CoVivre Program

 

   

 

 

Background

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had devastating effects around the world. Yet, this event was not experienced equally by all. Certain groups were more affected by the pandemic, either in terms of their risk of exposure to the virus (workplace or living environment), or in terms of their means of implementing social and health measures to prevent infection (understanding of guidelines, socio-economic means).

In addition, the emergence of the virus has also been linked to the intensification of discrimination and inequities as well as to other systemic issues already present in society prior to the pandemic.

In Quebec, several reports, scientific studies, and field observations have indicated that groups marginalized by their immigration status, working conditions, or membership in certain ethno-cultural groups, for example, have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic or by lockdowns. 

In order to reduce the health inequalities exacerbated by COVID-19, targeted measures directed at these marginalized groups must be deployed. The CoVivre program integrates the most current scientific evidence to curbing COVID-19 infections, with an approach to reducing health disparities and concerted action with field teams and institutional partners with shared priorities.

The CoVivre program addresses the inequalities faced by these marginalized groups through initiatives carried out with key players in the community, education and health and social services sectors. CoVivre acts as a facilitator and as an accelerator of initiatives aimed at reducing socio-economic and health disparities caused by the pandemic.

More specifically, CoVivre aims to inform, protect and support marginalized communities during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater Montreal area.

The CoVivre program began in August 2020 thanks to the collaboration of three researchers, Dr. Cécile Rousseau, Dr. Alexandra de Pokomandy and Dr. Sarah Gallagher, as well as the financial support of the Trottier Family Foundation.

In a very short period of time, our team was able to create and strengthen relationships with several partners from different sectors. Close collaborations were established quickly and efficiently.

The arrival of CoVivre just before the start of the second wave allowed the creation and acceleration of many projects and initiatives that came to support several vulnerable groups in the population.

In July 2021, CoVivre had a nine-month renewal from the Trottier Family Foundation to address issues still related to social and health inequalities resulting from the COVID-19 health crisis, under the responsibility of Dr. Cécile Rousseau. The priorities of phase 2 were related to the vaccination of children against COVID-19, which began in the fall of 2021, and to the support for children, families, schools and caregivers related to the implementation of this vaccination campaign.

This mandate of CoVivre was extended to the fall of 2022 due to the crisis caused by the arrival of the Omicron variant during the winter of 2022, which further exacerbated the precariousness of several communities and prompted additional support from CoVivre to certain organizations working with extremely vulnerable clients.

In addition, in order to take stock of the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater Montreal area and more broadly in Quebec, Phase 2 of the CoVivre program focused on the organization of the forum La communauté au cœur : dialogue autour des initiatives, des pratiques et des leçons tirées de la pandémie, which was held in person in Montreal from September 14 to 16, 2022.

The CoVivre Program ended its activities in December 2022. A Final Report of the program's activities is now available (French Only).

Target Populations

CoVivre's actions target groups or communities in the Greater Montreal area that have been identified as the most marginalized by the pandemic, including people who experience discrimination or exclusion.

Objectives

Program Components

CoVivre contains three major components, detailed below. These components are accompanied by an evaluation and knowledge transfer process.

Program Structure

CoVivre's structure includes a Program Team, an Executive Committee, a multidisciplinary Advisory Committee and various other partners and collaborators.

Program Founders

 

Dr. Cécile Rousseau is a child psychiatrist at the Montreal Children's Hospital, and a researcher specializing in youth mental health care for immigrant and refugee children and the phenomenon of radicalization leading to violence. She is also a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University.

 

 

 

Dr. Alexandra de Pokomandy is a family physician specializing in HIV care, a researcher at the McGill University Health Centre and an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University.

 

 

 

Dr. Sarah Gallagher is Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the Western University and Scientific Advisor to the President of the Canadian Space Agency. Dr. Gallagher is also co-founder of CanCOVID, a Canada-wide initiative to facilitate collaboration among researchers on COVID-19.

 

Program Team

Joy Schinazi is CoVivre Coordinator (phase 2), Communication and Transfer of Knowledge component. She holds a Master's degree in Developmental Psychology from McGill University and a Master's degree in Public Health (MPH) in Family and Community Health from Harvard University. Her experience includes more than 15 years within the Public Health network in Québec, working  in the implementation and evaluation of preventive programs aimed at reducing health disparities.

 

Anabelle Vanier-Clément is CoVivre Coordinator (phase 2) for the Vaccination, Vaccine Hesitancy and Support to Leaders and Communities component. She holds a double Master's degree in International Relations from Sciences-Po Paris and the London School of Economics, as well as training in mediation from the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution. She has professional experiences in Montreal and abroad in journalism, human rights and coordination of youth projects in a multicultural context.

 

Emmanuelle Bolduc was the Coordinator of CoVivre (Phase 1) and continues to collaborate on specific cases. She holds a Master's degree in Social and Transcultural Psychiatry from McGill University and an M.B.A. in International Development and Humanitarian Management from Laval University. She has more than 10 years of experience in program management and research-analysis, mainly in youth mental health and in community and partnership mobilization in a multicultural context, both internationally and in Quebec.

Aïssata Touré is the Health Liaison Officer for CoVivre.  She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from HEC Montréal and is currently completing her education in Psychology at the Université de Montréal. She has worked for more than 6 years for a charitable organization dedicated to research, education and support for people affected by cancer. 

 

Cindy Ngov is a Program Officer for CoVivre. She is currently a Master's student in Public Health at McGill University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Microbiology and Immunology. She is very interested in the issue of social inequalities and the link between basic research and practical interventions around all aspects of physical and psychosocial well-being. 

 

Tara Santavicca is a Program Officer for CoVivre. She is a Master's student in Public Health at McGill University. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and is an accredited member of the Québec Kinesiology Federation. She has worked on the education and awareness of physical activity across the lifespan, in the context of health and illness. 

 

Yasmine Abdessettar is a junior assistant for CoVivre. She is currently completing a double bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology (U. Montreal). She has experiences in the field of psychosocial research and wishes to continue in social work. Her fields of interest are the impacts of social inequalities and discrimination.

 

 

Collaborator (Phase 1 and 2) :

Laurence Monnais is a key collaborator with CoVivre’s Vaccination, Vaccine Hesitancy and Support to Leaders and Communities component.  She is a professor in the Department of History at the University of Montreal, Director of the Centre for Asian Studies (CETASE) and a specialist in vaccine hesitancy issues in Quebec and East/Southeast Asia.She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

 

Collaborators( Phase 1):

Catherine Montmagny Grenier was Project Manager - Support to precarious workers for CoVivre. She holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Criminology (U. of Montreal), and she has more than 10 years of experience in research team coordination and field research, particularly with regards to the different impacts of neo-liberal practices on the so-called privileged and marginalized.

 

 

Claire Guenat was Project Manager - Vaccination and vaccine hesitancy training for CoVivre. She is a doctoral candidate in criminology (U. of Montreal). She has more than five years of experience in management and coordination of teams and research projects, mainly related to community and institutional care of vulnerable populations.

 

 

 

Partners

The CoVivre team is currently working with several partners:

  • City of Montreal's Office for the Integration of Newcomers (BINAM)
  • Center d'accueil et de référence sociale et économique pour immigrants de Ville Saint Laurent (CARI St-Laurent) and the Lumen Gentium Clinic
  • Center of Expertise on the Physical Health and Well-being of Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CERDA)
  • Center for Immigrant Workers (CTTI)
  • Mauve Clinic
  • Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission (CDPDJ)
  • Direction régionale de santé publique de Montréal (DRSP)
  • Social Polarization Research and Action Team (RAPS)
  • Philanthropic Foundations Canada Team
  • Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC)
  • SHERPA University Institute
  • Médecins du Monde Canada (MdM)
  • Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS)
  • Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEES)
  • Re-Creation Project
  • Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI)

The CoVivre Program also collaborates on an ad hoc basis with numerous experts from the academic community (McGill University, Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke and University College London).

