Issues public call for work contracts
ABRAM-VILLAGE – July 7, 2021 – Even before the 2021 edition of the Coopérative service jeunesse Les Bons travaillants (Hard Workers Youth Service Co-op) was launched July 5, its eight worker members had already begun receiving contract offers. They have been asked by various organizations to build street library boxes, paint a rainbow-colored crosswalk, clean a storage area, prepare a play area and to make crafts.
These young bilingual workers, all between the ages of 12 and 14, are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work all over the Evangeline area. They are calling on businesses, organizations, co-operatives and individuals to hire them to do a variety of odd jobs, such as mowing lawns, cleaning cars and garages, painting, gardening, carpentry, etc. And all at a very affordable price.
Again this year, due to health restrictions related to the pandemic, co-op members will not be able to do any work inside homes or buildings, as they did in the past.
At their July 5th official opening ceremony, held in their meeting place – the carpentry workshop of Évangéline School in Abram-Village, the members indicated that they had recently received training on the co-operative movement and on the management of a worker co-op. Employees of RDÉE Prince Edward Island, the co-operative’s host organization, delivered the training. Youth development officer Stéphane Blanchard emphasized that the co-op is mainly a learning initiative that also gives members the opportunity to earn some pocket money.
BOARD ELECTED
The youth have elected an executive composed of president Danika Richard, vice-president Jaxon Short, secretary Logan Arsenault and treasurer Mia MacInnes. They also formed committees to handle the various administrative tasks of their co-op: Finance (Mia MacInnes and Robert Ondoua), Marketing (Jaxon Short, Logan Arsenault and Lily Gagnon) and Human Resources (Danika Richard, Muireann McGuire and Katherine Arsenault).
Those who would like to offer a small contract to the co-op are asked to email the coordinators Stephanie Arsenault (stephanie@rdeeipe.org) or Felicity Montgomery (felicity@rdeeipe.org) for an estimate. Once the coordinators and the clients have agreed on a price for the task, the youth will do the work on the agreed-upon dates. One of the co-ordinators will then visit the site to ensure that the work is done to the client’s satisfaction before the Co-op sends an invoice.
The co-op will be accepting contracts for a few hours, a few days or even a few weeks between now and the end of August. The bulk of the money collected will go towards the workers’ salaries. A small portion will be retained by the co-op to cover its expenses. At the end of the summer, members will decide for themselves how to spend any balance that may be left in their account; they could give themselves a rebate, give themselves some kind of treat or leave the money in the account for the 2022 edition of co-op.
A short video of the official launch (in French) can be viewed here:
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PHOTO: At the official launch of the 2021 summer work season for the Good Workers Youth Service Co-op, president Danika Richard, wearing a yellow hard hat and carrying a handsaw, cuts a small piece of wood held by coordinators Felicity Montgomery, left, and Stephanie Arsenault. In the back row, from left, are vice-president Jaxon Short, Robert Ondoua, secretary Logan Arsenault, treasurer Mia MacInnes, Muireann McGuire, RDÉE youth officer Stéphane Blanchard, Lily Gagnon, RDÉE financial administrative assistant Amy Richard and assistant coordinator Lindsay Gallant. (Absent from the photo: worker Katherine Arsenault).
For more information, please contact
Stéphane Blanchard
Youth Development Officer
RDÉE Prince Edward Island
(902) 388-8460
stephane@rdeeipe.org