The Desjardins Foundation provides meaningful support for inspirational youth
Anyone who says young people lack ambition and dedication should think again. Because some 200 attendees at the Desjardins Foundation’s recognition gala saw overwhelming evidence to the contrary!
Étienne Decelles, a Desjardins Foundation scholarship recipient, is studying geography at the Université du Québec à Montréal. At 21 years old, he does improv, works on his parents’ farm, has taken part in the Parlement jeunesse du Québec four times and is a municipal councillor for Saint-Angèle-de-Monnoir. Does he think young people today have less perseverance than they used to? “Aristotle said the same thing about young people in his day and age. Involvement might look different for today’s youth than it did for our parents, but I’d encourage people to take a closer look.”
Like the other recipients who spoke at the Desjardins Foundation recognition gala on November 25, Étienne is living proof of just how inspiring young people are, and how they really do need a helping hand from loved ones, mentors and other key individuals as they pursue their studies.
Support that makes a real difference
The event was meant to draw attention to the real-world impact donors, partners, volunteers and people who organize fundraisers have when it comes to helping young people reach their full potential. “It’s important to shine a light on good news stories,” said Nancy Lee, Executive Director of the Desjardins Foundation. “We’re lucky to have support from across Desjardins Group. All of us believe that education is an essential tool for building strong, equitable communities
“Young people are the world’s most important resource,” said Desjardins President and CEO Guy Cormier. “Today’s youth are engaged and hard-working. They have a global outlook, they’re plugged into technology and they’re involved in the community,” he said. Cormier stressed the importance of helping young people cope with inflation, which has an outsized effect on students.
Over 4,000 scholarships
The Desjardins Foundation, many caisses and a number of Desjardins’ suppliers handed out a total of 4,300 scholarships in the past 12 months. That number is a testament to Desjardins Group’s collective commitment to young people.
And this kind of support is needed now more than ever. Of the 32,000 students who applied to the Foundation this year, 49% said they have a hard time making ends meet. Some have had to reduce their course load or even take a break from school altogether in order to work more.
The gala was an opportunity for meaningful dialogue between scholarship recipients and their supporters. Their conversations revealed the meaningful impact scholarships have on students’ lives and the importance of working together to foster support.