The organization RAP Jeunesse celebrates its 20th anniversary
Having been created from the merger of three street intervention projects in the North of the island in 2002, the organization Rue Action Prévention (RAP) Jeunesse is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. It wishes to continue to refine its services in order to adapt them to changing needs.
RAP Jeunesse is now well known in the North Island sector for its many services in community intervention and street work, as well as throughout the island of Montreal with its organization of the street.
According to its managing director, René Obregon-Ida, the organization’s greatest accomplishment over the past twenty years has been the highlighting of the sector’s social problems.
“For a long time, the phenomenon of homelessness, for example, was only recognized in downtown Montreal and it was only there that programs were funded,” he explains. But RAP Jeunesse has succeeded in having people recognize that these problems exist here too, and therefore it is for this reason that we have been able to set up all these projects.
Mr. Obregon-Ida believes that for the future, his main objective will be to refine and adapt his services according to needs.
« Our future is in consolidation, » he says. After twenty years, we are in the north of the island, in the schools, in the parks and therefore, we want to be sure to support our existing projects. We do not want to expand into other neighborhoods for example, because elsewhere, there are other organizations and we prefer to work in collaboration with them.
“When we recognize the problem, we are 50% of the way there. When we are not able to do that, we close our eyes and nothing changes. It is important that the boroughs, public health and public decision-makers take note of these problems and that is what we want to ensure.”
René Obergon-Ida
Challenges
In order to succeed in consolidating its service offer, RAP Jeunesse will have to deal with the problem of labor shortage which currently affects it. The organization is struggling to fill four social work positions.
“When we miss a person, it puts pressure on our other employees and it prevents us from responding as effectively as we would like to problems,” explains the general manager.
Better funding would allow it to offer more competitive salaries, and thus fill these positions more quickly. « The cost of living has gone up, but our grants haven’t gone up as much, » he continues. So that really makes it harder for us.”
While waiting to remedy this situation, all of its services continue to be offered. A complete list of the organization’s projects is available on its website.
An event for the night of the homeless
As part of the night of the homeless, which will take place on October 21 at Place Émilie-Gamelin in Montreal, the organization Rue action prevention (RAP) jeunesse is organizing, along with community organizations from Saint-Laurent, a local component to the event on October 20 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Parc Beaudet.
Several of these organizations will be present on site to present the services they offer, but also to raise public awareness of the issue of homelessness in the borough.
Testimonials from people who have experienced homelessness will also be heard. “This problem does indeed exist here in the north of the island, indicates the director of RAP Jeunesse, René Obregon-Ida. We want to educate everyone.”
Clothing and food repair services as well as the Accès-Soir intervention unit will be present. A show and a solidarity march are also planned.
The complete program of the event will be announced shortly on the Facebook page of RAP Jeunesse.
journalmetro