Funding

Trottier Family Foundation

CoVivre deploys and collaborates on many projects with a multitude of partners. In addition, CoVivre's network of experts is often called upon to give their opinion on various topics related to marginalized communities and the pandemic. Here is an overview of CoVivre's Phase 1 projects (August 2020 - August 2021):

Component 1- Inform: Communications

Component 2 - Protect: Outreach and Awareness Raising

Component 3 - Support: Psychosocial Support and Mental Health

 

Component 1.  Inform : Communications 

CoVivre recognizes the importance of democratic health communications, particularly in a context of crisis and change such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to publicize updates and various support measures available to people and communities marginalized by the pandemic, CoVivre approaches the Communications component in a transversal way, with the goal to simplify and disseminate the information and tools that are produced. The team also addresses two phenomena related to communication, namely the impact of misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccine hesitancy.

“Le pire jeu” Ad campaign to mitigate the impact of misinformation related to COVID-19

Since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, several elements of misinformation and disinformation have appeared in relation to the origins, prevention methods and treatments of the virus. It is necessary to try to mitigate the impact of disinformation and conspiracy theories in order to promote health guidelines that limit the spread of the virus and prevent the legitimization of discrimination against certain groups. CoVivre  worked with Marc D. David, Marie-Ève Carignan and David Morin, academic consultants, the advertising agency Substance and the UNESCO Chair in the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Extremism at the University of Sherbrooke to develop an Ad campaign targeting young people. This unique campaign took place in the spring of 2021 and by taking  a global approach, invited the population to develop a critical mind and a more nuanced discourse.

The campaign was carried out in collaboration with the advertising agency Substance and a working group with researchers from the University of Sherbrooke: Marie-Ève Carignan and David Morin, consultants for the UNESCO Chair in the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Extremism at the University of Sherbrooke, and Marc D. David, professor of communication at the University of Sherbrooke. 

Campaign Strategy: What we've been experiencing since March 2020 is literally the worst game: it's played against your will, the rules change often, it goes on too long, many feel like quitting, but to win, you have to play as a team and finish the game.

Twelve messages were developed on three areas of tension (mental health, questionable news and government action) through four board games (Jenga, Monopoly, Uno, and L'osti d'jeu). The messages were shared on three social networks (Facebook, Instagram / Instagram Stories, and Snapchat) between April 9 and May 28, 2021, and a campaign landing page (lepirejeu.com) with links to resources was created.  Below are a few ads from Le pire jeu campaign:

 

Move Forward” (Aller de l’avant) Ad campaign to address vaccine hesitancy amongst women in Quebec.

CoVivre developed a second online ad campaign in the spring-summer 2021, at the height of the vaccine campaign in Quebec, in order to address the issue of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The campaign was conducted in collaboration with a local ad agency and academic experts in communications and vaccine hesitancy. The campaign targeted French-speaking women in Quebec between the ages of 40 and 60. This group was identified for three main reasons: women are often the people in the household who manage and make decisions about family health issues; they are also often responsible for and influence decisions related to health prevention and promotion; and they are often the caregivers for their parents and elders. Therefore, their attitudes and perceptions towards vaccination in a pandemic context may change depending on the health and health risks affecting their loved ones, including their children and parents. The campaign strategy aimed to use a non-judgmental approach to support the decision making process and influence perceptions around the vaccine and to reduce vaccine hesitancy.

 

Contribution to training on case and contact management for public health investigators (Module 7 - People in Vulnerable Situations: How to Deal with Barriers in Investigations)

Recognizing the need for training in adapted communications with people in vulnerable situations, McGill University and the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) developed a new training module for public health contact tracers. CoVivre collaborated on the development of this module which aims to adapt communication during investigations of positive cases of COVID-19 and to take into account the different realities experienced by groups more affected by the pandemic and lockdown measures.  Please click here to access the training.

Development of tools and dissemination strategies according to projects

CoVivre develops or contributes to the development of different tools and strategies for disseminating information adapted to reach the communities most marginalized by the pandemic through all its components. CoVivre takes into account the degree of dissemination of information, access to multilingual information in real time, via different communication channels and from a perspective that emphasizes the importance of bringing a plurality of voices in the approach to crisis management.

Component 2. Protect :  Outreach and Awareness

For its Protect - Outreach and Awareness Raising Component, CoVivre was involved in the development of several projects aimed at directly supporting various vulnerable groups in key sectors that have been strongly affected by the pandemic. With the collaboration of several experts and in partnership with many organizations, CoVivre has focused on issues affecting precarious workers, school settings, local outreach teams and local community organizations supporting immigrant individuals and families.

2.1 Support for workers

Partnership with CTTI to address the impact of the pandemic on workers

A partnership was established between CoVivre and the Centre for Immigrant Workers (CTTI) to support vulnerable workers and reduce the impact of the pandemic on them. This partnership provides for various initiatives, including an assessment of the experiences of different groups of workers on issues of security and immigration status and access to support measures, the preparation of individual and collective requests for occupational health and safety, awareness, training and referral and accompaniment of these workers.

Fact sheets for workers

CoVivre participated in the development of two multilingual information sheets for workers in collaboration with the Montreal Regional Public Health Department, the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI), the SHERPA University Institute, the Centre for Immigrant Workers  (CTTI) and the Commission sur les normes, l'équité la santé et la sécurité au travail (CNESST). The first fact sheet focuses on government financial assistance and the second on workplace rights.

Financial support for workers in isolation

A financial support measure was put in place by CoVivre in partnership with the Centre for Immigrant Workers (CTTI) as the implementing organization, and with the collaboration of the Montreal Regional Public Health Department, the SHERPA University Institute, the Canadian Red Cross, the Bureau d'intégration des nouveaux arrivants de Montréal (BINAM), the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI), and the financial support of the Trottier Family Foundation and the Echo Foundation. The measure is intended for precarious workers who must be isolated because of COVID-19, and who are not eligible for other financial support measures (by the government or employer). It allows the most vulnerable workers to isolate without compromising their basic needs and those of their families. This measure has two objectives: 1) to contribute to the reduction of community transmission of COVID-19 and 2) to alleviate the extreme precariousness faced by some workers in the Greater Montreal area. This information leaflet on the support measure is available in seven languages.  Please click here for the brochure on the measure and here to access the translations.

2.2 Support for schools

Vignettes and Teaching Guide on racism

Increased discrimination against certain ethno-cultural groups since the beginning of the pandemic has prompted the creation of a Task Force, in which CoVivre participates, in order to address the issue of racism in schools. Following interviews with youth and several research and consultation sessions, two "Speakers’ Corner" vignettes and a bilingual teaching guide were created in the beginning of the 2020 school year. The vignettes and guides were designed to help teachers bring up the issue of racism into the classroom in a unifying way. The English and French guides are available for consultation, as well as the vignettes in English and French.

Multilingual Public Health Tools for Parents

A collaborative effort between CoVivre, the organization Une école montréalaise pour tous, the Montreal Regional Public Health Department and Réseau Réussite Montréal was undertaken to adapt and translate the public health letters sent to parents of students when a positive case of COVID-19 is reported in the school. These letters’ content were simplified and adjusted for literacy, and translated into 16 languages for parents who are not fluent in French or English. A graphic design component has also been added to facilitate understanding. These multilingual tools distributed throughout the school system in the fall of 2021. Please click here for an example of the tool.

Back to School Guide for Teachers

The Guide « L’école en temps de pandémie : favoriser le bien-être des élèves et des enseignants » was developed in the fall of 2020 by Professor Garine Papazian-Zohrabian and Ms. Caterina Mamprin of the Faculty of Education of the Université de Montréal with the support of CoVivre. It is intended for all stakeholders in the education sector and its main objective is to support them in the context of the pandemic. The guide addresses issues of mental health related to the pandemic and their impact on school staff and students’ wellbeing. It also proposes principles and avenues for supporting the school environment.

2.3 Vaccination and vaccine hesitancy 

In line with its mandate to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on marginalized communities, CoVivre has developed actions in partnership with different stakeholders to support the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

Support to community outreach teams and neighborhoods 

a) Webinars 

Two webinars were developed by the CoVivre team based on the latest evidence and in collaboration with expert consultants in the field of vaccine hesitancy, including Laurence Monnais (U. of Montreal), Noemi Tousignant (U. College London), and Dr. Arnaud Gagneur's team (U. Sherbrooke), Anousheh Mashouf and Marie-Hélène Rivest of the Polarisation Clinical Team and Sasha Dyck, nurse and team leader of the CIUSSS Centre-Ouest, and Simone Martineau (McGill U.). These webinars were developed to support outreach and community workers who are in direct contact with the population. The webinars aim to provide knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine hesitancy, as well as to equip community workers in their outreach and intervention work with the population.

