Partnership and Community Involvement

Collaboration lies at the heart of our work.We continually forge strategic partnerships with community and government agencies, non-profit organizations, and we work to enhance the capacity with community and volunteer-based initiatives to leverage resources and maximize our impact.

  • Host the annual Building Community Together Fair.
  • Chair a health and social services table for 31 partners providing services for the English-speaking community on the South Shore.
  • Partnership and advocacy role through representation on a regional committee and local partnership tables (early childhood, youth & employment, seniors and caregivers, etc.).
  • Lunch hour English conversation clubs at CISSS-Montérégie Centre locations. For health professionals wanting to learn or improve upon their conversational English. Offered through Dialogue McGill.
  • Free access to our offices for community organizations needing space to host their activities.
  • Financially supported a meal distribution initiative during the pandemic period. Delivered meals to individuals in need and organizations who provide for those in need.
  • Joint art project with a sister organization to create a calendar featuring paintings by the seniors in our programs.

Lunch, Laugh and Learn Conversation Clubs

Did you know that most doctors can speak English well enough to explain health problems and treatments to their patients., but most receptionists speak very little English and feel completely lost when having to deal with an English-speaking patient? Yet, access to health services in English starts at the reception desk.

We are addressing that issue in collaboration with Dialogue McGill and the CISSS-Montérégie Centre, with conversation clubs called Lunch, Laugh and Learn. The lunch time clubs are held in the hospital or medical office environment and is one of the best ways to improve spoken English.

The Lunch, Laugh and Learn Program allows English language learners to practice speaking in an informal and relaxed environment. The program primarily helps participants improve 2 skills – speaking and listening. Groups are beginners, intermediate or mixed levels.

We currently have 30 weekly one-on-one sessions in the CISSS-Montérégie Centre.

For more information, contact [email protected].