The “French, in the present and future” Program
Mentoring program for young English speakers: a springboard to success
Young English speakers in Quebec face a major challenge: language insecurity in French. This lack of confidence hinders their professional and social integration. To help them overcome this obstacle, the Chamber of Commerce of Montreal Metropolitan, in partnership with Réseau réussite Montréal, has set up an innovative program.
Through workshops and internships, we'll help young people develop the confidence they need to express themselves in French and seize all the opportunities open to them in Quebec.
This program is also carried out in collaboration with: CJE Marquette, CJE Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, CSEM (English Montreal School Board), CSLBP (Lester B. Pearson School Board), Learn Québec, PERT (Provincial Employment Roundtable) and Y4Y (Youth for Youth).
Why should your company participate in this program?
- To make a significant difference in a young person's life by helping them to flourish in a French-speaking professional environment;
- To support secondary 4 students in their transition to the world of work, and thus promote their integration;
- To boost young people's confidence in their linguistic and intercultural skills;
- To strengthen your employer brand and position yourself as a company at the heart of the next generation.
Advantages
- Develop leadership and mentoring skills
- Give back to the community and inspire young people;
- Expand your professional network.
- Discover a trade and a professional environment;
- Improve your confidence in your French language skills;
- Develop your network of contacts.
- Position your employer brand favorably with the next generation of employees;
- Foster a caring and inclusive corporate culture (EDI – equity, diversity, inclusion);
- Contribute to the Quebec of today and tomorrow.
What exactly is language insecurity?
Language insecurity is the fear of not being understood, of not expressing oneself well, of being judged, excluded and rejected. It manifests itself in many ways: a change of language, an accent, a feeling of being stupid, not up to scratch, often ending in anxious silence and hatred of the language.
Since the majority of English-speaking young people perceive the French language as difficult to learn and more of an academic exercise with obligations, the language then becomes used solely for utilitarian reasons.
That's why the new program “French, in the present and future” was created: to help young English speakers build their confidence in a French-speaking professional environment.