COVID-19 Resources Canada also collaborated in this effort by producing English subtitles for one of the webinars. Please click here to access the recorded videos of the webinars.

b)  Vaccination Fact Sheets

Four factsheets on vaccination were developed by CoVivre in collaboration with experts in the field. The factsheets aim to inform the public about the role and function of vaccination, the effectiveness and safety of vaccines, and the most commonly asked questions about immunization. The fact sheets have been translated into 9 languages. Please click here to access the fact sheets and here for the translated versions.

c) A Guide to Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy and Supporting Vaccine Decision-Making

Minority communities in Quebec have had particular experiences that can affect the contextual factors of vaccine hesitancy, such as racism, discrimination and their relationship to biomedicine. While this reality was initially overlooked in the face of the pandemic's urgency, minority communities are also affected by the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy. This phenomenon is just beginning to be documented with respect to COVID-19. To complement the webinars on vaccination, CoVivre consulted a panel of experts and created a guide that addresses vaccine hesitancy for different minority groups present in Montreal, and proposes an intervention approach (posture) to adopt. (Links to the full and abridged version of the guide to come).

Support to communities and leaders

CoVivre offers support to various community and religious leaders, neighborhoods, and communities in Greater Montreal in relation to the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Within the framework of this accompaniment, CoVivre:

- Assesses concerns and needs of communities in relation to the COVID-19 vaccination;

- Analyzes existing initiatives to address community needs;

- Facilitates or adapts existing initiatives according to community needs;

- Liaises between community leaders and health authorities to bring forward the concerns and needs of the communities in relation to COVID-19 vaccination;

- Creates, adapts or divulges material on vaccination intended for leaders and their communities (written material, informative meetings, webinars).

2.4 Support to stakeholders working with ethnocultural, immigrant and racialized communities

Partnership with the TCRI to address the impact of the pandemic on refugees and immigrants

A partnership has been established between CoVivre and the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI) to support community organizations and networks that serve refugees, immigrants and people with precarious immigration status and their communities. The initiatives of this partnership also aim to identify the needs and issues of these groups, to raise awareness and address the impacts of the pandemic on them, and to develop and disseminate communication tools and available resources.

Cultural Mediation Guide for Public Health Intervention

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the complexity of the collateral effects of public health measures such as the lockdown, and the relationship between underlying health, social and political phenomena. There is a need to reflect on the principles that should underlie decision-making processes in times of a pandemic. This guide is intended to provide a framework for public health professionals to promote dialogue aimed at an integrated community mediation approach. It is based on experiences in Quebec, such as mediation experiences with religious, racial and ethnic communities in the metropolitan area during the first wave of the pandemic. It addresses the mediation processes that may be required in various contexts and highlights the importance of developing consultation mechanisms between public health and communities that take into account the entire population, especially minority and marginalized groups. (Link to guide coming soon)

Component 3. Support : Psychosocial Support and Mental Health

In order to respond to the considerable increase in psychosocial and mental health issues in the context of the pandemic and lockdown, CoVivre has prioritized the development of a psychosocial and mental health support component. Taking into account the importance of not duplicating services already offered in this area and the capacity to maintain them, CoVivre opted for an approach based on partnerships with already established organizations offering direct services to the intended population and according to the needs exacerbated or caused by the pandemic.

Clinique Mauve : Supporting the LGBTQI+ migrant and racialized communities

The Mauve Clinic  is a new service and outreach program for LGBTQI+ migrant and racialized people, located within the Village Santé GMF-U in Côte-des-Neiges. It aims to provide medical, psychological and sexual  healthcare to LGBTQI+ migrants as well as to inform and educate them on issues related to COVID-19 through a liaison program. The Mauve Clinic advocates for anti-oppressive, cross-cultural, intersectional, trans-affirmative, and trauma-informed approaches. It equally advocates for harm reduction and informed consent and emphasizes user empowerment. CoVivre has supported the development of the clinic and this collaboration has contributed to the integration of peer navigators for their psychosocial support and communication/advocacy components.

Médecins du Monde Canada: psychosocial support to community workers and organizations 

Over the years, Médecins du Monde has developed a recognized expertise in supporting professionals and organizations working with highly marginalized populations in Quebec and internationally. CoVivre supports Médecins du Monde Canada in its offer of individual and group psychological support to community workers as well as in the development and implementation of distance learning. This effort also includes identifying the core issues most often requested by professionals and organizations working in homelessness, substance abuse, sex work and other marginalized groups  in order to provide them with additional resources.

CARI Saint Laurent and Clinique Lumen Gentium: psychosocial support and tools for immigrant families

In response to the difficulties faced by many recently arrived  immigrant families in relation to their adaptation and that of their children, the Centre d'accueil et de référence sociale et économique pour immigrants de Ville Saint Laurent (CARI St-Laurent) and the Lumen Gentium clinic set up a clinic with psycho-education professionals to support these families. This clinic has been a valuable resource for many families during the first wave of the pandemic and the demand for psychosocial support has been growing since March 2020. CoVivre supported this project which aimed to expand the psychosocial support services as well as develop support tools for parents and workshops for families.

Re-Creation Project: Support for youth in classe d'accueil

Now in its third year of operation, the Re-Creation project was created in response to the wave of asylum seekers in 2018 and the subsequent increased need for support in Quebec’s classes d'accueil. The goal of this project is to support the well-being of refugee and asylum-seeking youth through creative expression workshops that promote students' sense of safety and comfort. In addition, these workshops are also intended to support the use of positive stress management strategies through art, to strengthen social connections at home, in the classroom and in the community, and to gather information for program partners about the needs of the youth and raise awareness of their particular issues.

In July 2021, CoVivre  received a renewal from the Trottier Family Foundation until the fall of 2022, to continue addressing issues related to social and health inequities resulting from or exacerbated by the COVID-19 health crisis. Here is an overview of the projects underway for CoVivre’s Phase 2 :

Component 1- Inform: Communication

Component 2 - Protect: Outreach and Awareness Raising  

Component 3 -  Support: Psychosocial Support and Mental Health

Component 1- Inform: Communication

CoVivre's communication component focuses on knowledge transfer activities, which will highlight and sustain the new knowledge and practices developed by CoVivre and its partners over the past year.

Forum La communauté au coeur

In order to take stock of what has been learned from the pandemic in Montreal and Quebec, the CoVivre program organized its first ever forum - La communauté au cœur : dialogue autour des initiatives, des pratiques et des leçons tirées de la pandémie, in collaboration with Cité-ID from the École nationale d'administration publique (ENAP) and researchers from the Université de Montréal and the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'île-de-Montréal, on September 14, 15 and 16, 2022 in Montreal.

The purpose of the forum was to create a space for discussion and sharing of experiences between the community sector and its public, philanthropic and academic partners in order to think together, beyond the emergency, about the successes and difficulties encountered, to better prepare for future crises, and more globally, to strengthen the vital forces of communities. A summary document of the forum is now available.

Scientific Publications and Specific Activities

In parallel to the development of the forum, CoVivre is involved in the development of scientific articles and presentations of its work at various scientific conferences. For more information, please consult the Publications and Presentations tab. 

Component 2 - Protecting: Outreach and Awareness Raising

For Phase 2, CoVivre continued its outreach and support for vaccination against COVID-19 in vulnerable communities, and its support to the community environment, in a context of vaccine tension and when vaccination coverage (2 doses) in Quebec was already very high among eligible individuals.

During the Fall of 2021, CoVivre focused its efforts on the development, in collaboration with university researchers from different disciplines, of tools to support decision-making for the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years, and tools to ease vaccine tensions (see our Vaccination Resources tab to access all of our resources or achievements related to vaccination against COVID-19).

