May 2023, Newsletter

Special Care

Interested in creating your own comic?
This month, a comic creation workshop is being offered to kids of military families. Come develop your own comic with the theme of a move you’ve experienced or will experience.

This workshop will give young people the opportunity to create a comic related to the reality of being in a military family with the theme of relocation.

Age: Young people aged 10 to 17
Dates: Saturday, May 6, 2023, at MFRC Saint-Hubert & Saturday, May 27, 2023 at MFRC Saint-Jean
Time: 9:00 a.m. to noon.
Cost: Free
Registration deadlines: Before Wednesday, May 3, 2023 (MFRC Saint-Hubert) & before Wednesday, May 24, 2023 (MFRC Saint-Jean),
through the MFRC portal

Special Care Counsellors
Saint-Jean : 450 358-7099 #2909 & #2912
Saint-Hubert : 450 462-8777 #6834 & #6852

Employment & Education

Stay informed about employment and education with the MFRC!
Estelle Auger, Employment and Education Coordinator, has a professional Facebook page. Much information is shared throughout the year, whether it be related to employment or education. The page also has dates for upcoming virtual job fairs, employment opportunities, training programs, specific programs for military spouses and more. You can make a request to be added to Estelle’s professional Facebook page at any time by looking up “Estelle Coordonnatrice Emploi éducation.” Go ahead, the page is there to help you find the appropriate resources in your region!

Do not forget to send an email to the coordinator (estelle.auger@forces.gc.ca) identifying yourself as a military family member to have your request to join her network accepted.

For any information requests, do not hesitate to contact the Employment and Education Coordinator.

Employment & Education Coordinator
Saint-Jean : 450 358-7099 #6084
Saint-Hubert : 450 462-8777 #6827

Childhood & Youth

Second language development support
Young people ages 6 and older can receive a membership annual publication of a Bayard youth magazine in a second language to support them in their learning. The subscription is automatically for 1 year, i.e. 10 to 12 issues, depending on the magazine.

Age: Young people 6 years and older
Cost: Free
Registration deadline: Through the MFRC portal, receipt of the first magazine will be towards the end of the month following your registration.

Early reading program
Give your child the gift of reading. Register for the program and have a book sent to your home every month in the language of your choice (English or French).

Age: Preschoolers aged 5 and under
Date: If registered before the 10th day of the month, the child will receive the first book in the following month. Otherwise, please allow two months for delivery of the first book (e.g., if you register on April 7, the first book will be delivered in May; if you register on April 11, the first book will be delivered in June). You are enrolled until the end of the program, which is June 2023.
Cost: Free
Registration deadline: By the 10th of the month, on the MFRC portal.

“Youth Connect”: a pathway to virtual services
The “Youth Connect” is a bilingual app for kids from Canadian Forces families. It is a safe, supervised place for kids to talk, have fun and learn. To get the app, register on the MFRC portal and then download it to a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer.

Age: Young people 9 to 17 years old
Date: Based on the sector’s programming schedule
Schedule: To be determined
Location: “Youth Connect” app.
Cost: Free
Registration deadline: None. On the MFRC portal.

Kids Workshop: tech activity
Kids aged 5 to 12 are invited to discover the new technologies. The program features robotics, electric circuits and more.
Presented in partnership with Génilab.

Age: children 5 to 12 years old
Date: Sunday, May 7, 2023
Schedule: 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: MFRC Saint-Jean
Cost: Free
Registration deadline: Before, Wednesday, May 3, 2023, on the MFRC portal

Kids Workshop: LEGO Mario Bros
The military lifestyle has its realities and challenges. Whether it’s coping with absence more effectively or coming to terms with military life, the projects in this activity will help kids develop and understand these problems a little better.

Age: children 5 to 12 years old
Date: Sunday, May 21, 2023
Schedule: 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: MFRC Saint-Jean
Registration deadline: Before Wednesday, May 17, 2023, on the MFRC portal

For any additional information, do not hesitate to contact the Childhood and Youth Coordinator.

Childhood & Youth Coordinator
Saint-Jean : 450 358-7099 #7012
Saint-Hubert : 450 462-8777 #6830

Events | Family Connections

Mommy & Me: picnic and flowers picking
An activity that aims to strengthen ties between mothers and their children! Come have a picnic at the St-Élie farm. Take the time to chat between moms and with your children during the meal and during tulip picking.

Age: Military, military spouse and children
Date: Saturday, May 13, 2023
Schedule: Starting at 11:30 a.m.
Location: St-Élie farm, 2073 Dion Road, Sherbrooke (fermest-elie.com)
Cost: Free
Registration deadline: Before Monday, May 8, 2023, on the MFRC portal

Community Integration Agent | Family connections
Saint-Jean : 450 358-7099 #6654
Saint-Hubert : 450 462-8777 #6806

Community Integration

Preparing to move
Relocations are just a part of the reality of military families. The MFRC can support you during this period, which can be stressful.
If needed, please do not hesitate to contact one of our community integration officers.

