​In keeping with our vision of continually improving our action plan, we conducted an evaluation process between March 2015 and June 2016.  This process was instigated by Memphré en mouvement‘s Evaluation Committee and by Marielle Thibaudeau, Program Evaluation Consultant and Psychoeducator.  The process began with consultations with the different partners, after which a common evaluation question was defined:  How to enhance the relationship of trust between vulnerable families and their communities and  area organizations?
 
In order to answer this question, a dozen community players were asked to identify winning practices that should be encouraged when working with families who are vulnerable.  The players were from a wide range of professions (managers, practitioners, citizen service agents, and secretaries), from different sectors (early childhood, educational, municipal, health and community) and from the territories of the MRC (Potton, Stanstead, Eastman, and Magog).  The interviews offered a wealth of information that led to several findings.
 
The purpose of the evaluation was to translate the results that were obtained into reality in the different Memphremagog organizations.  In order for the findings to have a practical application, two tools were developed:  a ‘Self-Assessment of Practices’ Tool, and a series of fact sheets.
 
Access to these tools and to the evaluation report is available to all the partners via the toolbox on Memphré en mouvement’s web page at:  http://www.memphreenmouvement.org/.
 
In the end, the evaluation process and the Parent’Aise Approach go hand in hand.  That is why we use them in combination during training sessions for the “Together, we go further” action, which I will describe in my next article.

​The partners’ group is in the process of building a toolbox comprised of all the items that were produced by the group’s employees and community players in keeping with the actions of the last 10 years (including the tools developed by the Partenaires pour la Petite Enfance).
 
The purpose is to centralize, maintain, and make available to everyone the tools that were developed or identified, so that the partners can continue to take action in the area of healthy lifestyle habits and early childhood development. 
 
The information is organized by theme:  gardening, motor skills, the playground, social skills, etc... Once the partners have applied for membership, they receive a log in and a code that gives them access to the toolboxes that apply to them.  
 
We also want to train a few key partners so they too will be in a position to supply the toolboxes.  In this way, they will be able to share any new theme-related tools they come up with.

Our “Together, we go further” action is designed to bring about transformations within our communities.  This action stems from the finding, by the partners, that vulnerable families have little support, that they are often isolated, and that some of the parents are distrustful of the organizations and the services they provide.
 
For this reason, the partners decided to work towards strengthening the relationship of trust between families on the one hand, and the organizations and the community on the other.
 
Furthermore, this finding was confirmed during the comprehensive “Perspectives Parents” Survey, the results of which were released last spring.  To read more on the topic, go to http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/statistiques/conditions-vie-societe/environnement-familial/eqepe.pdf and check out pages 247 and 248, under the title:  La parentalité chez les parents vivant dans un contexte de défavorisation”.
 
One means of creating a relationship of trust with parents is for the different practitioners who work with the families to develop a common approach that is conducive to creating such a relationship.
To accomplish this, we need to better understand the reality of vulnerable families, and to identify changes in practices that need to be made within organizations in our MRC.
 
Since 2016, we’ve done this by launching the Parent’Aise Approach.  The work was carried out in close collaboration with a Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services practitioner.  Moreover, two tools were developed in the course of the evaluation process and are used in the Parent’Aise training.
 
To date, several training sessions have taken place, and we are especially pleased with the response the training has received from communities.
 
Additional training sessions will take place this fall.  You’ll find the schedule below:
 
September 13     Jardin des frontières     Practitioners               Parts 1 and 2
September 19     St-Jean de Bosco          Practitioners              Part 1
October 7            Francophone MRC         Support Staff             Part 2
November 14       ETSB                            Management and      Part 1
                                                                   Practitioners
November 18       Anglophone MRC         Support Staff              Part 1
December 9         St-Jean de Bosco          Practitioners              Part 2
January 25           ETSB                            Management and
                                                                  Practitioners                Part 2
 
Those of you who wish to receive the training are invited to get in touch with Elizabeth Grant, Outreach Agent for 0-5 year olds with Memphré en mouvement, by email at elizabeth.g@memphreenmouvement.org

​What is a ‘connected community’? 
It’s a new strategy by Québec en Forme that aims to maintain the movement towards healthy lifestyle habits in communities.  To achieve this, Québec en Forme wants to continue providing content that is relevant to healthy lifestyle habits.
What’s more, each region will have the option of organizing events that allow speakers to share their knowledge.  And these events will also offer an opportunity to network.
Next, an Ambassador Program will be put in place in order to improve the knowledge and skills of individuals, so they may utilize their full potential as leaders for change with regard to healthy lifestyle habits in their communities.
Finally, Québec en Forme will set aside funds for healthy lifestyle habits project submissions.
 
Québec en Forme is currently developing four pilot projects across the province.  During the coming winter, we should be in a position to share with you what we’ve learned.  Stay tuned, because this fall, you will be invited to take part in our first event. 

​Between September 6 and 8, community support workers received training in how to  create environments that promote healthy lifestyle habits.  The training focused on enabling support workers to consolidate and/or develop the skills required to effectively support their municipal partners in creating environments that promote the development of healthy lifestyle habits.
 
This training, in connection with “Prendre soin de notre monde”, a public health initiative, makes it possible to put healthy lifestyle habits at the centre of municipal decisions. 
Keep in mind, however, that many actions in line with this goal have already been carried out in our territory:  the revitalization of school playgrounds, the promotion of parks, and the signing of the Charter for Healthy Lifestyle Habits, which guides our family policies...
 
Another goal is to strengthen concertation work between the municipalities and the different community and for-profit organizations.
 
With this in mind, a number of projects are expected in the coming months...so be on the lookout!

​I am delighted and proud to announce that we received letters of acceptance from our two financial backers, Avenir d’enfants and Québec en Forme, in response to our requests for funding. Both plans received full approval!
 
As a result, all the work that was accomplished by the partners this year, and all the actions that were taken, will lead to concrete projects to promote the well-being and quality of life of youth ages 0 to 17 and their families in the MRC!
 
To implement our two action plans in 2016-2017, we will receive:
-  $ 245,448 from Avenir d’Enfants
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To supplement these amounts, our financial backers also agreed to reallocate our unspent funds from 2015-2016 to our 2016-2017 funding.  These sums, which will need to be validated based on our actual unspent funds at the close of our fiscal years, add up to:
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Thanks to your hard work and to the support of our two financial backers, this year again, we will reach thousands of children and young people ages 0 to 17, hundreds of parents, and dozens of practitioners throughout the MRC.
 
I would like you to know how truly proud I am to support Memphré en mouvement’s stakeholders as they work to mobilize, consult, and develop action plans.  The Memphremagog region is a highly stimulating and active environment, one in which the childhood and youth stakeholders know how to work together to turn ideas into concrete projects that will bring about change in the field, for the common good!