Learning from a Caribbean experience

What does psychoeducation look like in another country? A group of UdeM master’s students found out during a five-week field course in the island nation of Martinique.

This past summer, 10 master’s students in psychoeducation at Université de Montréal spent five weeks in the Caribbean island nation of Martinique, getting a wealth of practical experience in their field.

With financial support from UdeM international , the students in the Advanced Psychoeducation: Collaborative Approaches in an International Context course teamed up with a local family services organization known as WOPSO.

Assigned to a variety of projects, they reorganized services for children with special needs, created psychoeducational activities that were tailored to the needs of specific age groups, and more.

"This unique experience...gave me the chance to apply my theoretical knowledge to real-life situations," said Anne-Charlotte, one of the UdeM student who took part. "I also developed a deeper understanding of psychoeducation in a different cultural environment."

The students also worked with peers from local partner institutions, including the INSPÉ teacher training institute at Université des Antilles and the Institut de formation aux métiers éducatifs sanitaires et sociaux (IFMES) , which offers programs in special education and social work.

This gave the students an opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about each other’s backgrounds and life experiences. The IFMES students even welcomed the UdeM students with a home-cooked buffet prepared in their honour.

"Sharing our student experiences and exploring the differences and similarities in our journeys helped us bond and learn more about psychoeducational methods in other countries," said Marie-Soleil.

Learning to collaborate

When the UdeM students talked about their experiences, they consistently emphasized one particular benefit: the development of their collaborative skills through teamwork and working with WOPSO.

The stay in Martinique also made many of them aware of their biases and how they communicate with others.

"For me, the challenge was ’doing with’ rather than ’doing for’....I realized I was too quick to start implementing solutions, projects and ideas before asking the people involved about their needs," said Danaé-Antonia.

The students were required to keep a journal to help them make sense of their field experience.

The group was unanimous in praising this exercise, which counted toward their final grade. While some students were initially hesitant, they all reported that it helped them grow, personally and professionally.

"Journaling improved our self-reflective analysis skills," said Alexandra. "It helped us put our feelings into words and make connections between our experiences on the island, our personal experiences and our university studies."