This photo documentary is part of an ongoing project exploring the daily life of people with various backgrounds and standards of living who are part of Generation Y.
The people from Generation Y, born between 1978 and 1989, represent 1/7 of the population in the province of Québec. They are known to be independent and voluntary people. Their vision of the world is shaped by an unprecedented access to technologies and information, resulting in a new approach to leisure and consumerism. As they are entering their adulthood, new patterns emerge in work relationships and family structures, slowly re-shaping our society.
Living in Québec city, Kathleen and Stéphane will both be 24 years-old in 2009. They are both working, studying and growing a family at the same time. Like 12% of the population of the province of Québec they are counted as poor people.
Stéphane was born in a suburb near Québec city and he is now studying to become a social worker. Kathleen comes from the countryside. She moved to the city and started a BAC in Anthropology, but she now considers becoming a midwife because of her experience giving birth in a birthing centre.
When Stéphane started to go out with Kathleen, he was helping his ex-girlfriend to take care of their month-old boy Eli (they had just broke up when she got pregnant but she chose to keep the baby).
In 2008, then a one-year-old couple, Kathleen and Stéphane decided to have a child of their own. Unfortunately, Kathleen got pregnant earlier than expected and the bad timing drove the couple into a precarious living situation.
All images copyright ©Mauve Drouin 2007-2009.
All rights reserved.