L’Élan des Jeunes is a community project. For several years, a multitude of social actors have noticed the negative impacts of the lack of accommodation for youth in the Jardins-Roussillon territory. Putting all the efforts into this project, it was in 2009 that our founding assembly took place for the initiation of our vision. Two years later, in October 2011, L’Élan des jeunes opened its doors to its very first youth.

10 years later we are talking about nearly 500 young people who have used our services and who, thanks to their time at L’Élan des jeunes, have been able to avoid living or returning to a situation of homelessness. All of this would not have been possible without the help of the Forum jeunesse de la Vallée-Du-Haut-Saint-Laurent, which allowed us financial support to begin our activities, but also from SOLIDES who bought the house in which we became owners of. In addition, we are fortunate to be part of the Regroupement des Auberges du coeur du Québec since April 2012.

Since June 2012 L’Élan des jeunesse has been recognized by the Support Program for Community Organizations (PSOC) and since 2022, we have finally had an increase in financing more suited to meet our needs. Thanks to the various battles led by our team, our annual funding increased from $170,000 to $435,000. This increase allows the management team to breathe, but also to continue our representations to the various ministers in order to continue to promote the importance of youth accommodation.

Since fall 2015, L’Élan has become the leader of an important project as part of the 2015-2019 Homelessness Partnership Strategy. This concerted project is called “MRC Roussillon partnership strategy to combat homelessness 2015-2019”.