The multiplicity of social issues addressed in this election campaign left little room to address the place of community organizations, whose important role has been confirmed in the context of the pandemic, and the conditions to support their mission.
From September 14 to 16, the Community at the Heart: dialogue around initiatives and practices during the pandemic forum mobilized key players in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The forum brought together more than 200 researchers, stakeholders and managers from academia, public health, health and social services institutions, municipalities, as well as community and philanthropic organisations.
Presentations and exchanges around experiences and research led to agreement on five key findings and two priority actions for Quebec to be implemented quickly to deal with the current context and prepare for the future.
Findings
1. The pandemic affects not only physical health, but also all dimensions of social life: economic, political, educational, employment, mental health, etc.
2. Pandemic and public health interventions such as incarceration have exacerbated inequalities and inequities and further disempowered the most vulnerable and marginalized populations and areas.
3. If the magnitude of negative collateral effects is not yet established, social-health interventions must quickly affect the social determinants of health (housing, food security, living conditions, etc.) to maintain prosperity and cohesion in the country. communities.
4. During the pandemic, community mobilization, citizen participation, and joint consultation were essential and enabled the development of adapted and innovative practices that saved lives.
5. Community organizations have been key players due to their capacity for innovation, flexibility and privileged relationships with local populations, particularly the most vulnerable. This is made possible by the government policy-recognized mission of these organizations to recognize and support community action that promotes community mobilization, public education, and civic participation.
However, this contribution of community organizations has not been fully recognised; on the contrary, organizations have weakened due to the pandemic, lack of adequate funding and manpower crisis.
The participants and organizers of the forum identified two priority actions to face the public health challenges posed by the pandemic and to prepare for other expected public health crises in the context of globalization and climate change.
Priority measures
1. In various fields of activity (health and social services, education, employment, protection of rights, reception of immigrants and refugees, housing, culture, environment, etc.).
2. Creation of consultation and cooperation mechanisms that provide conditions for the participation of community organizations representing the relevant population, especially groups in vulnerable situations, within the structures that connect local social and institutional actors.
*This text is jointly signed by:
Adina Ungureanu, Coordinator of the Immigrant Family Observatory
Aimee you
Alain Picard, Council of Hasidic Jews of Quebec (CJHQ)
Alain-Antoine Courchesne
Amir Harrate, APPR / DRSP Montreal
Anabelle Vanier-Clément, M.Sc., CoVivre Program Coordinator
Anna Bonnel, psychologist
Anne Pelletier, DePhy Montreal
Anne-Marie Paradis, Quebec Network for the Social Inclusion of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Annie Jaimes, UQAM, Professor, Department of Psychology
Ashely Wazana, MD, Assistant Professor, McGill University
Audrey Lamothe-Lachaine, professor of psychology, College de Maisonneuve, lecturer, University of Montreal
Aurélie Broussouloux, Executive Director of the Alternative and Community Network of Mental Health Organizations (RACOR) on the Island of Montreal
Bilkis Vissanjee, University of Montreal
Carol Bottger
Caroline Toupin, Coordinator, Quebec Autonomous Community Action Network (RQ-ACA)
Catherine Larochelle, Professor, Department of History, University of Montreal
Catherine Letarte, Senior Manager, Omega Community Resources
Cecilia Escamilla, Executive Director of the Latin American Family Support Center (CAFLA).
Christine Jette
Cindy Ngov, MScPH, CoVivre Program
Claire Trottier, director of the Trottier Family Foundation
Claude Pinard, Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Montreal Centre
Colette Daignault-Cummings, NPO Word Exception
Daniele Salmeron, project coordinator
Delphine Van den Bossche, community organizer
Diana Miconi, Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology and Andragogy, University of Montreal; Member of the Quebec Order of Psychologists
Dr. Christina Greenaway, Professor of Medicine, McGill University, Department of Infectious Diseases, Jewish General Hospital
Dr. Jaswant Guzder, Professor, McGill Department of Psychiatry
Dyala Hamzah, Associate Professor, University of Montreal
Elisabeth Germain, feminist and anti-racist activist
Elise Bourgeois-Guerin, psychologist
Emmanuelle Bolduc, phase 1 coordinator – CoVivre
Ève Torres, institutional and community worker
France Parent, Franciscan Oblates of Saint Joseph
Francine Hamel
Francois Krépeau, Faculty of Law, McGill University
Francois Poulin, director of the Bordeaux-Cartierville Youth Center
Garine Papazian-Zohrabian, Professor, University of Montreal
Geneviève Mercille, Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of Montreal
George Tarabulsy, School of Psychology, Université Laval, University Center for Research on Youth and Families
Gordon Blennemann, Professor of History, University of Montreal
Guillaume-Félix Boucher, Food Security Mobilization Specialist — Consolidation of La Petite-Patrie advisory desks
Habib Al Hage, IRIPII
Helène Hébert, Acting Director General of ReQIS
Henri-Paul Bronsard
Isabelle Ruelland, UQAM, Professor at the School of Social Work
Janet Cleveland, SHERPA University Institute Researcher
Janique Johnson-Lafleur, Postdoctoral Researcher, McGill University
Javier Fuentes Bernal, TS Clinique Mauve, doctoral student in social work
Javorka Zivanovic Sarenac, Clinical and Research Coordinator, Polarization Estrie Team
Jean-Marc Fontan, professor at UQAM
Jean-Sébastien Fallu, Associate Professor, School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal
Jean-Sébastien Patrice, MultiCaf general manager
Jill Hanley, IU SHERPA Professor and Scientific Director
Johanne Collin is a full professor at the University of Montreal
Joy Schinazi, MPH, CoVivre program coordinator
Julie Desjardins Hébert, CISSSCA
Julie Laloire
Julie Nicolas, Autonomous Community Action Observatory
Julie-Anne Perrault, Deputy Director of the Group of Blind and Amblyopic People of Metropolitan Montreal (RAAMM).
