Founded in 2009 in the neighbourhood of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, this centre is the Fondation’s first specialized community social pediatrics centre. Founded and run by Hélène (Sioui) Trudel, Garage à musique provides free support services to children and youth in order to reduce the negative impacts of difficult life conditions on their development.
An innovative social development project
Powerful tools to foster healthy development
Based on findings in neuroscience, Garage à musique offers powerful tools that foster the healthy development of the brain’s executive functions, both in a preventive and curative way. Today, more than 700 young people spend time at the centre every week. We are proud to contribute to the democratization of music education and to see so many children blossom through music. Our work at Garage à musique involves interventions along three axes.
Community social pediatrics follow-up
Through Garage à musique, children and their families have access to community social pediatrics care. After an evaluation of needs, the child and his or her family have access to all services at our centres.
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Personalized educational support
Garage à musique provides specialized services to children with learning difficulties at its School Access Centre. These services are a solid complement to those already available in schools. With the help of the community organization Je Passe Partout, our volunteers, a special education teacher and a speech therapist, the Centre’s team supports these children using the best pedagogical methods available.
Collective music making
Garage à musique gives all children the chance to make music. It offers a wide range of group music classes: singing, piano, violin, cello, clarinet, guitar, percussion, bass, and much, much more. We promise the young people who come to Garage à musique: you’ll have way more fun in a band than in a gang!
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Apprenticeships
Currently, Garage à musique is giving 10 of our young people the chance to assist a music teacher or educator in an apprenticeship role. These youth have made a commitment to finish high school and then return to Garage à musique to take on a teaching role of their own. In this way, these young people serve as models of perseverance and success for those around them in the community.
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“ Garage à musique taught me how it’s so much better in a group. Now I’m at a point in my life where I want to help other kids, to give them the same chance I had... ”
— Amy, 16 years old
Les Grands Classiques, more than just a benefit concert!
Every year, Garage à musique organizes a concert of the great classics at Théâtre Denise-Pelletier. Hosted by actor Christian Bégin and supported by well-known musicians, the Garage’s young artists take to the stage before what is always a packed house. More than just a benefit concert, this event is an opportunity to educate spectators about the community social pediatrics movement and mobilize partners in the long-term support of the Foundation.