Vanier College
EN-10: Community Partnerships

Vanier College has partnered with the Kativik Ilisarniliriniq school board to create the Kativik Project. The project was developed to create a formal and recognized certification program for behavior and special education technicians from communities in Nunavik. Educators from some of the 14 communities in Nunavik completed the first week-long program in June 2019 at Vanier College. Faculty members from Vanier’s Special Care Counselling Department provided culturally sensitive curriculum and training during the program (“Vanier College Provides Training”, 2019). In the fall and winter, needs assessments were completed in two communities, Kangiqsujuaq and Kangiqsualujjuaq and weeklong in-community trainings began. In March, the Kativik Project was momentarily put on hold because of COVID-19 pandemic related travel restrictions. Nonetheless, work continued in the development of the Attestation of College Studies (ACS) and workshops. The ACS was approved by the Ministry of Education in July 2020 and the process of college-level approval will begin in the fall of 2020. Funding has been granted for the continuation of the project.

The Vanier on-campus program is with the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l’Ouest-de-l’Ile-de-Montréal, specifically the West Montreal Readaptation Center and has been a partnership with the College since October 1989. The Center offers both residential, support and socio-professional services to individuals living with an intellectual disability, physical disability, or on the Autism Spectrum. The center provides services to both children and adults.
At Vanier College program participants are mainly responsible for the shredding of confidential papers, recycling, and various other jobs on campus where they can have a valorizing work experience. (i.e.: Jakes, Cafeteria, helping in the H building). Another part of the program is the social aspect in which student volunteers help participants with their work or spending meaningful time getting to know one another. This helps break any previous perceptions of what people living with these disabilities are like and often students will focus on the similarities between them, rather than only see their differences.

Vanier College, via its student association (VCSA), has been collaborating with Héma-Québec for over 30 years with its annual blood drive on campus. The community at Vanier College have contributed over 10,000 blood donations that have helped save the lives across the province. According to the Director of Communitions Héma-Québec, the College has had an ongoing commitment to supporting Héma-Québec’s mission and raising awareness about need and the positive impacts of donating blood.