Julien Prud’homme, Professor and Director of the Department of Human Sciences at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières
Justine Gosselin-Gagne
Katia Boudrahem
Krystelle-Marie Abalovi, research project coordinator / School of Public Health, University of Montreal
Lara Gautier, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, University of Montreal
Laurence Guénette, League of Rights and Liberties
Laurence J. Kirmayer, James McGill, Professor and Director, Department of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University
Laurence Monnais, University of Montreal
Lea Coget
Liesette Brunson, UQAM, Professor, Department of Psychology
Lisa Benisty, staff member at Reward 2, an alternative mental health resource
Lisa Merry, Associate Professor, University of Montreal
Louise Giroux, Head of Educational Health Programs, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Louise Potvin, PhD, Scientific Director, Center for Public Health Research, University of Montreal and CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
Lourdes Rodriguez del Barrio, PhD, Professor, University of Montreal; Scientific Director of InterActions; ERASMUS
Luc Dargis
Malek Batal, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS, Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities, University of Montreal
Manon Boilly
Marie-Andrée Painchaud-Mathieu, Coordinator, Montreal Intersectoral Grouping of Community Organizations
Marie-Ève Samson is a PhD student in anthropology at the UdeM and a researcher at the SHERPA University Institute
Marie-Line Audet, National Directory of Community Development Corporations
Marilou Cyr
Marjolaine Goudreau, President of RÉCIFS
Miriam Taylor, freelance researcher
Myriam Richard, PhD student, School of Social Work, University of Montreal
Myrna Lashley, Associate Professor, Dept. Psychiatry, McGill University
Naima Bentayeb, ENAP assistant professor; IU SHERPA researcher
Nathalie Godfrind, staff and support staff at Award 2, an alternative mental health resource
Nimâ Machouf, PhD, epidemiologist
Olivier Bonnet, Executive Director, Word of Excludes
Olivier Drouin, founder of the citizens’ initiative Covid Écoles Québec
Olivier Gauvin, TOMS General Coordinator
Pascal Chavannes, psychologist and psychiatry resident at the University of Montreal
Patricia Chartier, Coordinator, TROC Coalition
Paul Hayotte, PhD candidate in community psychology, UQAM
Paul-André Lévesque, Ph.D., Montreal Regional Department of Public Health
Pierrette Richard, director of Prize2, an alternative mental health resource
Rachel Kronick, MD FRCPC, McGill University
Rosita Bitogol, Project Manager — MyLumen Clinic
Hi El-Majzoub, MD, psychiatry resident, McGill University
Salome Gueidon, project manager, NewCities
Samuel Veissière, Assistant Professor of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, Co-Director of the Cultural Mind and Brain Program at McGill University; ARH Clinician, Polarization Team, CLSC Parc Extension
Sasha Dyck, nurse, Parc-Extension
Serge Seguin, general manager
Sonia Hajo, BHSc, MScPH, BCL / JD Candidate, McGill Faculty of Law
Sophia Ratté, community organizer
Sophie Laquerre-Duchesne, director of the Montreal-North L’Escale Youth Center
Stephan Reichhold, Roundtable of Refugee and Immigrant Serving Organizations
Sylvie Trottier, Trottier Family Foundation Board Member
Tara Santavicca, MSc Public Health, CoVivre programme
Valerie Amiraux, Professor, University of Montreal
Vivek Venkatesh, Full Professor and Chairman of UNESCO-PREV
William Delisle, Director, Friend of the Club
Yasmine Abdessettar, CoVivre program
