one of LOVE's counselors was "the little star" that shone during the darkest moments.
"Every time I was feeling at my worst, she was popping up in my DMs. And I was like, 'how the hell is she doing that?'" he said.
Stuck inside during a time when he was beginning to explore his sexuality, McLean felt overwhelmed by the unrealistic beauty standards that inundated his TikTok feed. The flood of content made him question the expectations of how his body was supposed to look and how he was supposed to express his identity.
"You have to fit in a cube and you have to be that way and that's how it is," he said, "and that was a big pressure because I was discovering myself."
When McLean took art classes in school, he carried the lessons he learned at MAP with him. He used his artwork as a way to process what was going on inside, expressing how he felt by drawing characters drowning in water or trapped in dark, overwhelming spaces.
"It's a show," he said. "It's just what they want to put on social media, but it's not the reality."
Empathy encourages growth
Robyn Dalton, executive director of LOVE, says MAP creates a "safe space" where young people can work through trauma without the pressure of addressing emotions directly and verbally. Teens may come to explore their interest in art, but Dalton believes they stay because the space allows them to explore vulnerability and engage with their feelings at their own pace.
A photo, Dalton said, can just be a "simple photo," but it can also be "a full exploration of themselves."
Dalton recalls watching McLean's passion for baking evolve through MAP, from the activities he did to the start of his career as a pastry chef — a path he hadn't originally planned, but felt empowered to pursue after his time in the program.
These stories, she says, show how the safe space fostered by LOVE's MAP extends beyond the program itself, into the future passion and pursuits of alumni.
"That exploration of vulnerability, that's where they can work through some of these traumas," Dalton said.
Holly Recchia, a professor of education at Concordia University, says that while social media can provide a sense of community, especially for marginalized youth, online expectations can also be harmful, particularly for adolescents navigating their identities.
She considers empathy to be a core element in helping teenagers feel safe enough to express their feelings and build positive relationships.
"It can be actually life-changing to have a person that you can rely on to help you navigate that and validate what you're going through and not feel that you're being judged," she said.
Going beyond the program
It can be easy for some teens to brush off LOVE's MAP as an excuse to skip classes, but the real work begins when they use art to confront their emotions.
Such was the case for John Rennie High School student Chloe Snable, who initially engaged with the program only if it meant taking time away from school to spend it with her friends, eat snacks and take pictures.
Over time, she realized that the program offered her much more.
During one of their afternoon workshops, students from John Rennie were invited to experiment with macro photography.
What began as a simple creative exercise quickly turned into a powerful metaphor for Snable — transforming the act of capturing tiny details into a way of managing life's overwhelming problems by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable parts.
"I have a lot of anxiety for myself," she said. "[LOVE] helps a lot because I'm more calm and just happy to be here."
The photography created by MAP youth is displayed on the walls of John Rennie for everyone to see. The photos of smiling faces are paired with uplifting affirmations.
"I attract positivity and good things. Everything that's meant for me will come my way," one says.
"When life feels out of control, remember the things that you do have control over," says another.
Dalton said that young people like Snable are not limited to any specific place, and while she hopes the program will eventually become unnecessary, the reality is that youth mental health challenges will continue to evolve.
"We're really trying to be part of this solution," Dalton said. "So what happens online is just something that they engage in for fun and doesn't impact their mental health in a negative way."
About the authors
Ariana Orrego is a Peruvian photojournalist. They obtained a bachelor's degree in Communications before completing the visual journalism graduate diploma at Concordia University. She enjoys covering human-interest stories and making short form documentaries.
Originally from Nicosia, Cyprus, Amalia Lemesianou built a career in dance and earned a bachelor's degree in the field. She recently completed a graduate diploma in journalism and is now pursuing a master's in journalism exploring dance as a form of storytelling.
Zach Cheung studied political science and philosophy at McGill University before completing his journalism graduate diploma at Concordia University. Based in Montreal, he began his journalism career as a news intern at CityNews, where he pursued working as a video journalist.