Don’t know where to start? Download our moving checklist.

Community Integration Agent
Saint-Jean : 450 358-7099 #2915
Saint-Hubert : 450 462-8777 #6803

Illness, Injury & Death

Mental health is something everybody has!
The Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Week is May 1 to 7, 2023.

Like a candle’s flame, it can flicker sometimes or more often when we are going through difficult or stressful times—job loss, birth of a child, separation, loss of a loved one, accident, etc. These are all events that can strain our mental health.

What are the signs your mental health is in need of care?
Some signs include persistent fatigue, irritability, a change in appetite, the reduced ability to concentrate or memorize things, hypersensitivity, everything becoming a major challenge, the feeling of discouragement, guilt and persistent sadness.

What do I do if I notice these changes?
Ask the opinion of a friend or call the MFRC psychosocial line to speak with someone. They will ask you questions and you can tell your story.

You can also visit your doctor, a walk-in clinic, call 811 (option 2) or the military family information line (1-800-866-4546). The important thing is to talk to someone when things are not going as well as they were before.

Share your story #MyStory

Family Liaison Officer
Saint-Jean : 450 358-7099 #5190

Prevention, Support & Intervention

Are you going through a difficult time? Anxious, depressed, tired, fighting, angry…?
Sometimes you need to speak to someone confidentially and feel heard and supported. Our team of social workers is here for military spouses, children and teens and veterans. Our services are also offered to Class A Reservists. Do not hesitate to contact us.

Psychosocial line: 450-358-7099 # 2917 (Saint-Jean) or 450 462-8777 #6821 (Saint-Hubert) or by emailing SvcPersCRFMSoutienPsyStJean@forces.gc.ca

Tip of the month
Devised by our social workers, the Tip of the Month provides insight into a specific situation. MFRC staff help you strengthen family ties. We offer solutions to help you develop a healthy, barrier-free relationship with your kids. Follow us online for the Tip of the Month!

Age: Parents
Date: Monday, May 29, 2023
Location: On the MFRC’s Facebook page, on our portal and on our website
Cost: Free

Psychosocial Counsellor
Saint-Jean : 450 358-7099 #2917
Saint-Hubert : 450 462-8777 #6821
svcPersCRFMSoutienPsyStJean@forces.gc.ca

Veterans Family Program

Art therapy for military women and veterans
Art therapy is a different approach that explores emotional, cognitive and affective experiences using various art materials.

The main objective of these workshops is to reflect on the challenges and changes involved in transitioning or adapting to civilian life for military women and veterans. Participants will also be able to identify and describe transition-related issues (physical and psychological injuries, mental health, vulnerability, employment, meaning of life, sense of purpose, etc.) through a different medium: art.

Attendance at all six workshops, led by art therapy professionals, is required.

Location: Sherbrooke, 944 Bégon Street.
Dates : Fridays :  May 26 & June 2-9-16-23-30 
Schedule: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Cost: Free
Regisatration deadline: Before Friday, May 19, 2023 on the MFRC portal.

If you have any questions or if you are having difficulty registering, please contact:

Audrey Gallant, S.W at 450 358-7099 #5190 or audrey.gallant@outlook.com
Myriam Dutour, S.W at 450 358-7099 #2910 or myriam.dutour@forces.gc.ca

Outreach Services 

Military Life 101
Join us for this workshop to better understand the military lifestyle and to discover the services offered to military families.
Workshop offered in English.

Age: All ages (closes relatives and family)
Date: Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Schedule: 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
Location: MFRC Saint-Jean
Cost: Free
Registration deadline: Before Monday, May 22, 2023, on the MFRC portal or by info.crfm@forces.gc.ca

For more information, do not hesitate to contact the service promotion officers.

Outreach Officers
Saint-Jean : 450 358-7099 #7712
Saint-Hubert : 450 462-8777 #6804
SvcPersPromotionCRFM@forces.gc.ca

Separation & Reunion

Yoga workshop to help during the absence

The deployment of a love one can be really stressful and it can be more difficult to stop and take some time for self-care practice. Is this calling you? Do you recognize yourself in this situation? If so, next month’s absence and deployment group might catch your attention !

On the June 10, there will be a discovery workshop where you’ll be welcome to participate to an initiation to yoga class where you can press pause and take some time to breathe with this meditative exercise. This will also be a great opportunity to exchange with other people who are living the same realities while slowing down your mind a bit.

You will leave this experience with tools to help you being more relaxed and zen in more difficult times.

The activity will take place at Saint-Hubert’s MFRC, located at 4815, de la Savane Road.

You have until June 8,2023 to subscribe via our portal or you can call the phone number below for more information. Oh and it’s free!

Namasté !

Do not hesitate to contact the psychosocial counsellor for any questions related to the deployment and the absence.

Psychosocial Counsellor
Saint-Jean : 450 358-7099 #2917
Saint-Hubert : 450 462-8777 #6821
svcPersCRFMSoutienPsyStJean@forces.gc.ca

To subscribe to our newsletter, click here.