E=MC3: Ensemble pour Mieux Comprendre
Operational Stress Injuries (OSIs) can affect the mental health of the whole family, not just the military member. To enhance the mental health programming available to military children and youth in families coping with an OSI, the Valcartier MFRC will pilot expanding their E= MC3 program for national use.
E=MC3 was developed by the Valcartier MFRC in partnership with OSI Social Support. The program is designed for 8-12 year olds and consists of eight workshops that aim to develop children’s strengths and improve family well-being. The program offers practical tools to help children adapt to family life with an OSI, and techniques to help both the participant and othermembers of the family deal with the emotional and practical challenges an OSI can present.
For more information, please contact:
Capt. Audrey Hudon, DMFS Mental Health Project Coordinator
Tel: 613-995-5649
Email: Audrey.Hudon@forces.gc.ca
Marie-Claude Michaud, Valcartier MFRC Executive Director
Tel : 418-844-5000
Email : Marie-Claude.Michaud@forces.gc.ca
Friends and Neighbours Club
The Petawawa MFRC will pilot a unique children’s mental health initiative called the Friends and Neighbours Club, which uses educational and entertaining puppet shows to open a dialogue with children about social challenges and mental health. The Phoenix Centre for Children and Families created the Friends and Neighbours Club, aiming to use a light touch to tackleserious children’s issues, teach problem solving skills, and build self-esteem, self-awareness, and awareness of others.
The Petawawa MFRC is piloting two puppet shows created specifically for military children about deployment and reunion. The puppet shows aim to depict the unique feelings children can face throughout the deployment cycle and the importance of speaking up and sharing your emotions. The Friends and Neighbours Club provides the scripts to the shows and the accompanying puppets, and MFRC staffand volunteers will perform the shows, adapting them to fit the uniqueness of their community.
Theresa Sabourin, Petawawa MFRC Executive Director
Tel: 613-687-1641 ext. 2222
Email: pmfrc@renc.igs.net
FRIENDS for Life
The Kingston Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) is piloting FRIENDS for Life, an internationally recognized programwhich teaches young people to prevent, cope with and manage feelings of anxiety and depression.
A fixture in schools, hospitals and community centres around the world, FRIENDS for Life is the only childhood anxiety prevention program acknowledged by the World Health Organization. FRIENDS for Life has also proven effective for up to six years after taking the program – giving young people the skills to manage depression and anxiety to carry with them into adolescence and adulthood.
FRIENDS for Life can be used as a treatment during individual or group sessions at a hospital or community centre.It is also commonly used as a school-based prevention course teaching cognitive and emotional skills.
The Kingston MFRC will pilot the program in both of these settings: they will work through the program with preteens at their MFRCand will partner with two local schools to run the program with grade five students.