Staffed by a multidisciplinary team that has been working together for nearly 40 years, the Institut de Formation et d’Aide Communautaire \u00e0 l’Enfant et \u00e0 la Famille (IFACEF) is an organization that was established to come to the aid of families in difficulty.<\/p>\n
The IFACEF responds to all requests from these families. After having assessed the situation in collaboration with those involved, the Institute can then steer each individual towards the resource that best meets their needs, be it couples or family therapy, personal or group psychotherapy, or support or rehabilitation at school. Its dual vocation \u2013 serving families that have difficulty finding resources, and providing training for professionals \u2013 has existed since its founding.<\/p>\n
In 2021, the IFACEF inaugurated a new pilot project aimed at preventing instability in families and family breakdowns. The Institute is carrying out an initial evaluation of the project\u2019s impact, with the hope of eventually exporting it province-wide. The ramifications of family breakdowns or of psychological or social instability in families are many, and can result in heavy burdens for individuals and for society. These ramifications can be felt in areas such as health, education, the environment, safety, or the economy, and can also have an impact on future generations.<\/p>\n
The pilot project, which got its start in Montreal North, will be developed through workshops in family-friendly environments like parks, housing co-ops, or other spaces suitable for groups of families. The goal is to bring services to people rather than making them come to where the services are. The project is innovative because it is being propelled by a dozen organizations and by citizens, who are joining forces to create a synergy that has as its source parenting and families.<\/p>\n