Youth

The school team of the Direction de santé publique, in collaboration with its partners, supports the deployment of health promotion and prevention interventions for young people between 4 and 25 years old. It provides support, training and tools to promote the implementation of practices that are effective with youth in order to improve the health, well-being and academic success of young people from preschool, primary school, secondary school, general adult training, vocational training and CEGEP.

École en santé approach and ÉKIP tool

The aim of the École en santé approach is to:

• Promote the health, well-being and academic success of young people;
• Act in an integrated way in health promotion and prevention with young people, families, schools and communities.

The approach is characterized by the collaboration between the health, education and community networks in order to maximize the reach of their actions and provide young people with tools to help them deal with the life situations they are faced with. Various tools were developed, including thematic sheets on several situations of concern. These thematic sheets are available in the document Réussite éducative, santé et bien-être : agir efficacement en contexte scolaire - Synthèse des recommandations (French only).

The ÉKIP tool intends to:

• Develop and enhance young people’s personal and social skills.
• Contribute to the development of healthy, safe and caring environments, which includes the young people’s access to services they need in school or nearby.
• Promote the coherence (continuity and complementarity) of interventions carried out in school as well as with families and the community, and the linkup of actions of the health and social services and education networks.
• Provide school-aged children with tools to help them deal with the life situations they are faced with.

For more information, consult the référent ÉKIP (French only), featuring effective and recognized means to deal with preschool children and elementary and secondary students.

The support provided by École en santé is adapted to the needs expressed by the schools, workers and other professionals making the request. For example, you can benefit from our advisory service to answer a specific question on a health promotion and prevention theme or on an intervention to be implemented. Schools can also engage in a planned and concerted support process in line with good practices and recognized conditions for success.

Sexuality education

Young people’s sexual education and health are key concerns for the Direction de santé publique. Thus, there are many collaborations with the school system to provide youth with quality preventive services. Sexuality education covers many dimensions and various subjects, such as body awareness, body image, gender stereotypes and feelings of love.

In order to provides all students with sexuality education on all key subjects, the ministère de l'Éducation gives it a more formal place in their education. Thus, since September 2018, the content specified by the ministry has been compulsory for elementary and secondary students. Based on their age and psychosexual development, various subjects are covered to promote their development and to reduce their vulnerability to certain problems.

Reference websites (French only):

• Références en sexualité (Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de Chaudière-Appalaches)
• SEXOclic (Direction de santé publique de Montréal). Since its creation in 2014, SEXOclic has supported quality interventions in terms of sexuality with elementary and secondary students.

Programs of the Institut Pacifique

Vers le pacifique and Différents mais pas indifférents are prevention programs from the Institut Pacifique (French only) for developing the social skills necessary for the resolution of conflicts. Schools can be supported in the implementation of these programs.