Vaudreuil-Dorion Community Forum: Cultivating Well-Being Together
Today, the Ville de Vaudreuil-Dorion held the fifth edition of its community forum, whose theme was “Ralentir : cultiver le mieux-être ensemble.” About 100 participants from the community, health, and education sectors, engaged citizens, as well as city employees and elected officials gathered at the Centre multisports André-Chagnon. Together, they participated in this day of reflection and sharing, which demonstrated that positive mental health is built on several levels: through individual actions in our daily lives, caring practices in our organizations, and concrete collective initiatives.
"Thanks to the community forum, the City acts as a spark plug, creating the spark needed to encourage exchanges, encounters, and the sharing of innovative ideas. This meeting helps build a more resilient and caring community, where every action, whether individual or collective, contributes to promoting positive mental health," said Vincent Bastien, Director of the Service des loisirs et de la culture.
The day began with a presentation by Renée Ouimet, Director of Mouvement Santé mentale Québec (MSMQ), on the effects of our lifestyle on psychological well-being and the quality of our relationships. During her presentation, the speaker offered concrete strategies for incorporating more moments of rejuvenation into our daily lives and better coping with everyday challenges.
Next, a panel of four speakers presented initiatives designed to inspire participants. Micheline Goulet, Human Relations Officer at the Direction de santé publique de la Montérégie, Safiétou Sakala, Mental Health Project Director at the Association pour la santé publique du Québec (ASPQ), Natacha Simard, Executive Director of Arc-en-Ciel Vaudreuil-Soulanges, and Saadia Maaroufi, Coordinator of Listening and Mental Health Services and Head of the Sentinelles Network for Distress Prevention at Carrefour Le Moutier, each shared the actions they have implemented in their communities to promote a positive approach to mental health. After lunch, participants had the opportunity to enjoy a unique auditory experience led by Chantal Cadieux, a yoga and meditation teacher. Equipped with her instruments, she offered a soothing sound bath that promoted meditation, reflection, and relaxation.
Participants also attended a presentation by Rachida Azdouz, psychologist, author, columnist, and researcher at the Laboratoire de recherche en relations interculturelles. Focusing on wellness practices around the world, her lecture highlighted the diversity of strategies developed by societies, both modern and traditional, to promote well-being. In particular, she explored different cultural perspectives on mental health, highlighting examples of practices from here and elsewhere, notably Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. It was an invitation to open up to other ways of taking care of oneself, while maintaining a critical eye on the contributions and limitations of these practices.
The day ended with a period of discussion and networking over mocktails prepared by L’Antichambre, a community organization that provides social intervention and accommodation services tailored to young people aged 12 to 17 who are experiencing homelessness or living in precarious situations. This convivial moment provided an opportunity to continue the discussions that had begun earlier in the day, in a spirit of collaboration and sharing.
As was the case last year, the residual materials produced during the event will be offset by the planting of trees, thanks to the Programme de Reboisement Social™.
