Avenir d'enfants wishes to showcase projects, initiated through community engagement, that bring people together to promote the development of children aged five and under, particularly those living in poverty.

These video testimonials from the spokesperson in our partner groups or from parent volunteers may be a source of inspiration that incites your community to become engaged in its own innovative projects.

If that is the case, communicate with the Avenir d'enfants agent in your region and consult the criteria for obtaining support and implementing your projects.

The videos are available in French only.

Big ideas for little ones

In Montérégie, we have big ideas for our smallest citizens. See what we mean in this interview with Gary Carpentier, coordinator for the RCM Pierre-De Saurel.

In Montérégie, Orthophonie communautaire is a project that mobilizes some 34 partners to create tools that stimulate language learning. For example, the Arbre à Outils, for two-year-olds, outlines 10 ways to improve a child's communication skills. Moreover, a speech pathologist intervenes as a preventive measure, helping pedagogical consultants in their role.

The project impacts the community in two ways: first of all, it brings people together to examine and work on common issues and to create tools that will be effective in the environment; and second, it will reach the greatest number of children, together with their parents, and allow expertise to be shared by workers in the milieu, parents and children.

Working together for educational success

In the southern Laurentians, Cal en Bourg is mobilizing to ease children's entry to school. An interview with Geneviève Allard, development agent.

A grouping of 12 partners from the Laurentides Sud MRC, Cal en Bourg has put in place three tools to ensure children experience a smooth transition to school. The first is a bi-monthly electronic newsletter, Info famille, which tells parents about community life and regional activities, and also publishes educational information; the Jeux Jasette activity, a weekly meeting at which parents can discuss with peers while their children play and socialize; and the Jeux d'enfants program, which brings together groups of parents on a weekly basis.

Avenir d'enfants enables the Cal en Bourg partners to take concrete steps through projects that will ensure educational success for the region's children.

Strength in numbers

In Deux-Montagnes / Sud de Mirabel, there is strength in numbers, as Claire Bourgeois, the umbrella group coordinator, explains.

In the Lower Laurentians, nine organizations from Deux-Montagnes / Sud de Mirabel have joined forces to reach more parents and expand their actions during the next three years. The current project is a series of reports, produced in collaboration with the regional community television station, to highlight the groups' activities. The grouping has also set up other activities, mainly focusing on language, as well as a mobile stop-over centre and the Marmitons program for young children.

By joining forces, this union of partners can establish new common initiatives and provide joint training and activities.

Improving language skills

In Montreal, two projects are being developed in Mercier-Est. Bianca Boudreau, coordinator of 1, 2, 3 GO! Mercier-Est, tells us more.

Field work and the services of a language consultant are on the agenda in the Montreal community of Mercier-Est, in order to reach families who do not necessarily make use of neighbourhood associations. The field work consists of giving these families tools and information on resources, and holding coffee hours where the families can meet and talk. As for the language intervention work, it helps families to stimulate reading and writing as a preventive measure.

Within three years, the children will have better language skills to prepare for school entry.

The Eastern Townships celebrate moms and dads!

The Des Sources MRC held its first "Fête Maternité-Paternité," a highly innovative fair, according to the organization coordinator, Julie Mongrain.

The organization Les Partenaires pour la Petite Enfance, which brings together 20 partners from various milieus (family centres, health and social service centres, CPEs, education and regional organizations) in the Eastern Townships MRC of Des Sources, was the driving force behind the very first Fête Maternité-Paternité, held in Asbestos.

Created to raise awareness of the area's organizations and the various services offered to families in the region, and to create meaningful ties between future parents, this unifying event reached parents in an innovative fashion.

Parents hit the books!

In Mont-Laurier / Rivière-Rouge, parents are learning about their child's development. Anne-Sophie Fournier, coordinator at the Comité d'action local (CAL), explains.

In the upper Laurentians, the CAL de Mont-Laurier / Rivière-Rouge is focusing on parents, since they are the key players who can make a difference in their child's development. Two tools have been created for them.

The first is a development handbook that contains all the essential information parents need to monitor their child's health and development. The second is the brochure Bébé à bord, la consommation prend le bord!, which explains the risks to the unborn child when expectant mothers consume substances such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other drugs.

Parents speak

In Limoilou, parents are involved in the 1, 2, 3 GO! Limoilou initiative. Marie-Pierre Simard and Félix Tremblay share their experience.

In the Quebec City borough of Limoilou, Marie-Pierre Simard and Félix Tremblay decided to use their parental leave to benefit their community. Each parent explains their personal commitment, what they've learned and the challenges involved for families of children under the age of five.

Toy library and buying group

In Rivière-des-Prairies, sharing comes first! Stéphanie Élément, coordinator of the 1, 2, 3 GO! Rivière-des-Prairies grouping, fills us in on two community projects.

For the Montreal mobilization organization 1, 2, 3 GO! Rivière-des-Prairies, founded in 2002, financial support from Avenir d'enfants has meant that more projects can be offered, partner motivation has been maintained and more results have been obtained for the community.

With the implemented three-year plan, two major projects for the community well-being have begun: a toy library and a buying group of basic infant products.