'Deciding to stay': Young Islanders discuss opportunities on P.E.I.

Like many young Islanders, Grade 12 student Danielle Sobey said she grew up wanting to leave P.E.I. for better opportunities.

"It was kind of like the dream, but once I got older I learned how awesome P.E.I. is, and that opportunities are here. It's where all my family is," she said.

"So within the past two years I kind of shifted into deciding to stay on P.E.I. and I think other people should, too."

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Sobey was one of about 120 Islanders aged 16-34 who gathered at Holland College on Friday for Y-Day, a brainstorming session to find ways to make it easier for young people to stay and work on P.E.I.

"I don't think it's any mystery that on P.E.I. there's an aging demographic and there's trending outmigration numbers and it's time to start addressing that issue and including young people in the conversation," said Sarah Bulman, one of the student committee members for Y-Day.

Sobey said one way to attract and keep young people on P.E.I. is to create opportunities for them start their own businesses.

"It gives you that opportunity to not only start a job but give you that pride in your company and I think that's really cool," she said.

Bulman agreed, saying entrepreneurship is celebratedon P.E.I. and there are strong mentors.

She said she is confident ideas shared at Y-Day will be put into action, noting that members of the Chamber of Commerce, post-secondary institutions and the province's youth futures council were all in attendance.

"We have a feeder mechanism in place in government to really take this stuff that comes out of Y-Day and implement it ands make it happen," she said.

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