UPEI student conducting study about Islanders who return home

A UPEI student is looking for people to take part in a study about Islanders who move back home.

It's part of Katharine MacDonald's thesis research for her masterof arts in Island studies.

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She's looking for people between 18 and 40 who were away for more than one year and who have moved back to P.E.I. in the last five years.

MacDonald saidshe hopes the study will give government or communities the tools and information to welcome young Islanders home.

Challenges for young people

"In the short term, what I really want to know is whether there are challenges or opportunities for young people who choose to move back to P.E.I.," she said. "In some cases, the transition back home ... can pose some challenges that people didn't anticipate. So, if there are things that communities or government or business can do to smooth that transition, I'm curious about that."

She said her initial reading leads her to believe that people tend to return home due to family or other social reasons, rather than economic reasons.

MacDonaldsaid she'll need to interview participants for up to an hour, but often ends up chatting with them for three.The information will be kept confidential unless permission is given to be named ifquoted.

People interested in taking part can reach MacDonald at kmcmacdonald@gmail.com.

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