‘Pretty worn out’: After-school program in NDG stretched thin as teachers’ strike continues

It’s all hands on deck at Jeunesse Loyola in NDG.

The community organization has extended its after-school program hours to help families affected by the teachers’ strikes. But the change hasn’t been an easy one, according to staff.

Some 66,000 teachers with the FAE union (Fédération autonome de l’enseignement) have been on unlimited strike since Nov. 23.

“It was one thing when we were thinking a week. Four weeks later, they’re all pretty worn out,” said Jeunesse Loyola executive director Christine Richardson.

Richardson says Jeunesse Loyola usually has around 30 kids in its after-school program. That number has climbed to 50.

More kids and longer hours means the expenses have gone up as well.

“Once we factor in the additional staffing costs and the cost of food and other supplies and materials, it’s an additional $1,000 a day, so that’s above our usual operating costs,” Richardson said.

There’s concern Jeunesse Loyola may have to cut programs and services in the new year if they can’t secure enough funding.

“Everybody is running out of money at this point,” Richardson said. “It’s been an incredibly hard year across the board. And so even foundations and public institutions don’t have extra money to go around right now.”

Staff at Jeunesse Loyola are mostly students. The growing number of children has led some to prioritize additional hours at work to help out, instead of spending more time on their own studies for upcoming exams.

“This is all-hands-on-deck type of situation, so I had to do a bit of compromise with my studies and my work,” said head animator Alador Zewdie.

Richardson says parents are grateful Jeunesse Loyola is staying open with extended hours, but they’re also scared for what comes next.

“They know that this strike is not over,” she said. “Nobody knows if kids are actually going back to class after the holidays. And they know that we can’t keep going forever like this.

“They’re nervous for their kids’ futures… Every day they’re not in school, they’re falling further behind, right?”