Effets de l’initiative Espace Parents sur les immigrants
History of the Espace Parents Initiative
Introduction
Imagine arriving in a foreign land, full of hope but also doubts and fears, especially when it comes to guiding your children through this new life. This is the experience of many immigrant parents in Quebec. They're looking for ways to raise their children in an unfamiliar environment, while preserving their own values and traditions.
It was against this backdrop that the Université de Montréal and its partners launched the Espace Parents initiative. This initiative responds to a crucial need: to help immigrant families develop their parenting skills and prevent child abuse. The initiative aims to support parents in their role, reinforce their ability to adapt, and foster the optimal development of their children.
Project objectives
The Espace Parents initiative aims to reach 460 parents from 8 community organizations in the Greater Montreal area. Through a two-pronged program, it offers 9 group sessions and 2 ad hoc sessions specially designed to reach the hardest-to-reach populations.
Development and integration
These activities bring together small groups of immigrant parents. These sessions are led by specially trained staff from community organizations. Participants, whether newly arrived or long-established, find a warm and supportive space in which to discuss, learn and reflect on their role as parents in Quebec.
The initiative is being rigorously evaluated, with a repeated-measures design and a control group to measure effects. At the same time, an implementation evaluation is carried out to guarantee the program's effectiveness and impact.
Testimonials and project impact
The Espace Parents Initiative is more than just a program, it's a vital support for immigrant parents, a bridge between their past experiences and their future in Quebec. By providing resources and space to grow together, this initiative creates stronger, more resilient communities.
Join us in this mission by visiting our Espace Parents website and discover how you can help make a difference in the lives of these families.
Our partners:
- Chantal Lavergne, Institut universitaire Jeunes en difficulté du CIUSSS CSIM, co-investigator
- Isabelle Laurin, Direction régionale de santé publique, co-investigator
- Roberto Labarca and Rama Camara, Accueil aux Immigrants de l'est de Montréal (AIEM)
- Mona Boukhary, City of Montreal
Community of Practice members:
Sarah Dufour
Sarah Dufour is a full professor at the School of Psychoeducation of the Université de Montréal, where she has been working since 2006. Her research focuses on psychosocial intervention with people from cultural communities, both in community and institutional settings. It is concerned with the effectiveness of interventions seeking to promote the well-being of children and to prevent or reduce their psychosocial difficulties, including violence against them. Her current work focuses on the development and evaluation of social innovations, including the project Initiative Espace Parents, which supports the adaptation of parenting following immigration. Her publication portfolio provides a balance between the various audiences that can mobilize the knowledge produced, including her research peers, as well as practice and decision-making environments. Her reputation is well-established, as evidenced by her speeches to local, national and international audiences both as guest speaker and at arbitration conferences.
Julio Macario de Medeiros
Since arriving in Quebec in 2014, I've been the proud father of two children, finished a PhD in psychoeducation (Université de Montréal) and a postdoc fellowship in psychology (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières). I'm currently working as a Research Advisor on the Espace Parents Initiative research team.
