Trois-Rivières, September 20, 2021 – How have teens with mental health issues coped with the pandemic? Steven Bilodeau, a 15-year-old who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, tries to answer the question in La lumière derrière l’ombre, a new series that airs across Québec starting September 20 on MAtv, Mondays at 6 p.m., and for Cogeco customers in the Trois-Rivières area on NousTV, Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. Watch the trailer.
Steven Bilodeau proves to be an accomplished host as he interviews other teens, families and experts to get their points of view on how the pandemic has affected the mental health of young people. La lumière derrière l’ombre reveals another face of the global COVID crisis.
This unique and inspirational project is in keeping with MAtv’s commitment to the next generation of broadcasters. “Steven Bilodeau is an example of how any citizen, regardless of age, background or personal challenges, can get their project on the air,” says Steve Desgagné, Senior Director, MAtv. “La lumière derrière l’ombre deals with a crisis that has left its mark on Québec, and indeed the planet, from a fresh angle, by giving the hard-hit younger generation a chance to have its voice heard.”
Light at the end of the tunnel
In the course of the 7-episode series, Steven meets with many Trois-Rivières area residents to find out how COVID-19 has affected them: “The series is about how teenagers with a mental health problem have been impacted by the pandemic,” he says. “I also want to show how difficult it is for people like me to get help. In short, I want to help change things for the better.”
In addition to hearing from teens and young adults, La lumière derrière l’ombre pushes the inquiry further by interviewing mental health experts about issues such as the school environment and support resources.
In episode 1, viewers meet high school special ed teacher Josée Gaudreault, who discusses the pandemic’s impact in the schools.
The second episode looks at the health and social services system. Steven talks to Michelle Manseau, director and founder of Chambre en ville DI-TSA-Autres et La clik, and Éric Tremblay, assistant director, youth mental health at the CIUSSS de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec.
The political side of the pandemic will be addressed in episodes 3, 4 and 5, in which Steven interviews Nancy Guillemette, the Coalition avenir Québec MNA for Roberval and former director of Santé mentale Québec – Lac-Saint-Jean, the Honourable J. Michel Doyon, Lieutenant Governor of Québec, Jean Boulet, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity and the Coalition avenir Québec MNA for Trois-Rivières, and Jennifer Maccarone, the Liberal MNA for Westmount-Saint-Louis.
Episode 5 features Sylvie Lauzon from the Fondation petits trésors and in episode 6 Steven’s mother, Mélanie Bilodeau, gives a moving account of how she has lived with her son’s challenges.
For the full program schedule for your region, go to matv.ca.
MAtv: My community’s voice by Videotron
MAtv, an exclusive service for Videotron customers, serves the community by reflecting Québec’s diversity. It gives all citizens access to a vehicle of free expression and outreach that promotes public participation. MAtv carries useful, informative, educational programming focused on topics of local interest and fosters the emergence of new talent. It reflects the concerns of the community of 1.5 million households it serves across Québec. MAtv is broadcast on channel 9 (Helix and illico) and on channel 609 in HD (illico). It is also available on channel 900 (video on demand), on the Web (illico.tv) and on mobile (with the illico app). MAtv is present on social media, including Facebook and Instagram.
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Source: MAtv
Information:
Pierre Lauzer
Senior Director, Regions (Centre), MAtv
Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Victoriaville, Sorel-Tracy
pierre.lauzer@videotron.com | 819-944-7254
