Half of Quebecers say province not doing enough for teens: poll

About half of Quebecers believe the provincial government isn’t doing enough for teenagers, according to a recent Léger poll commissioned by the Regroupement des maisons des jeunes du Québec (RMJQ).

With a year to go before the provincial election, the organization is calling on political parties to make commitments on issues affecting young people.

The RMJQ released the poll results as Quebec marks the start of the 28th annual Youth Centres Week, which runs until Oct. 19. The Léger survey was conducted last September among 1,006 Quebecers aged 18 and over.

“It’s not new that we feel teens are rarely a priority in election platforms or even within governments,” said Nicholas Legault, the RMJQ’s executive director. He said the government often limits its efforts to the school system, without committing to long-term projects for adolescents.

Between 46 and 56 per cent of respondents said the government isn’t doing enough for teens, depending on the type of action considered.

Specifically, 56 per cent said Quebec should do more to prevent bullying and help teens build interpersonal relationships, 54 per cent cited educational support, and 53 per cent pointed to physical and mental well-being.

“I’ve been in the field for more than 20 years, surrounded by people with 30, 40, even 50 years of community experience, and we’ve never seen any real, meaningful commitment toward young teens,” Legault said.

He added that the issues highlighted in the survey reflect what youth workers are seeing on the ground, including concerns about bullying, diversity and inclusion, particularly as masculinist rhetoric gains traction in public discourse.

Academic success is another area where youth centres are active, he said. “We see there’s a shortage of professionals in schools. Youth centres have long been running activities to support school perseverance and educational success. Some offer homework help, and others run programs in partnership with schools.”

Legault said maintaining good mental health among young people is also crucial, noting that many are anxious about the future.

“We’re seeing a lot of concern among young people about eco-anxiety and the future,” he said. “It’s very present. More and more youth, from what my teams report, have a pessimistic outlook on what lies ahead.”

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Changing perceptions of teens

Even though about half the population believes the government isn’t doing enough for adolescents, only 30 per cent of Quebecers say they consider candidates’ commitments to teens when voting. That proportion rises to 38 per cent among parents of minors and 41 per cent among those aged 18 to 34.

Legault said the public’s perception of teenagers tends to be negative, often shaped by reports of youth crime or disruptive behaviour.

“Even the way people see teens is a constant struggle,” he said. “We’re among those working to show that teens are far from just that, we’ve been working with them in youth centres for more than 50 years, and many of them are doing great things.”

He said the government’s lack of commitment to teens is also reflected in the underfunding of youth centres, which leads to high staff turnover and affects services.

“In youth centres, meaningful relationships between our professionals and the adolescents are at the heart of our mission,” he said. “When staff leave and new people arrive, those relationships are broken each time, and that directly affects our connection with young people.”

The lack of funding also means few full-time employees work in youth centres, Legault added.

The RMJQ believes it’s essential for political parties to make commitments toward adolescents in the next provincial campaign, since they are “citizens in the making.”

“When it comes to supporting our youth, who are the future, we don’t see any real prioritization,” Legault said. “We feel the government is choosing not to choose teens.”