Project Village was launched by the CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest to meet the needs of immigrant mothers with children under the age of 6 who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or who show signs of ASD.

The project was created because existing services were not meeting the needs of families. The language barrier, lack of access to transportation, social isolation, parental burnout, and adjustments to an entirely new culture are just some of the obstacles that made it challenging to reach the families who needed our specialized services.

In response, 2 healthcare network programs and 2  community organizations have teamed up to offer 5 workshops, each covering a different topic. The workshops were designed to keep pace with each child’s learning abilities and to provide psychological support to them and their families. After completing the workshops, the 12 mothers who participated said they felt less isolated and were in a better state of mind. They gained confidence in their ability to support their children.

The parents even created a support group on social media to keep in touch, share and meet up. They also contributed to a pamphlet that presents some of the signs and symptoms of ASD in children to help other parents whose child has received an ASD diagnosis.

Project submitted by :

Chantal Viau, Special Education Teacher

Contributors :

Navkirandeep Kaur Shergill, parent and co-host
Richi Kapoor, parent and co-host
Cindy Ann Tremblay, Human Relations Officer, CISSSMO and facilitator.e.