Lévis, February 6, 2023 – Over the past few months, Guy Cormier, President and CEO of Desjardins Group, has met with thousands of young people to hear what they have to say: they want the opportunity to work together, express themselves and drive change. Most importantly, they want to make a difference in the economy and environment, as well as in finance, education and employment.
In response, Guy Cormier launched the Dream the Impossible initiative to help youth create change and take action faster.
"Young people told me they were worried about the current economic status. It's the first time many of them are dealing with this kind of situation. They're fully aware of the present and future challenges they will need to tackle that have been collectively created in the economy and environment. Over two days, I'd like for us to discuss the issues that are the most important to them. Dream the Impossible is more than a simple discussion. It will be a springboard to help young people create solutions for the benefit of everyone in society," said Guy Cormier, President and CEO of Desjardins Group.
He added, "Too often, we reject ideas or question the legitimacy of people in certain roles because of their age. I've experienced this in my career. That's why I'm so keen to support young people and help open doors for them as much as I can. I want to accelerate opportunities for youth where they can make impact.”
About Dream the Impossible
Dream the Impossible is a major event that will be held in Montreal on June 19 and 20, 2023. It will be free for 18 to 30-year-olds from across Canada. The event will bring together hundreds of young people in person, in addition to a large number of people online.
The Dream the Impossible initiative has an ambitious goal: Focus on achieving meaningful results and making rapid progress. Participants will analyze the priority themes and issues that were chosen by youth (the environment, education, employment, finance and the economy) to come up with ideas and deliver meaningful results. There will be many leading-edge resources available to young people, like privileged access to influential leaders, workshops with renowned experts, and meetings with artists and other inspiring figures.
In addition, some of the most innovative projects will receive financial support to get them off the ground.
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Desjardins reiterates its support for the student community
To meet the needs raised by young people and the academic community, Desjardins will support 65 projects in Ontario and Quebec, with a total investment of over $13 million.
As part of the Together For Our Youth program, the funding will help foster new ideas and ensure the long-term success of projects that may have been affected by the pandemic. Here are some examples of projects we've supported:
- University of Toronto Entrepreneurship Startup Prize
- ELLA, an accelerator at York University's YSpace for women entrepreneurs
- uOttawa Gee-Gees varsity athletic teams
- Master of Financial Innovation and Technology Program events at Smith School of Business, Queen's University
As a reminder, the application period for the Desjardins Foundation scholarships will open on March 1. Scholarships are available for vocational, college and university students, regardless of their grades.
Guy Cormier meets with university students, starting at UQAM on February 2
To keep the conversation going with younger generations, Guy Cormier will visit a number of universities over the coming months in Ontario and Quebec. He'll talk about his career path, his management approach and the challenges facing today's leaders. Full schedule:
- Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) February 2, 2023
- Concordia University February 13, 2023
- Université Laval February 15, 2023
- Université de Montréal April 6, 2023
- Université du Québec en Outaouais April 3, 2023
- HEC April 4, 2023
- Université du Québec en Outaouais, St-Jérôme campus April 13, 2023
- University of Toronto April 17, 2023
- Université de Sherbrooke May 9, 2023
- York University September 2023