Our tools have been widely disseminated in community, health and education settings in the Greater Montreal area and in the province. Meetings or webinars related to these tools could be given in the winter of 2022, depending on the needs of the partners and the field.

Tools to Support Parental Decision-Making for the Vaccination of Children Aged 5 to 11

In the context of the vaccination against COVID-19 of children aged 5 to 11 and at the request of several partners, CoVivre developed, in collaboration with university researchers, tools to support parents in their decision-making process. The researchers involved were: Cécile Rousseau (social child psychiatrist, McGill University), Laurence Monnais (health historian, Université de Montréal), Ève Dubé (medical anthropologist, INSPQ, Université Laval), Chantal Sauvageau (public health physician, INSPQ and Université Laval) and Caroline Quach-Thanh (pediatric microbiologist-infectologist, CHU Ste-Justine and Université de Montréal). Developed in a transdisciplinary manner, these tools address parents and caregivers about vaccination, with a global approach that is transparent, nuanced, caring and respectful of different experiences and points of view.

Two tools have been developed in connection with the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11: a tool for professionals (community, health, school, etc.) working with parents and families, and a tool addressed directly to parents to support them in their decision-making process. The tool for professionals is available in French and English, and the tool for parents is available in 17 languages. Both tools are also available in a 2-page format. They are intended to complement the MSSS and Public Health tools.

Tools to Understand, Prevent and Diminish Vaccine Tension in Different Settings (School and Health Settings)

Since the end of the summer of 2021, several partners told CoVivre that they have noticed growing tension around vaccination and the health measures in place, as well as the rise of polarization between these different visions and positions within Quebec society. In collaboration with researchers from different disciplines, CoVivre has developed tools to understand, prevent and act on vaccine tension in different environments.

To respond to vaccine tension around schools and to reduce their documented impacts on children and adolescents, CoVivre and Cécile Rousseau (child social psychiatrist, McGill University) developed, in collaboration with Laurence Monnais (health historian, Université de Montréal), Caroline Quach-Thanh (pediatric microbiologist-infectologist, CHU Ste-Justine and Université de Montréal) and Ève Dubé (medical anthropologist, INSPQ and Université Laval), three tools for schools (school service centers, school principals, school teams or any other professional involved with young people and their families) to better understand, prevent and act on tension. These tools include: a summary sheet to understand and prevent tension; vignettes (appendix) illustrating the documented impacts of tension on children and youth, which can be used as a starting point to address vaccine tension in the classroom; a longer, more detailed version of the summary sheet; and video interviews (French only) with Cécile Rousseau to understand and act on tension. These tools are also available in French.

Due to tension in many healthcare teams related to vaccination of healthcare workers, CoVivre and Cécile Rousseau (child social psychiatrist, McGill University), in collaboration with Ève Dubé (medical anthropologist, INSPQ and Université Laval), Laurence Monnais (health historian, Université de Montréal) and Marie-Ève Carignan (communications professor, Université Sherbrooke) have developed a document on communication and intervention strategies around vaccine tension in the healthcare environment. This document is intended as a tool for health managers (hospitals, CIUSSS/CISSS, CLSCs, private clinics, others) in the context of tension around vaccination. It is also available in English. Video clips produced by the INSPQ and based on this tool are also available (French only).

Component 3 -Support: Psychosocial Support and Mental Health

For Phase 2, the psychosocial and mental health component of CoVivre focused on supporting community workers who had been mobilized on the field during the pandemic and challenged by the increased demands of the communities they serve. In continuity with the projects supported in Phase 1 and with the optics of offering transitional support to organizations that still have significant needs, CoVivre continued its support to Médecins du Monde Canada and the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI), two organizations that serve a multitude of community organizations, so that they could strengthen their service offer for community workers.

Médecins du Monde Canada: Individual and Group Support for Community Workers

Médecins du Monde Canada had noticed that requests for assistance from community workers for their various services had increased since the health crisis, unfortunately resulting in longer waiting times that continue over time. In this context, CoVivre supported Médecins du Monde Canada so that it could maintain and improve its individual and group support for community workers, particularly through the addition of professionals and meetings.

The Table de Concertation des Organismes au Service des Personnes Réfugiées et Immigrantes (TCRI): Group Support, Consultation and Knowledge Transfer

In the context of the pandemic, the TCRI has held, with the support of CoVivre, several discussion forums for community organizations' managers  and for community workers, in order to respond to their psychosocial support needs exacerbated by the ongoing health crisis. As this need was still present, CoVivre continued to support the TCRI so that it can maintain these spaces of exchange with the help of external professionals, and reinforce its actions of dialogue between member organizations, and its transfer of knowledge, by organizing a day of reflection to address several themes, including an activity that will consist of a review of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Guides

Guide for School Staff

Teaching Guide for Leading a Classroom Discussion on Racism

Cultural Mediation Guide

Contribution to the Training on Case and Contact Management for Public Health Investigators of the INSPQ

Public Education Materials 

 Leaflets on the Financial Assistance Measure for Workers in Isolation

  Fact Sheets for Workers

Multilingual Public Health Tools for Parents

 

 

 

 

 

Guides


What if we Talked About Racism?

 


L’école en temps de pandémie (French only)

 

Établir un dialogue avec les communautés : guide de médiation culturelle (French only)

Rousseau et al. (2020). Guide de médiation culturelle pour intervenir en santé publique. Available soon.

Rousseau et al. (2020).  What if we Talked About Racism? A Pedagogical Guide to Leading a Respectful Discussion Around Racism in the Classroom. A collaboration between CoVivre and RAPS.

Speakers’ Corner on YouTube available here.

Papazian-Zohrabian, G. & Mamprin, C. (2020). L’école en temps de pandémie : Favoriser le bien être des élèves et des enseignants. Un guide à l’intention du personnel scolaire. Faculté des sciences de l’éducation de l’Université de Montréal.

 

Contribution to the Training on Case and Contact Management for Public Health Investigators of the INSPQ

Module 7 - People in Vulnerable Situations: How to Deal with Barriers in Investigations (french only)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outreach Information Documents 

 

Outreach Pamphlets for the Financial Assistance Measure for Workers in Isolation:

     
French English Arabic Creole
Hindi Punjabi Spanish  


​​Fact Sheets for Workers
:

Fact Sheet on Government Financial Aid
Fact Sheet on  Workers' Rights
Multilingual Public Health Tools for Parents - example of a tool for moderate contact at school.
French Translation (executive summary and recommandations) of the report: Tworek, H.,  Beacock, I. & Ojo, E. (2020). Democratic Health Communications during Covid-19: A RAPID Response. UBC Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, Vancouver, BC.

 

 

 Winter 2022 Vaccine Hesitancy Addendum 

 Addendum for Professionals 

 Webinar on the Addendum (French only, available as of March 10th, 2022)

Parental Decision-Making Support Tools for the Immunization of 5-11 year olds

 Tool for Parents Available in 17 languages

Tool for Intervention Workers

 Tools to Address Vaccine Tension in Different Settings

Tools Created by the Canadian Red Cross

Tools for Schools

 Interview with Dr. Cécile Rousseau on Vaccine Tension in Schools

 Tools for Healthcare Managers 

 INSPQ vignettes on Vaccine Tensions in Quebec Healthcare Institutions

 Tool on How to Interact with a Person who Adheres to Conspiracy Theories (french only)

Tool for Taking Care of Yourself and your Team in a Pandemic Context

 Vaccine Hesitancy Guides

 Vaccine Hesitancy Guide -  Practitioner’s Version

 Vaccine Hesitancy Guide - Integral Version

 COVID-19 Vaccine Educational Tools

 CoVivre Multilingual Fact Sheets

Other Vaccine Resources Tailored to Diverse Communities

  Vaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy Webinars

 Covivre Webinars

Additional Content: Supporting Immunization Decision-Making (French only)

 MIDI SHERPA Webinar

 

 

 

 

Winter 2022 Vaccine Hesitancy Addendum

 Addendum for Professionals 
Tool developed by Cécile Rousseau (child psychiatrist, McGill U.), Anabelle Vanier-Clément and Tara Santavicca from the CoVivre program, in collaboration with Laurence Monnais (health historian and specialist in vaccine hesitancy, U. of Montreal), to complement existing CoVivre tools and those of government and public health organizations.

