Parents en Marge de la Rue

A program of En Marge 12-17

Why?

Many youths who run away to the street are a source of anxiety for their loved ones. The parents of street kids would love to have an instruction manual for coping with this difficult period.

What?

The Parents En Marge de la Rue program of the agency En Marge 12-17 provides coaching, support and counselling to parents of street-involved youth in order to help them play their role as parents without feeling guilty, despite their children’s behavioural choices.

How?

Parents en Marge de la Rue offers parents four forms of support:

1. Telephone consultation to answer the questions of often anxious parents.
2. Family or parent meetings to achieve a better understanding of the situation and find ways and means of re-establishing communication.
3. Monthly information meetings on running away and street life in partnership with the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal.
4. Support and information groups to enable sharing and discussion among parents who are experiencing the same problem.

Who?

En Marge 12-17 is the only agency working with both runaway youths at risk of becoming imbedded in street life as well as their parents. When all the players in a family crisis gets involved, each comes out of the process a bigger person. Socially integrated youths and involved parents: an achievable goal.