Ékip jeunesse opens Montreal space to support youth transitioning from protection services
Posted February 26, 2026 10:02 pm.
Last Updated February 26, 2026 10:23 pm.
As some young people across Montreal prepare to leave youth protection and face the uncertainties of adulthood, Ékip jeunesse is stepping in to ensure they do not face that transition alone.
On Thursday, the organization officially opened its new premises at 5498 Rue Hochelaga, welcoming partners, volunteers, and collaborators for a tour and a chance to mark the milestone together.
“It’s a special moment for me and my team. We are opening Ékip jeunesse today. It’s a safe, welcoming place for young people who are transitioning out of the youth protection system,” said Nancy Audet, co-founder of Ékip jeunesse.
“For a lot of them, it’s really difficult. It’s a critical moment. We know that a lot of them become homeless, and so we want to be there for them.”
A base for dignity and support
For many young people aging out of the youth protection system, turning 18 is not a milestone — it is a moment filled with uncertainty.
Audet said what is meant to be a celebration can instead trigger fear for teens who do not know where they will sleep or how they will afford their next meal. Many leave care without housing, income, or family support.
“You know, when you get 18, it’s supposed to be a party. You’re supposed to be happy. It’s a special moment, but for them it’s not like that,” she said. “They are really anxious. They don’t want to get 18 because they don’t know where they are going to live, they don’t know if they will be able to eat.”
Ékip jeunesse, which serves young people aged 16 to 25 experiencing extreme vulnerability, designed its new space to meet immediate, practical needs. The premises provide clothing, winter gear, grocery cards, bus tickets, hygiene products, and starter kits for apartment living.
“We have to be there for them because we know that a lot of them become homeless in the first couple of years when they get out of the youth protection system,” Audet said. “This is why we are opening this place for them today, to help them with their basic needs.”
She explained that many young people arrive without even the basics needed to step outside with confidence.
“We want them to be proud when they go outside, and most of them don’t have what they need,” she said. “We are giving them everything they need. So it’s like a parent, you know, but most of them don’t have a family or a support system. So this is why we want to be there for them, and we have to be there for them during this critical moment of their life.”
Beyond material support, Ékip jeunesse places equal importance on dignity and belonging. The space is designed to feel warm and welcoming — somewhere youth can sit, have a coffee, and breathe without judgment. Staff describe themselves not as formal interveners, but as people extending a compassionate hand at a pivotal moment.
Empowering youth through lived experience
Alicia Monette, ambassador for Ékip jeunesse, knows firsthand the challenges of leaving youth protection. She spent much of her youth in foster care and on the streets before rebuilding her life at 18.
Monette said she first got involved with Ékip jeunesse because of her lived experience.
Her early years were marked by instability and danger. “My mom had me when she was 15 years old. My father was, still is, a dangerous man. I went into foster care because my mom couldn’t make us safe, and I ended up being adopted by a family at the age of eight. Later in life when I turned 14/15, I was looking for answers — who my family was, why they abandoned me, did they even love me? I started doing not good in school, taking drugs and everything, and I ran away from my parents’ house.”
“I ended up on the streets at 18 years old, no house, no plan, no nothing, no help, no support. I had to like build myself from nothing. Eventually, I got help, I stopped drugs when I got pregnant with my first kid at the age of 18, and got my life back together, and my parents are my biggest support today.”
Her experiences drive her advocacy. “I’m grateful because we’re able to speak for people who can’t speak or aren’t listened to. At La Grande Collecte de Manteau, people cried in my arms, telling me they needed more people doing what we do. I really feel like we’re making a difference. I would have loved someone like Nancy when I was a youth at Youth Protection.”
She also reflected on the emotional impact of support: “Makes me feel good. I would have liked somebody that I could talk to and that I know he or she understands me and knows what it’s like and has been through it also. So it’s really, yeah, it’s making me emotional actually.”
Volunteers fueling the mission
The organization’s work is sustained by volunteers who invest countless hours. Hanae Doamba, a volunteer, described her commitment:
“I love helping people. I think it’s the only right thing to do.”
Her dedication reflects the urgent need for support among Montreal’s most vulnerable youth.
“This cause is really important, especially right now, because there’s a lot of people that don’t have homes and stuff like that, that don’t have the same luck as me, having a family and a roof over their heads. So I think it’s important to still give them a safe space to exist in.”
Building bridges and community
For Audet, seeing Ékip jeunesse open its new space is deeply emotional.
“It’s not a secret—I’ve been there myself. But I’ve been lucky. I found someone in my life who helped me a lot, and it helped me to become a reporter, a journalist.”
She reflected on why the project is so personal.
“It’s the moment to give back. I want to give back to them. I want to be there and I want to be part of the solution. This is why I’ve quit my full-time job and decided to open Ékip jeunesse. It’s really important for me to be there for them and to give back.”
Audet emphasized the support network surrounding her mission.
“I’m lucky because I’m surrounded by so many good people. It’s amazing. I have an amazing team—they are involved, they are there all the time, they want to help me. You can’t do this by yourself. I’m really lucky to have friends, and I have a lot of volunteers around me to help me with this mission. I’m hoping we’re going to be able to be there for them and, I hope, change their lives.”
For her, the new space is more than a building—it’s a promise.
“I want them to know that they are not alone. I know when you feel lonely, it’s difficult to be alone for your birthday. It’s difficult to be alone for Christmas. With Ékip jeunesse, I want them to know that they belong to something. We want to be a family for them. Yes, we have donations, but it’s going to be more than that.”
Audet explained that Ékip jeunesse goes beyond meeting basic needs, helping youth access resources, mentorship, and activities that build confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of belonging.
Ékip jeunesse works closely with community partners to ensure youth receive not only material support, but also guidance, dignity, and a sense of belonging. Opening this space strengthens those efforts, giving young people a foundation as they navigate life beyond protection.
Audet urged the public to act. “I hope we’re going to be able to find more partners. Every year, more than 2,000 young people are getting out of the youth protection system. It’s a lot of kids, it’s a lot of young people, and most of them are by themselves. So we have to be there for them.
“They are important. They are the future, and if we don’t take care of them, what is going to happen? They are precious, they are important, and they deserve to be helped. I don’t want them to feel alone anymore.”
