DALE SHUTT
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

SHAWVILLE – On Saturday, February 8, the Connexions Resource Centre held an event titled Roadmap to Services at Pontiac High School in Shawville. Connexions is a community organization dedicated to promoting the health, social well-being, and vitality of the community in the Outaouais region. They provide a wide range of programs and services that support families, youth, seniors, and caregivers.

The event featured 30 kiosks staffed by representatives from local and regional organizations ready to inform the public about their free programs and services. A wide range of programming was showcased, including legal and financial/budgetary advice, assistance for victims of crime and family violence, grief counseling, LGBTQ support groups, day centres, transportation assistance, and a variety of child, teen, family, senior, and parent programs.

During the event, Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO) gave English and French presentations explaining the 811 Info-Santé helpline. The helpline is a free and confidential telephone consultation service where nurses evaluate your health situation and give advice based on your condition. They can answer your questions about your health and direct you to the most appropriate resource in your region.

CISSSO community organizer Serena Larivière also outlined the Beacon Network, a program designed to equip everyday people to recognize signs of distress in neighbours or family members. Larivière told the Journal, “We offer 3-hour training to groups in locations around the Pontiac. We want to ensure that these good Samaritans have the appropriate training and information to recognize signs of distress and direct people to the professional services available.”

Shelly Heaphy, Community Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for the Pontiac region, explained the reasons behind the creation of the event: “People don’t know where to find resources until they need them. When they find themselves in a crisis it becomes even harder to discover those resources. We organized the event today to gather all those resources together to shine a light on what we do have to offer here in the Pontiac.”

Photo – Residents listen attentively to a presentation on the 811 Info-Santé helpline during the Roadmap to Services event in Shawville.​