By Melina Giubilaro, Communications Specialist
The Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre (LLMRC) has launched an innovative peer mentorship program, training its first cohort of 10 remarkable young mentors, aged 14 to 29.
The diverse mentor group represents a wide range of profiles, including people with vision, motor, deafness, and language disorders. United by their passion to support younger peers aged 8 to 24, the mentors will work one-on-one and in small groups, empowering both themselves and their mentees through shared experiences.
To ensure accessibility, the training on August 17-18 incorporated American Sign Language interpreters, braille material and personal assistance. Importantly, all 10 mentors were onboarded as official CIUSSS volunteers, solidifying their commitment within CIUSSS West-Central Montreal. This program embodies Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay’s mission to foster growth, build connections and unlock potential.
The project spans all LLMRC sites; some of the older mentors are clients at Constance-Lethbridge. Clients from MAB, Mackay, and the Philip E. Layton and Mackay Centre Schools can benefit from this program, making it a truly comprehensive initiative.
Emily Lecker, Program Manager for the Rehabilitation Program in Specialized Schools, shared her enthusiasm for the program.
“We have 10 young people with various profiles who have been trained and have demonstrated their ability to share their perspective on living with a disability in a way that will support and guide our younger clients,” she says. “In many situations, a youth mentor can help a client see things through a different lens—in a way that even the most experienced clinician couldn’t do. I think this will really complement our service offer, and I’m excited to work together with our first cohort of mentors.”
This “peer-to-peer” initiative was facilitated by a partnership with Holland Bloorview in Toronto, whose staff came to train this first cohort and equip a group of sixLLMRC professionals with the skills to deliver the program moving forward. This initiative was financially supported by the Habilitas Foundation, which helped recruit mentors.