 

Rousseau, C., Vanier-Clément, A., Santavicca, T., Monnais, L., (February 22nd 2022). Reaching and supporting those who are hesitant: Winter 2022 challenges. Addendum to the CoVivre vaccine hesitancy training for community and health professionals in Quebec during the winter and spring 2022. 

 

 

 

Webinar on the Addendum (French only)

   

Reaching and supporting those who are hesitant: Winter 2022 challenges (March 10 2022) : Presentation by Cécile Rousseau,Laurence Monnais, Anabelle Vanier-Clément et Tara Santavicca.

 

Parental Decision-Making Support Tools for the Immunization of 5-11 year olds

Tools developed by CoVivre in collaboration with university researchers from different disciplines: Cécile Rousseau (child psychiatrist, McGill U.), Ève Dubé (medical anthropologist, INSPQ, Laval U.), Chantal Sauvageau (public health physician, INSPQ and Laval U.), Caroline Quach-Thanh (pediatric microbiologist-infectiologist, CHU Ste-Justine and U. of Montreal) and Laurence Monnais (health historian, U. of Montreal).

 

     

Tool for Parents Available in 17 languages (4-page version) 

French English Arabic Bengali Chinese  Simplified Farsi
Haitian Creole  Hindi Portuguese Punjabi  Rusian Spanish
Swahili

Tagalog

Tamil

Urdu

Yiddish



      

2-page  version also available 

Rousseau, C., Vanier-Clément, A., Santavicca, T., Laveault-Allard, P., Mesbah, S., Miles, L., Monnais, L., Dubé, E., Sauvageau, C. et Quach-Thanh C. (29 november 2021). Informational tool for parents and families to support the decision-making process regarding the vaccination against COVID-19 among 5- to 11-year-olds in Quebec.

 

 

 

Tool for Intervention Workers  (4-page version ) 

French English Arabe Bengali Chinois simplifié Créole haïtien   

 2-page version available

Rousseau, C., Vanier-Clément, A., Santavicca, T., Laveault-Allard, P., Mesbah, S., Miles, L., Monnais, L., Dubé, E., Sauvageau, C. et Quach-Thanh C. (29 november 2021). Informational tool for professionals (school, health, community) to support parents' and families' decision-making process regarding the vaccination against COVID-19 among 5- to 11-year-olds in Quebec.


 

                            

Tools to Address Vaccine Tensions in Different Settings (School and Health)

 

Tools Created by the Canadian Red Cross

Support the safety and security of your staff. 

 

Top 10 De-Escalation Techniques for Verbal Aggression to use in Person.


 

Tools for Schools
Tools developed by CoVivre in collaboration with university researchers from different disciplines: Cécile Rousseau (social child psychiatrist, McGill U.), Laurence Monnais (health historian, U. of Montreal), Caroline Quach-Thanh (pediatric microbiologist-infectiologist, CHU Ste-Justine and U. of Montreal) and Ève Dubé (medical anthropologist, INSPQ, U. Laval)

Summary sheet
(
2-pager)

 

 Vignettes (attachments)

 

 

Long version  

 

 

Rousseau, C., Vanier-Clément, A., Santavicca, T., Monnais, L., Quach-Thanh C. et Dubé, E. (October 13 2021).Protecting the Well-being of Children and Adolescents: Easing Vaccine Tension Around Schools.Summary sheet.

Rousseau, C., Santavicca, T., Vanier-Clément, A. et Ngov, C. (October 13 2021), Relational and Emotional Consequences of the COVID-19 Vaccine Debate for Children and Youth.

Rousseau, C., Vanier-Clément, A., Santavicca, T., Monnais, L., Quach-Thanh C. et Dubé, E. (October 13 2021)Protecting the Well-Being of Children and Adolescents: Appeasing Vaccine Tension around Schools.Long version.

 

 Interview with Dr.Cécile Rousseau on Vaccine Tension in Schools (Oct.2021) (French only)

Why are there vaccine tensions around schools? 
   

 

The impact of stress on children

 

How to prevent tension at school?          

 

How to prevent tension at school? (in summary)

 

                          

Tool for Healhcare Managers

 

Tool developed by CoVivre in collaboration with university researchers from different disciplines: Cécile Rousseau (child psychiatrist, McGill U.), Ève Dubé (medical anthropologist, INSPQ, Laval U.), Laurence Monnais (health historian, U. of Montreal) and Caroline Quach-Thanh (pediatric microbiologist-infectiologist, CHU Ste-Justine and U. of Montreal) .

 

Rousseau, C., Vanier-Clément, A., Santavicca, T., Dubé, E., Monnais, L. et Carignan, M.-E. (November 12 2021),Overcoming our Disagreements in order to Fulfill our Responsibilities: Easing Vaccine Tension in the Healthcare Setting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 INSPQ vignettes on Vaccine Tensions in Quebec Healthcare Institutions (Nov. 2021) (French only)

Interview with Dr. Cécile Rousseau (McGill U.) on the different positions of healthcare workers regarding vaccination against COVID-19

 


Interview with Dr. Cécile Rousseau on how to reduce tension in healthcare settings

 

 

Interview with Dr. Marie-Ève Carignan (U. Sherbrooke) on the main communication errors in health care settings

 

Interview with Dr. Marie-Ève Carignan to adress vaccine discrimination in work teams

 

Interview with Dr. Laurence Monnais (U. of Montreal) on the history of mandatory vaccination

 

Interview with Dr. Laurence Monnais on how to reduce polarization around vaccination

 
Video summary-Ways to better understand and deal with vaccine hesitancy


     

 

Tool on How to Interact with Someone Who Adheres to Conspiracy Theories (French only)

Trépanier, M. (March 2021). Comment réagir face à une personne qui tient des propos conspirationnistes? Stratégies compréhensives de communication, Consortium interrégional savoirs, santé, services sociaux.French only.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tool for Taking Care of Yourself and your Team in a Pandemic Context

Cénat, J. M., McIntee, S. E, Noorishad, P.-G., Rousseau, C., Derivois, D., Birangui, J-P., Bukaka, J. & Balayulu-Makila, O. (2020).  Tool for taking care of yourself and your team in a pandemic context  (Module 9, pages 111 - 122) Psychological intervention guide: Intervening in the context of infectious disease outbreaks. . Ottawa :University of Ottawa, University of Kinshasa, McGill University, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, University of Lubumbashi.

 

 

 

 

 

Vaccine Hesitancy Guides

     

 Rousseau, C., Monnais, L., Tousignant, N., Gagneur, A., Gosselin, V., Santavicca, T., Ngov, C., Guenat, C., Schinazi, J. & Bolduc, E. (2021).Understanding vaccine hesitancy and supporting vaccine decision-making: Practical guide for professionals in contact with the public in the context of COVID-19 in Quebec. A CoVivre publication- ISBN 978-2-9820209-1-7

Rousseau, C., Monnais, L., Tousignant, N., Mekki-Berrada, A., Mekki-Berrada, W., Santavicca, T., Ngov, C., Guenat, C., & Bolduc, E. (2021) Understanding vaccine hesitance among ethnocultural communities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic - Integral Version. A CoVivre publication - ISBN 978-2-9820209-3-1

 

 

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Educational Tools

CoVivre Multilingual Fact Sheets (4 pages)  on the role and function of COVID-19 vaccines, their efficacy and safety, and common questions about vaccination (May 6, 2021).

