By Rosa Caporicci, Program Coordinator, Kids Can!
It’s a very striking number…24.8%. That number represents the percentage of high school students on the Island of Montreal who drop out. The good news is that that number can change with the right strategies in place. In the spirit of Hooked on School Days taking place between February 11-15, Ometz would like to acknowledge the efforts of community partners who are endeavouring to bring that number down to zero.
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Gail Small, Co-Executive Director, Ometz
Howard Berger, Co-Executive Director, Ometz,
Louise Chabot, President, CSQ
Jasmin Roy, President, Fondation Jasmin Roy
Barbara Victor, Clinical Director, Ometz
Luc Allaire, Advisor, CSQ
By: Barbara Victor, Director, Clinical Services
The very worst part of the bullying story is : how consistently unsupported and unprotected by adults children have felt. When asked who they would turn to for help, 40% of our students indicated that they would go to a friend, 17% would speak to a parent and only 4% would speak to an adult at school.
On September 23, Ometz joined the Fondation Jasmin Roy, the CSQ, and the Consulate General on the United States in Montreal to announce an historic partnership : to unite our efforts around the creation of a tool-kit that will enable schools across Quebec deal with bullying and violence, and meet the requirements of Bill 56.
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By Barbara Victor, Director, Clinical Services
Every day in our schools and communities, children are teased, threatened, or tormented by bullies.The messages exchanged between children and their caregivers in just 15 minutes or more a day can be instrumental in building a healthier and safer environment for children. If you suspect your child is being bullied, here are ten things a parent can do to help.
By Barbara Victor, Director, Clinical Services
Bullying involves repeated acts of physical, emotional or social behaviour that are intentional, controlling, and hurtful. Bullying is a learned behaviour, evident as early as two years of age. Bullying can be either direct or indirect. Direct bullying usually is seen and felt readily. Indirect bullying (deliberate exclusion, name calling, etc.) is much more difficult to remedy, and should be clearly seen as different from direct bullying. Continue reading
By Barbara Victor, Director, Clinical Services
Families, no matter their makeup or description, are of vital importance to our children. Families serve as a gateway to the larger world, and teach children how to interact, behave and relate to others.
It used to be thought that our children could be protected from the dangers in our communities by working to eliminate those risks. If only that were possible! We have learned that it is becoming an increasingly difficult and long-term effort to eliminate the psychological and physical risks of hunger, poverty and violence, a lack of connectedness, limited community resources and the repercussions of stress, depression and other mental health risks.
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