La Défriche :
You want to clear your own path ?
We can help.

La Défriche : What is it?

In French, the word “défricher” means clearing a forest to create a fertile land or to forge a new path where no one has yet walked. In our region, made of forests and lakes, this word carries a deep meaning.
Through its various steps and components, La Défriche aims to equip young people with skill such as, perseverance in school, personal and social autonomy, entrepreneurship, volunteerism as well as the involvement in decision tables within their community. This program touches on many aspects of citizenship, education and health. It aims to help young people take charge of their future, as well as that of their society.
Défricher is moving forward, getting your hands dirty, knowing how to use the tools that are at our disposal.
Défricher also means to move forward step by step towards a goal, to persevere, to invest in creating something, in the advancement of our community.
Défricher is also getting to know a new place, new possibilities.

Who is it for?

Young people who live and study in Pontiac.
Young people who pursue post-secondary education outside the region but maintain a local attachment.
Young people who work or are unemployed.
Young parents.
Young, recent dropouts

Concrete Results

The Possibilities are wide open

In each part of the program, there is a positive impact both from a personal and community perspective.
When young people decide to continue their studies, if they gain motivation to persevere, it has a positive effect on their environment, whether it is their family, social circle, town, or even the Pontiac region in general.
Volunteer projects designed to have a positive impact on the community also have individual effects. Young participants learn new skills, learn the realities on the ground, and can feel pride in themselves, which in turn can translate into an increase in their self-esteem and their sense of confidence in their potential.