STEPHEN RICCIO
MANSFIELD ET PONTEFRACT Aug. 5, 2020
The Maison des jeunes (MDJ) du Pontiac held their annual general meeting on Aug. 5 at its headquarters in Mansfield et Pontefract, highlighting last year’s accomplishments and outlining its aims for this year.
Director General Stéphane Durocher said that MDJ’s best achievements over the past year include . . .
reaching out to more than 250 youths, establishing partnerships for the multi-service youth centre in Rapides des Joachims and developing its partnership with Jardin Éducatif du Pontiac.
Going into 2020-2021, he outlined the six plans of action that MDJ has prioritized.
Continuing to establish a multi-service youth centre in Rapides des Joachims is a top priority, as is repairing the Mansfield centre’s basement which was damaged during the April 2019 floods.
The other four priorities are providing transportation service for children and adolescents, promoting the importance of services offered for an by young people, developing the services connected to COVID-19 and searching for financial support for MDJ’s school perseverance projects, various camps and disabled children.
The meeting also functioned as a financial spending recap for 2019-2020. The financial report, which covered all spending prior to Mar. 31, 2020, revealed that the non-profit had a $100,297 surplus, a significant change from its $16,830 deficit in 2018-2019.
Durocher explained in an email to The Equity that a big chunk of that surplus is intended to go towards fixing the Mansfield basement as well fixing up structural issues at the Rapides des Joachims youth centre, a building that is more than 100 years old.
He also pointed out that the grants received from sponsors Evolugen and RBC have been instrumental in enhancing “activities, outings and jobs for Pontiac’s youth.”
“Thanks to all our partners, volunteers and youth for believing in the services that we can provide,” he said.
