The Imagine School Program in Canada

This first pilot project in Canada—something rare enough to be highlighted—did not take place in a school. Instead, it was held after school hours in collaboration with a wonderful community organization: “Go Jeunesse.” Located in an underprivileged neighborhood of Montreal, this organization welcomes children aged 6 to 17 every evening after class to help them with their homework, while also giving them access to various activities such as sports, videos, and workshops.

These evening sessions also provide an opportunity to foster civic awareness among young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. And that is exactly where Le Projet Imagine comes in! It must be noted that the play-based learning approach of our programs is particularly well-suited and effective for this audience.

For the second consecutive year, we tailored a customized Imagine School Program for them. While the 6-to-12-year-olds focus on the “empathetic communication” module—both in terms of listening (paying attention to others and learning to perceive and understand their experiences) and speaking (knowing how to put everything perceived into words)—the older youth tackle the complex issue of identity and difference.

The feedback speaks for itself. The teenagers, for instance, particularly enjoyed working on everything related to belonging to a group: how to introduce themselves, find their place, connect with others, and foster solidarity.