At the Friendship Volunteer Association, our mandate is to improve the quality of life of people with mental health problems through active listening, social activities and programs that are educational and therapeutic.
We offer personalized supervision and support in order to promote greater autonomy while respecting the person’s potential and pace of life.
We devote time and energy to defend their rights and to help them gain respect.
We develop programs to educate, involve, and raise awareness of the public to mental health, so all can contribute to the social reintegration of this community.
We serve in the territories of the Integrated Health and Social Services University Network for West-Central Montreal (CIUSSS West-Central Montreal), which include the following CLSCs from CSSS de la Montagne and CSSS Cavendish.
« For the first time in a very long time since I got sick, I saw a light in the dark tunnel. The Amitié/Friendship community organization gave me the opportunity to meet other people like me who have similar problems and live difficult situations. In the beginning, I was stressful that the members would not accept me and that I was going to be abandoned like my boyfriend did to me. However, my worries appeared not being true at all. All the people at the drop-in center are very honest and nice. You could feel the good energy coming from this place and from all the people. »
-Grace Rebacz
« I must say that at times I have been deeply awed by the caliber of the professionalism of Amitié staff. By virtue of their confrontations with me, their frankness and their encouragement, I have been able to go through a great deal of growth, and for this I thank Amitié. As a result, I am learning more and more to appreciate the good qualities of others, and for this I am extremely grateful. »
-Janek Adams
« The warm and friendly welcome I received really made me feel a lot better. Despite my great shyness, I immediately felt very comfortable there. However, when we needed a little solitude or just didn’t feel like having a conversation, the watchword was RESPECT. »
-Huguette Masse
« At the Friendship Center, we always find time to talk about our interests, our past achievements … and the time that passes. It’s a good time! It is anything but negative. My discussions with the people who frequent the center have given me back my energy, presence and the desire to share more. I feel like I was back in my youth, but with much more experience. »
-Pierre Boisjoli
« Thanks to this community organization, we have great outings and many interesting activities. I am privileged because I have in addition to the center an intervention worker who meets me once a week. He makes me feel better and he helps me so much. He even goes so far as to do some small repairs in my apartment and that is really not one of his tasks. He is very generous and cares about me and my well-being. »
-Paulette Lapierre
« I have been a service user since 1999. I have always benefited from the support of the intervention workers in difficult stages of my life. I tip my hat to the manager, Doratha, who knows so well how to select the members of her staff. The members of this team are people who know how to make us feel at ease. We feel that what they want above all is the good for each of us. Their help in our sometimes difficult daily life is beneficial. »
-Rosalina Coto