French English Creole Punjabi Tagalog
Arabic Chinese (Mandarin) Hindi Spanish Yiddish

 

 Other Vaccine Resources Tailored to Diverse Communities

Videos (interviews, panels) on COVID-19 vaccination of Black people (FR and ANG) - Association médicale des personnes de race noire du Québec

Multilingual tools (posters, videos, fact sheets, guidelines) - Canadian Muslim COVID-19 Task Force

Letter signed by 60 physicians working with Jewish communities, Summer 2021

COVID-19 vaccination brochure addressing common concerns in Hasidic communities - Refuah V'Chesed Clinic and Hazoloh Services, 2021(English and Yiddish)

Multilingual Immunization Information Tools - Montreal Regional Public Health Departmentl

Multilingual Vaccination Information Tools - Alliance of Cultural Communities for Equality in Health and Social Services - ACESSS

 

Vaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy Webinars

CoVivre Webinars

 

Knowing and Understanding COVID-19 Vaccination (February 16, 2021): Presentation by Sasha Dyck, Research Nurse and Team Leader of the COVID-19 Screening Clinic at CLSC Parc-Extension, February 16, 2021 (Click on "cc" to see English subtitles)

Understanding vaccine hesitancy and supporting vaccination decision-making (February 16, 2021): Presentation by Laurence Monnais, full professor in the Department of History (U. of Montreal), director of the Centre for Asian Studies (CETASE) and specialist in vaccine hesitancy. Followed by a presentation by Anousheh Machouf, psychologist in the Polarization clinical team of the CIUSSS Centre-Ouest-de-l'île-de-Montréal and researcher-practitioner at the SHERPA University Institute.

Understanding vaccine hesitancy in general and among visible minorities and ethnocultural communities (March 19, 2021): Presentation by Laurence Monnais, full professor in the History Department at the Université de Montréal, director of the Centre for Asian Studies (CETASE) and specialist in issues related to vaccine hesitancy in Quebec.

 

 

 Additional Content: Supporting Immunization Decision-Making (French only)

An example of an intervention from the EMMIE (Entretien Motivationnel en Maternité pour l'Immunisation des Enfants) program, by Dr. Arnaud Gagneur, pediatrician researcher at the CHUS..

 

 

 

MIDIS SHERPA Webinar: Supporting Marginalized Communities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The CoVivre Program Experience (June 9, 2021) 

Les midis SHERPA. Soutenir les communautés marginalisées pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 : L’expérience du Programme CoVivre. 9 juin 2021, 12h-13h. Webinaire

This webinar presents CoVivre’s initiatives related to vaccination and vaccine hesitancy with minority and marginalized communities in the Greater Montreal Area. It discusses the online ad campaign,, tools and guides developed, and the collaboration and co-construction of tailored initiatives, with religious and community leaders, to inform and facilitate access to vaccination for these communities.

Reports

Scientific Articles

 Media Appearances 

Presentations

 

Reports

Schinazi, J., Touré, A., Vanier-Clément, A., Santavicca, T., Ngov, C., Bolduc, E., Montmagny-Grenier, C. (2022). Programme CoVivre - Bilan final. ISBN 978-2-9820209-5-5.

Vanier-Clément, A., Santavicca, T., Schinazi, J., et al. (2022). Forum La communauté au coeur: dialogue autour des initiatives et des pratiques durant la pandémie - Synthèse

Scientific Articles

Schinazi, J., Santavicca, T., Ngov, C., Vanier-Clément, A., Touré, A. & Rousseau, C. (2022). The CoVivre Program: Community Development and Empowerment to address the Inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Greater Montreal Area, Canada. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1177/00221678221124654.

 Frounfelker RL, Li ZY, Santavicca T, Miconi D, Rousseau C.(2021) Latent class analysis of COVID-19 experiences, social distancing, and mental health. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1037/ort0000593.

Santavicca, T., Ngov, C., Frounfelker, R., Miconi, D., and Rousseau., C. (2021).Policy Brief: COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Canada.Recherche et Action sur les Polarisations Sociales.https://sherpa-recherche.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Policy-Brief_COVID-19-Vaccine-Hesitancy-in-Canada_2.11.2021.pdf

Frounfelker, R. L., Santavicca, T., Li Z., Miconi, D., Venkatesh, V., & Rousseau, C. (2021). COVID-19 Experiences  and social distancing: Insights from the Theory of Planned Behavior. American Journal of Health Promotionhttps://doi.org/10.1177/08901171211020997

Miconi, D., Li, Z., Frounfelker, R., Santavicca, T., Cénat, J.M., Venkatesh, V., Rousseau, C. (2021). Ethno-cultural disparities in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study on the impact of exposure to the virus and COVID-related discrimination and stigma on mental health across ethno-cultural groups in Quebec (Canada). BJPsych Open, 7, e14, 1–10. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2020.146

Cenat, J. M., Dalexis, R. D., Kokou-Kpolou, C. K., Mukunzi, J. N., & Rousseau, C. (2020). Social inequalities and collateral damages of the COVID-19 pandemic: when basic needs challenge mental health care. International Journal Public Health, 65(6), 717-718. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-020-01426-y 

Miconi, D., Li, Z.Y., Frounfelker, R.L., Venkatesh, V. & Rousseau, C. (2020). Sociocultural correlates of self-reported experiences of discrimination related to COVID-19 in a culturally diverse sample of Canadian adults [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department of Psychiatry, McGill University. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2021.01.013

Rousseau, C., Jaimes, A., & El-Majzoub, S. (2020). Pandémie et communautés minoritaires marginalisées : vers une approche inclusive en santé publique? Canadian Journal of Public Health, 111(6), 963-966. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00422-2

Rousseau, C., & Miconi, D. (2020). Protecting Youth Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Challenging Engagement and Learning Process. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(11), 1203-1207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2020.08.007

Media Appearances

Reconnaissons l’expertise du communautaire à sa juste valeur. Le Devoir. Le 23 septembre 2022.https://www.ledevoir.com/opinion/idees/757864/idees-reconnaissons-l-expertise-du-communautaire-a-sa-juste-valeur

McGill-Concordia-uOttawa research team finds correlation between COVID-19-based discrimination and poor mental health.McGill.May 12, 2022.https://www.mcgill.ca/channels/channels/news/mcgill-concordia-uottawa-research-team-finds-correlation-between-covid-19-based-discrimination-and-331009

Prochaine étape : apprendre à gérer le risque .La Presse.February 6,2022.https://www.lapresse.ca/societe/2022-02-06/mesures-sanitaires/prochaine-etape-apprendre-a-gerer-le-risque.php

Suivre la science en pandémie : Entrevue avec Laurence Monnais, professeure. Radio-Canada. January 15, 2022.https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/le-15-18/segments/entrevue/386999/vaccin-pandemie-covid-solution-science

Pouvoir écouter ceux qui refusent le vaccin. La Converse.January 15, 2022.
https://laconverse.com/pouvoir-ecouter-ceux-qui-refusent-le-vaccin/

Québec imposera une «contribution santé» pour les adultes non vaccinés. Le Devoir. January 12, 2022.https://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/659592/francois-legault-fait-le-point-au-lendemain-de-la-demission-d-horacio-arruda

Covid-19: Le Québec s’interroge sur la légalité d’une “vacci-taxe”. Courrier international.January 12, 2022.https://www.courrierinternational.com/article/covid-19-le-quebec-sinterroge-sur-la-legalite-dune-vacci-taxe 

COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids: What Does This Mean For All Of Us? Royal Society of Canada. December 6, 2021.https://rsc-src.ca/en/events/covid-19-vaccines-for-kids-what-does-this-mean-for-all-us

Hésitation vaccinale, fracture sociale. Radio Canada. October 6, 2021.
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/info/videos/media-8511439/extrait-6-octobre-2021-hesitation-vaccinale-fracture-sociale

Les grands malaises. La presse. October 1st, 2021.
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/chroniques/2021-10-01/les-grands-malaises.php

« Ce que nous apprend l’histoire sur la vaccination et sur le passeport vaccinal ». UDEMNouvelles. September 20, 2021.
https://nouvelles.umontreal.ca/article/2021/09/20/ce-que-nous-apprend-l-histoire-sur-la-vaccination-et-sur-le-passeport-vaccinal/

Dr. Cécile Rousseau receives the 2021 Royal College Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian Award.Personnel du Collège royal des médecins et des chirurgiens du Canada. August 16, 2021. https://newsroom.royalcollege.ca/for-dr-rousseau-my-whole-career-was-a-post-traumatic-reaction-to-that-war/

Op Ed : Une meilleure stratégie pour les quartiers les plus touchés par la pandémie. Le Devoir, April 29,  2021

Une rencontre avec Laurence Monnais, historienne de la médecine.Radio Canada. April 16, 2021.https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/il-est-toujours-5h-quelque-part/segments/entrevue/351662/covid-pandemie-histoire-sante-publique-contestation

