Montréal, January 16, 2019 – For the first time ever, educators in the James Bay Cree territory who work with young people under the Youth Protection Act will be trained and accredited in their communities, without the need to travel. This initiative will help address the challenges of access to schooling that many remote communities face.
The program is called Mamouwechitutaau and means “let’s all help each other, let’s work together.” It was presented as an innovative practice to develop local expertise among Indigenous professionals at the Commission of Inquiry on September 10, 2018, regarding relations between Indigenous and certain public services. The program includes training aimed at improving the quality of youth rehabilitation services through creating a positive environment, guaranteeing emotional security and consistency for both adolescents and educators.
Emma Kroeker, Mamouwechitutaau Project Manager at Boscoville declares: “We combine the best practices in intervention with troubled youth with the strengths and values of Cree culture. We understand that local social care professionals are experts in working with young people in their communities, and we work together to implement programs that best serve them.”
Concordia University – through Concordia Continuing Education (CCE) – will be the first Québec university to certify the program by issuing an attestation when each of the four modules is completed, as well as a certificate at the end of the program. The first attestation ceremony was held in a Sabtuan, a traditional Cree building, on December 12, 2018.
“We asked ourselves why our program for the Cree community wasn’t recognized by a university,” explains Mohsen Romdhani, Executive Director of Boscoville. “So, we approached Concordia University, and we hope other universities will join the initiative.”
About Boscoville
Boscoville’s mission is to promote the well-being of Québec youth aged 0 to 30. The organization collaborates with Québec’s youth actors from practice and research to develop intervention or prevention programs tailored to the needs and realities of today’s youth, aged 0 to 30.