From knowledge to aknowledgment

A critical thinking and citizen participation program designed for people who experience, have experienced or are at risk of exclusion.

Free expression, current debate, philosophical debate about an artwork… idAction is a citizen’s toolkit in order to better understand society.

It aims to:

Develop critical thinking and analyze society
Intellectual self-defence, detect manipulation of discourse
Act positively within society, individually or collectively

“Just through being here and discussing these issues, I feel like I’m a citizen.”
– Normand, participant at Accueil Bonneau

ON THE FIELD

idAction takes place in shelters and day centers (such as Accueil Bonneau or Maison du Père), in Aboriginal communities, in schools, in prison or in the street.

Workshops of free expression are adaptable: they are thought up by our facilitators in collaboration with our participants and partners.

An example of workshop: the portrait. using examples in different forms of media (painting, sculpture, photography), participants and facilitators discuss what they see to identify similarities and differences in portraits, then analyze the importance of appearance in societies. Everyone listens, responds or opposes: this is a collective reflection where everyone is equal.

Read the resume of this workshop on our blog: "Le lieutenant gouverneur et les philosophes de la rue de la commune" (in French)

OUR APPROACH

idAction workshops are based on our approach of intellectual mediation.

What is intellectual mediation, exactly?

Approaching an individual by taking into account their potential and not only their problems; positioning oneself in an open dialogue on an equal footing
Undertaking interactive, reflexive, and creative approaches
Co-creation: the workshops are developed with our participants