Est-ce possible d’être (encore) résilients ? La Presse. April 14, 2021.https://www.lapresse.ca/societe/2021-04-14/covid-19/est-ce-possible-d-etre-encore-resilients.php

Nous sommes tous hésitants face à la vaccination.La Presse. April 10, 2021.https://www.lapresse.ca/debats/opinions/2021-04-10/nous-sommes-tous-hesitants-face-a-la-vaccination.php  

COVID-19 et radicalisation : Entrevue avec la Dre Cécile Rousseau.Radio Canada. February 23,2021.https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/tout-un-matin/segments/entrevue/344579/radicalisation-coronavirus-covid19-sante-mentale

Help for the helpers. McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Alumni & Friends. November, 27, 2020. https://www.mcgill.ca/facmed-alumni/article/help-helpers

Trottier Family Foundation empowers Montreal’s most affected communities to fight COVID. The Montrealer. September 21, 2020. : https://themontrealeronline.com/2020/09/trottier-family-foundation-gift-empowers-montreals-most-affected-communities-to-fight-covid/

Prévenir la deuxième vague chez les communautés vulnérables. Journal Métro (Montreal edition). September 14, 2020. https://journalmetro.com/local/montreal-nord/2518205/don-pour-prevenir-la-deuxieme-vague-chez-les-communautes-vulnerables/

 


Presentations

 

La synthèse du Forum La communauté au cœur : dialogue autour des initiatives et des pratiques durant la pandémie (1er décembre 2022) 

 

Promoting Vaccine Confidence through Community Action and Support Presentation to the CVCS Interdepartmental Working Group  (1er septembre 2022)

Les midis SHERPA. Soutenir les communautés marginalisées pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 : L’expérience du Programme CoVivre. 9 juin 2021, 12h-13h. Webinaire

Webinaire Les MIDIS SHERPA (9 juin 2021):
Supporting Marginalized Communities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The CoVivre Program Experience .This webinar presents CoVivre’s initiatives related to vaccination and vaccine hesitancy with minority and marginalized communities in the Greater Montreal Area. It discusses the online ad campaign,, tools and guides developed, and the collaboration and co-construction of tailored initiatives, with religious and community leaders, to inform and facilitate access to vaccination for these communities.

Colloque du centre de recherche sur les innovations et transformations sociales (CRITS) (November 5, 2021): Les relations de pouvoir dans le contexte d’implantation d’un programme d’intervention d’urgence pour réduire les inégalités causées par la pandémie de la COVID-19: l’expérience du programme CoVivre (at 17:30, French only). Presentation by Joy Schinazi and Anabelle Vanier-Clément, co-coordinators for the CoVivre program.

 

 

Knowing and Understanding COVID-19 Vaccination (February 16, 2021): Presentation by Sasha Dyck, Research Nurse and Team Leader of the COVID-19 Screening Clinic at CLSC Parc-Extension, February 16, 2021 (Click on "cc" to see English subtitles)

 

Understanding vaccine hesitancy and supporting vaccination decision-making (February 16, 2021): Presentation by Laurence Monnais, full professor in the Department of History (U. of Montreal), director of the Centre for Asian Studies (CETASE) and specialist in vaccine hesitancy. Followed by a presentation by Anousheh Machouf, psychologist in the Polarization clinical team of the CIUSSS Centre-Ouest-de-l'île-de-Montréal and researcher-practitioner at the SHERPA University Institute.

Understanding vaccine hesitancy in general and among visible minorities and ethnocultural communities (March 19, 2021)
Presentation by Laurence Monnais, full professor in the History Department at the Université de Montréal, director of the Centre for Asian Studies
(CETASE) and specialist in issues related to vaccine hesitancy in Quebec.

 

Infolettre CoVivre n.2 - Mai 2021 (French only)

Infolettre CoVivre n.1 - Décember 2020 (French only)

CoVivre is rooted in evidence-based practice. The following is a selective bibliography of research that informs the implementation of CoVivre's:

Schinazi, J., Santavicca, T., Ngov, C., Vanier-Clément, A., Touré, A. & Rousseau, C. (2022). The CoVivre Program: Community Development and Empowerment to address the Inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Greater Montreal Area, Canada. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, doi/10.1177/00221678221124654

Santavicca T., Vanier-ClémentA., & Rousseau C. (2022). Preventing and Appeasing COVID-19 Vaccine Tension in Schools to Protect the Well-Being of Children and Adolescents in Québec, Canada. International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience9(1).16 Septembre 2022. https://www.ijcar-rirea.ca/index.php/ijcar-rirea/article/view/309

Santavicca, T., Ngov, C., Frounfelker, R., Miconi, D., and Rousseau., C. (2021).Note de synthèse: L'hésitation face à la vaccination contre la COVID-19 au Canada . Recherche et Action sur les Polarisations Sociales. https://sherpa-recherche.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Note-de-synthe%CC%80se_Lhe%CC%81sitation-vaccinale- contre-la-COVID-19-au-Canada_2.11.2021.pdf 

Cenat, J. M., Dalexis, R. D., Kokou-Kpolou, C. K., Mukunzi, J. N., & Rousseau, C. (2020). Social inequalities and collateral damages of the COVID-19 pandemic: when basic needs challenge mental health care. International Journal Public Health, 65(6), 717-718. 

Cleveland, J., Hanley, J., Jaimes, A., & Wolofsky, T. (2020). Impacts de la crise de la covid-19 sur les « communautés culturelles » Montréalaises. L’institut universitaire SHERPA

Depri, D. K., Benoit, M., & Adrien, A. (2020). Améliorer la réponse à la pandémie de COVID-19 pour les populations immigrantes et racisées à Montréal : consultation des acteurs terrain (rapport synthétique préliminaire). Direction régionale de santé publique du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

 Frounfelker RL, Li ZY, Santavicca T, Miconi D, Rousseau C. Latent class analysis of COVID-19 experiences, social distancing, and mental health. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1037/ort0000593.

Goudet, A. (2020).  Demandeurs.se.s d’asile travaillant dans les services essentiels. Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes. 

Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) (2020). COVID-19 : la résilience et la cohésion sociale des communautés pour favoriser la santé mentale et le bien-être. Retrieved from Québec: https://www.inspq.qc.ca/sites/default/files/covid/3016-resilience-cohesion-sociale-sante-mentale-covid19.pdf

Massoui, S., Trosseille, N., Clavel, C., Gagnon, M. M., & Coulibaly, G. L. (2020). Les différences culturelles en contexte de pandémie : des vecteurs d’inégalités sociales ? Retrieved from Québec: https://cerda.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Massoui_2020_Les-diffe%CC%81rences-culturelles-en-contexte-de-pande%CC%81mie-des-vecteurs-d%E2%80%99ine%CC%81galite%CC%81s-sociales-1.pdf

Miconi, D., Li, Z., Frounfelker, R., Santavicca, T., Cénat, J.M., Venkatesh, V., Rousseau, C. (2021). Ethno-cultural disparities in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study on the impact of exposure to the virus and COVID-related discrimination and stigma on mental health across ethno-cultural groups in Quebec (Canada). BJPsych Open, 7, e14, 1–10. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2020.146

Miconi, D., Li, Z.Y., Frounfelker, R.L., Venkatesh, V. & Rousseau, C. (2020). Sociocultural correlates of self-reported experiences of discrimination related to COVID-19 in a culturally diverse sample of Canadian adults [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department of Psychiatry, McGill University.

Rousseau, C., Jaimes, A., & El-Majzoub, S. (2020). Pandémie et communautés minoritaires marginalisées : vers une approche inclusive en santé publique? Canadian Journal of Public Health, 111(6), 963-966. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00422-2

Rousseau, C., & Miconi, D. (2020). Protecting Youth Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Challenging Engagement and Learning Process. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(11), 1203-1207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2020.08.007

Tworek, H.,  Beacock, I. & Ojo, E. (2020). Democratic Health Communications during Covid-19: A RAPID Response. UBC Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, Vancouver, BC.

Please contact projetcovivre@gmail.com for all inquiries.

