More than half of Quebec’s Aboriginal people are under the age of 25. This influences the choices that communities must make to prepare for the future: providing a good education, planning enough housing for everyone, developing businesses and jobs. It also draws attention to the challenges young people face.
For example, since Aboriginal youth speak French or English every day, they feel more distant from their cultures and elders. The survival of languages is becoming an important issue for Aboriginal people today.
Also, dropping out of school is a major problem in Aboriginal communities. This is because young people often feel that school is not suited to their culture, their traditional way of learning or their values. Many projects are being developed to help them stay in the classroom. For example, for Aboriginal youth who have to leave their community and go to the city to study, mutual assistance groups have been set up. These groups are often coordinated by Aboriginal Friendship Centers, which help youth connect with First Nations people of other generations.