Each year, thousands of recently-arrived immigrants choose Montreal as their new home. Many are well-educated professionals with excellent skills and training. But few speak French or English. Most lack both certification and contacts in Quebec's business world. They take the jobs they can find and dream that, one day, things will be better.

Now Project Genesis, one of Montreal's most visible and vocal grassroots community organizations, has found a way to help people realize the value of their skills. They've developed a bartering system that allows people to exchange goods and services without exchanging money.

From Computers to Childcare: Sharing a Wealth of Knowledge

Started in 1997, the Bartering System has grown to almost 90 members from the neighborhood of Cote-des-Neiges where more than half the residents live in poverty. Those who have joined the project bring a myriad of skills: language teaching (particularly French and English), computer training, graphic design, childcare, home repairs, help preparing for citizenship interviews. During any given month, members exchange between 18 and 21 hours of work.

Success Brings New Challenges

Project Genesis is working to make the bartering system truly community-run. Members produce a monthly newsletter (allowing people to gain skills in graphic design), translate the newsletter into several languages, do data entry (for recordkeeping) and participate in the steering committee that oversees the project.

When surveyed, members agree that the bartering system has given them new confidence and contacts. In fact, several people have gone on to full or part-time jobs, including two members who met through the project and started their own business.

Challenges do remain. To keep the system going, new members must be recruited. Once involved, people sometimes need help working through differences based on culture or expectations about services provided. Project Genesis is continuing its outreach program to inform residents of the system. New social events have been planned to unite members and build a sense of unity. And slowly, with each hour of exchanged work, people are beginning to see themselves and their neighbors in a new light.

For more information, contact:

Project Genesis
4735 Côte Ste. Catherine Road
Montreal, Quebec
H3W 1M1
Tel: (514) 738-2036
Fax: (514) 738-6385
Email: alice@genese.qc.ca or deane@genese.qc.ca