Vicki Brisson
Special to the Record

PRESCOTT-RUSSELL – Ma voix, mon futur – LFPR is launching a discussion with Francophone girls and young women in the Prescott-Russell area to better understand their challenges and to further nurture their resilience and leadership.

Recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a particularly negative impact on women by amplifying inequalities, we want to pay special attention to girls and young women in rural areas, who are currently experiencing more isolation, to better understand their challenges.

Indeed, several research studies have identified that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the mental health of youth and that it has had a much greater impact on women. We also know that good leadership skills have a protective effect on the mental health of young women, making them more resilient and therefore less vulnerable. Therefore we are launching this project to support young women in Prescott-Russell in the face of these major challenges.

Thanks to a partnership between Centre Novas and LFPR, funding was obtained from the United Way of Prescott-Russell’s Community Support Fund under the Ontario COVID-19 Emergency Fund for the implementation of this project.

Ma voix, mon futur! is the launch of a conversation with approximately 50 girls and young women in the French high schools of Prescott-Russell to better understand the issues that affect their confidence and self-esteem and to find ways to strengthen their resilience and their ability to fully exercise their leadership skills. While young women may often question the power of their voice, sharing their experiences, and developing their leadership skills, we want to encourage all francophone high school girls to visit our website https://leadershipfemininpr.ca/initiatives/jeunes-filles-leaders/ to register before Jan. 29.

The project includes four (4) virtual meetings that will take place in February. These discussions will allow us to better understand the struggles and challenges faced by all young women in Prescotts-Russell, and, in partnership with Centre Novas, suggest and develop tools to support women leadership through the current COVID-19 pandemic.