 

Forum objectives

The La communauté au cœur forum was held in Montreal from September 14 to 16, 2022 and brought together over 200 researchers, stakeholders and managers in the response to the COVID-19 crisis from academia, public health, health and social services institutions, municipalities, as well as community and philanthropic organizations.

The main objective of this multi-stakeholder event was to create a space for discussion and sharing among the different actors who worked in partnership to respond to the needs of communities, and in particular marginalized or vulnerable ones, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater Montreal area.

More specifically, the objectives of the forum were to:

  1. Highlight the critical role played by community and community-based organizations, , in supporting people during the pandemic and in mitigating its effects.
  2. Foster a critical and constructive dialogue and cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary exchanges between different organizations (community, institutional, philanthropic and academic) that played a key role during the pandemic in Greater Montreal, in order to reflect together on important issues related to the experiences and initiatives undertaken during the pandemic
  3. Learn together and better prepare for future crises or other issues, without neglecting the structural challenges that existed prior to the crisis and were exacerbated by it.

 

Program

The Forum’s program  (French only) du forum was built around four major themes addressed in five panel discussions. Fifteen workshops (“thematic” or “deliberative”) were held in small groups to allow for a deeper sharing of experiences and to continue the discussion on the major issues of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Organizing committee

The Forum was organized by the CoVivre program, in collaboration with Cité-ID LivingLab of the École nationale d'administration publique (ENAP), researchers from the Université de Montréal and the Centre de recherche et de partage des savoirs InterActions, as well as the SHERPA University Institute.

The forum's organizing committee was supported and guided by an advisory committee made up of 16 organizations from the community, public, philanthropic and academic sectors.

For more information on the composition of the various committees (organizing and advisory), please consult the complete program.

Discussion Panels

All five of the forum's panels were streamed live at no cost to those who could not attend in person. The recordings, as well as the panelists' PowerPoint presentations (if available), are now available for viewing or for review below.

Panel 1 – Theme 1 : Pandemic, inequality and democracy 

Moderator :

  • Dr. Cécile Rousseau, Child Psychiatrist, founder of the CoVivre Program, Professor in the Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry at McGill University and Scientific Director of the Research and Action Team on Social Polarization (RAPS)
    Presentation Slides >>

Panellists :

  • Dr. Joanne Liu, Professor at the School of Population and Global Health and Director of the Pandemics and Health Emergencies Readiness Lab (PERL) - McGill University.
  • Laurence Monnais, Professor in the Department of History at the University of Montreal, Director of the Centre for Asian Studies (CETASE) and specialist in vaccine hesitancy in Quebec and East/Southeast Asia.
  • Alexandra Pierre, President, Ligue des droits et libertés.

 

Panel 2 – Theme 2A : Successful Concertation and Communication Practices

Moderator :

  • Geneviève Baril, Doctorate candidate, Co-Director, Strategy and Innovation, Cité-ID LivingLab - École nationale d'administration publique (ENAP)

Panelists :

  • Dr. Farah Désiré, Consulting Physician, Racialized, Immigrant and Ethnocultural Minority Populations Team (PRIME) - Direction régionale de santé publique (CIUSSS Centre-Sud- de-l'Île-de-Montréal)
    Presentation Slides >>

  • Hoda Essassi, Director, Table de quartier de Montréal-Nord
    Presentation Slides >>
  • Valérie Lahaie, Public Health and Partnerships Coordinator, CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal
    Presentation Slides  >>

 

Panel 3 – Theme 2B : Promising Proximity Practices

 

Moderator :

  • Katia Boudrahem, Junior Program Policy Officer at World Food Programme, Haiti - formerly Project Manager at Philanthropic Foundations Canada

Panelists :

  • Jean-Sébastien Patrice, Director, MultiCaf
    Presentation Slides >>
  • Julie Provencher, Director - Youth Program and Public Health Activities, CIUSSS de l'Est-l'Île-de-Montréal
  • Isabelle Ruelland, Professor at the School of Social Work at UQÀM and researcher at the Centre InterActions, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal
    Presentation Slides >>

Panel 4 – Theme 3 : Governance and collaboration between community, public and private organizations, and implications for the future with regards to power relations and responsibilities

Moderator : 

  • Lourdes Rodriguez del Barrio, Professor at the Université de Montréal, and Scientific Director of the Centre de recherche et de partage des savoirs InterActions

Panélistes :

  • Dr. Mylène Drouin, Director of Public Health - Montreal, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal
    Presentation Slides>>
  • Marie-Andrée Painchaud-Mathieu, Coordinator, Regroupement intersectoriel des organismes communautaires de Montréal (RIOCM)
  • Félix-Antoine Véronneau, Senior Advisor - Social Protection at World Food Programme - formerly COVID-19 Action Plan Coordinator at Philanthropic Foundations Canada
    Presentation Slides >>

 

Panel 5 – Theme 4 : The pandemic as an opportunity for sustainable, inclusive and equitable public and community healthModératrice :

  • Valérie Amiraux, Vice-Rector, Community and International Partnerships and Professor, Department of Sociology - Université de Montréal

Panélistes : 

  • Julie Nicolas, Responsible for the Observatoire de l'action communautaire autonome (ACA) at the Réseau québécois de l'action communautaire autonome (RQ-ACA) and the Table nationale des corporations de développement communautaire (TNCDC)
    Presentation Slides >>
  • Louise Potvin, Full Professor, School of Public Health - Department of Social and Preventive Medicine - Université de Montréal
    Presentation Slides >>
  • Sylvie Trottier, Member of the Board of Directors, Trottier Family Foundation
    Presentation Slides >>

 

Workshops

In addition to the five panel discussions, the forum offered participants the opportunity to choose from 15 thematic or deliberative workshops in order to put forward, discuss or deliberate on certain themes or initiatives that were of interest during the pandemic.

Here is the list of the 15 thematic workshops presented during the forum. For more information, please check the forum’s program.

 

  1. Discrimination, social conflict and polarization in times of crisis: sources of suffering and/or transformation?
  2. Communication practices in times of crisis.
  3. Addressing migration and diversity in crisis response: lessons learned on access to care and social services.
  4. Dialogue with religious communities during the pandemic: successful initiatives.
  5. Local governance and consultation: decision-making processes in times of crisis
  6. With and for young people at the interface of school and community: getting through the pandemic and thinking about the future.
  7. Facing the inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic: examples of initiatives in response to diverse needs and realities
  8. Community outreach practices co-created during the pandemic and issues related to their sustainability
  9. Before, during and after the crisis: learning from Covid to be better prepared
  10. Occupational health and safety of "essential" workers: fighting precariousness for the future
  11. What are the findings and lessons learned from the Covid-19 health emergency in terms of how to approach power relationships and funding arrangements between the community, the state, granting foundations and the private sector?
  12. Insights into Mental Health Practice During the Pandemic: Learnings, Issues and Challenges for the Future
  13. Understanding and acting on non-vaccinations: challenges, pitfalls and solutions during the pandemic
  14. Intervening without burning out: how to address the psychological well-being of community workers?
  15. Imagining the recovery and resilience of communities in the face of COVID-19 and other crises: the case of an urban area in the Greater Montreal

Impact and synthesis of the forum

Press release

During the forum, participants repeatedly stressed the importance of gathering the major findings and recommendations that emerged from the discussions and transmitting them to decision-makers.

In the context of an election campaign and with the leaders' debate just a few days away from the end of the forum, a press release entitled "Consensus among social actors after the pandemic: recognizing the expertise of the community and funding it" was drafted, signed by about 120 stakeholders from different backgrounds, and then distributed widely to various newspapers in the Montreal area and to the leaders of the main political parties in Quebec.

The signatories wished to draw the attention of the leaders of the parties, the media and the public, to five findings and two priority actions for Quebec to be quickly implemented, in order to face the public health challenges created by the pandemic and prepare for the future, in a context of multiple crises.

In addition, Le Devoir (online edition) published an article on September 23, 2022, the day of the candidates’ debate, which includes the content of the press release. To view the PDF version of the article, click here.

Forum Synthesis Document

A more representative summary of the presentations and exchanges is available here.

 

 

Content to come.