To be a teen in Grosse-Île

According to the latest federal census, Grosse Île’s population stands at 464 people.

Of that number, only 15 are young people between the ages of 10 and 14.

So what’s it like to grow up in this small community that’s isolated both geographically and linguistically?

On a February afternoon, I met with the 10 high school students at Grosse Île School.

Here, the classrooms have mixed grades because there are not enough students to form one class for each grade.

I sat down with a few of them to talk about their daily life in the community:

Walks and four-wheeler rides seem to be among the teenagers’ favorite activities here.

But sometimes, it can be difficult to find things to do:

One question remains: do they see themselves staying in Grosse Île in the long run? 

Several people are trying to keep the young people active and engaged in the community.

This is the case in Grosse Île School, where activities such as circus and dance are organized for that very purpose, explains principal Donna Anderson. 

Outside of school, there is also a Youth Club every Friday and Saturday. Teens between 12 and 17 gather in the municipal building next to the gymnasium.

The Early Childhood and Youth Coordinator at the Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders (CAMI), Stacey Dickson, who is responsible for the project, explains its purpose: 

This is the first support service dedicated exclusively to English-speaking youth and it has been operating for almost a year. 

According to Stacey Dickson, one of the biggest challenges facing young islanders is the lack of English-language job opportunities in the Islands.

Despite the challenges, the sense of belonging to the community remains stronger than anything else.

CLIP 7

Translated from the french article with the help of CAMI.