Prevent (+) - Prevention of violence and bullying through the philosophy taught to children

LONGUEUIL, QC, Nov. 17, 2014 / CNW Telbec / - La Traversée (Rive-Sud) Inc., help center for women and children victims of sexual assault, in partnership with the Commission scolaire Marie-Victorin (CSMV ), announces the deployment of its program “Violence Prevention and Philosophy for Children”, by launching the Préviens project⁺ .

Since the implementation of the Program in 2005, more than three hundred teachers in dozens of CSMV schools have been trained. In this way, several thousand students participated, once a week, throughout their elementary school, in the development of questions in a philosophical research community. These communities are lived by reading short novels addressing themes relating to violence, conflict, intimidation, rights and justice.

La Traversée receives ever-increasing requests for an increased implementation of its Program. The Prevent project⁺ aims to ensure its full development by setting up a range of services extended to CSMV schools, by training multiplier agents, and possibly other school boards. The Traversée and the CSMV thus wish, at the end of the project, Prevent⁺ in 2017, reach 40 schools and 20,000 students in total.

The work carried out by La Traversée is evident. The “Violence Prevention and Philosophy for Children” program has been presented on the UNESCO stage twice where it has been recognized as an effective means to counter violence and develop a culture of peace. It has received several awards including the annual Desjardins award - “Youth aid” category and the Equality award - “Violence prevention” category, and has been extended to the Czech Republic where the educational material has been translated. Two scientific evaluations were also carried out and obtained very convincing results, one relating to self-esteem and the other to the development of moral reasoning.

Through the two inseparable dimensions of its mission, clinical practice and that of prevention, La Traversée wants to get involved very early on with children. She wants to give them the means to develop a finer awareness of their own intuitions. Thus, by the philosophical approach, violence will give way to understanding and speech.

SOURCE MARIE-VICTORIN SCHOOL BOARD