On February 20th, 2017, as part of the McGill Training and Retention of Health Professionals Project, Agape coordinated a field trip to The Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital in Laval. Over 30 fortunate students from Laval Senior Academy High School and North Star Academy Private High School were given a tour of the hospital along with several presentations from health care professionals. Agape is hopeful that many of these students will be motivated to eventually return to work in Laval as bilingual health professionals.
Presentations were given in physio therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition, psychology, social service, kinesiology, and speech therapy. In the afternoon, students were offered a buffet lunch and finished the day with case presentations between therapists and actual patients.
The McGill Training and Retention of Health Professionals Project is funded by Health Canada and contributes to Quebec’s initiatives to ensuring English-speaking Quebecers have access to the full range of health and social services in their own language through measures designed to build and maintain a sufficient complement of health and social services personnel capable of providing services in English.
Agape’s Project “Investing Towards the Future of Health and Social Service in Laval” is in it’s third year and has had much success. This project aims at creating awareness of the needs of the English Speaking Community of Laval, increase understanding and promoting careers in health and social services through collaboration with various key partners.
On September 29th 2016, Agape coordinated key presentations at it’s special NPI meeting at Cité de la Santé Hospital with CHSSN consultant/researcher Dr. Joanne Pocock about English Language Health and Social Services Access in Quebec. In March 2016, as part of it’s McGill funding, Agape awarded 3 bursaries of $5000 each to bilingual university students willing to return to Laval to work in Health and Social Services. This year, there will be 2 more bursaries awarded to university students. Deadline for submission is March 24th 2017.
For more information, visit the Agape – McGill project website at www.lavalinitiative.org
