Drug and Alcohol Education



Check school http://kitsilano.vsb.bc.ca schedule or publications - newsletters for information on when the current school year's meetings will be.



Drug and Alcohol Education 2009-10



DISCUSSION GROUP: CIHR CAFÉ SCIENTIFIQUE ~ LET’S TALK ABOUT MARIJUANA AND TEENS – MARCH
11TH, 2010, JULIET’S CAFÉ, 1905 CORNWALL AVENUE, VANCOUVER (During spring break)
http://www.celebrateresearch.ubc.ca/2010/02/lets-talk-about-marijuana-and-teens/
Please join us for a CIHR Café Scientifique -- Let's Talk about Marijuana and Teens: Why do more youth in British
Columbia use marijuana than anywhere else in Canada? What are the health and social effects of frequent use? How can
we talk about these issues? Refreshments and lively discussion about the latest research and local initiatives related to
youth marijuana use. Come and be part of the conversation!
EXPERTS:
- Joy Johnson, Professor, UBC School of Nursing
- Rebecca Haines, Postdoctoral Fellow, UBC School of Nursing
- Art Steinmann, Vancouver School Board Coordinator School-Age Children and Youth (SACY) substance abuse
prevention program
MODERATOR:
- Ian Mulgrew, Columnist, Vancouver Sun, Author of Bud Inc: Inside Canada's Marijuana Industry
Date: Thursday, March 11th
Place: Juliet’s Café, 1905 Cornwall Avenue
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm
SPACE IS LIMITED: Please RSVP: stephanie.coen@nursing.ubc.ca



Drug and Alcohol Education 2008-9



NOTICE - advice to parents re grad season from the RCMP - 2009 



Macleans article March 16, 2009

Psychologist and teen expert Michael Bradley talks to Kate Fillion about
Why teens are “crazy” and the need for a short leash


Q: What’s going on with teens that makes them act, as you put it in your new book, “crazy”?

A: Neurologically, their brains are going through an explosion of growth, getting ready for the great leap into adulthood. But there’s neurologic fallout from the renovation process: emotional processing speed gets slowed down, they’re less able to read adult emotional cues. Second, the world is telling them to be crazy, do things that are self-destructive. Cultural prompts, in the form of song lyrics or scenes in movies or video clips, are telling them drugs, sex and certain forms of violence are cool, adult and harmless. Thanks to the efficiency of electronics, we pound them with these suggestions to a degree we’ve never pounded on another generation of teens. A third issue is that, as parents, we don’t really respond very well. Responding to these contemporary problems with rules from past generations just doesn’t work.

. . .

http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/03/11/maclean%e2%80%99s-interview-michael-bradley/


in partcular:

Q: What about drinking?

A I view alcohol as a drug—I know there will be hate mail—because it’s just as dangerous as the others and maybe more so for teens. We now have a great body of literature saying that alcohol does terrible things to adolescent brains. It seems to attack the learning centres in the brain, and it seems to wire in addiction much more quickly. Research shows that if kids start drinking at 14, they have five times the rate of addiction as someone who starts drinking at 21. Teenage brains are soft, likely pliable, open to the addictive and neurotoxic effects of alcohol and other drugs.



-----Original Message-----
From: Mooney, Maggie [VC] [mailto:Maggie.Mooney@vch.ca]
Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 2:05 PM
To: maggmoon12@gmail.com
Subject: Holiday Wishes & upcoming workshops for Kits parents

Hello Kits parents,

I wanted to share an article and some upcoming workshop news with you on this Winter Solstice.  

The other day The Globe & Mail ran a column by Anthony Wolf (author of Get out of my life, but first could you drive me and Cheryl to the mall?: A Parent's Guide to the New Teenager) that reminds us of how powerful these messages can be for both youth and parents.  

Here's the link to the article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081209.wlwolf09/BNStory/lifeFamily/

Enjoy--and feel free to pass it on to other parents, and anyone who works with youth. When youth and parents are driving each other crazy, it can be helpful to step back and look at the bigger picture: the larger message a parent can send a child, in spite of the daily friction. Holidays give us that opportunity.  

WORKSHOPS - in January & Febuary  

SACY Parent stream will be hosting 3 Thursday evening events at Kits in January and February:  

January 22nd:  "Building Bridges with Your Teen" - an workshop which focuses on practical, day-to=day skills that foster relationship building and communication between parents and youth.  

January 29th: A "Capacity Cafe"- evening meeting between youth from one high school and parents from another where parents can ask youth about anything - the things they want to know but are maybe afraid to ask their kids.  

February 5th: "Internet Overuse" - A presentation by Vancouver Coastal Health's FACES program on what's happening with Teens and computer use. Information, practical suggestions and skill-building for parents will be offered.

All the best now and in 2009,

Maggie Mooney

Parent Engagement Facilitator
SACY(School Aged Children & Youth)Prevention Initiative
VSB & VCH
604-317-3127
maggie.mooney@vch.ca




Drug and Alcohol Education 2007-8



From the E-Bulletin to Kitsilano Staff and Parents/Guardians for the week of June 23rd to June 27th/2008

SACY (SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION PROGRAM) PARENT STREAM AT KITSILANO DURING THE 2007 – 2008 SCHOOL YEAR:
For parents who are not familiar with SACY: We are a prevention and health promotion program from the Vancouver School Board and Vancouver Coastal Health, with the goal of getting the whole community together—parents, students, teachers and school administrators—to talk openly about drug- and alcohol-related issues in our schools.
 
The SACY Parent Stream has been working with the Kitsilano PAC and the Administration for two years to offer workshops and relationship-building activities to help connect parents to their teens, the school and the broader community.
April’s communication workshop—Building Bridges with Your Teen—attracted over 20 parents. We shared parenting stories and practised communication techniques aimed specifically at making communication with adolescents more effective. Parents came away from the workshop empowered to try new things with their teens, such as:
- let him make his own mistakes, his own decisions
- appreciate more of what is going well
- try to be more respectful.

Several parents also mentioned how important it is to share experiences with other parents and to realize that one is not alone - hearing that every parent has many of the same concerns and issues as I do was very helpful.

In May, parents from Kitsilano and King George Secondary Schools came together to participate in a Capacity Café—an evening discussion group between parents and teens who do not know each other, where parents can ask youth questions about youth culture, about what young people are thinking and why they do what they do. This powerful evening ended with parents saying things like:
- I’ve learned that I have to keep listening
Most helpful was finding out what kids want from their parents - a real eye-opener.

Watch for more SACY parent events in 2008 – 2009. If you’d like to be emailed about future SACY Parent events—or to make suggestions for future workshop topics—please email us at alexandraj.wilson@vch.ca

Have a great summer!
SACY Parent Engagement Team: Alexandra Wilson, Marta De la Vega, Maggie Mooney



SACY - May 1, 2008 West End Community Centre



SACY - Building Bridges With Your Teen, Apr 24, 2008 at Kits for grades 6, 7, 8 & 9



Youth Drug Prevention for Parents
http://www.drugprevention.gc.ca



Youth Alchohol Study Health Risks 2008 January



VSB SACY Coordinator
Art Steinman

art.steinmann@telus.net


Steph Carros SACY parent lead from Vancouver Coastal Health Services
scarros@telus.net


Heather Charlton SACY student lead
heathercharlton@shaw.ca



Drug and Alcohol Education 2006-7



WHAT SACY IS UP TO -
a brief update on SACY activities at Kitsilano               April 5, 2007

•    Parent Engagement:
-    Conducted parents workshop at Brock Elementary
-    Kits parents invited to Mirror Mirror drama performance, April 3
-    Parents planning meeting, Apr 11 -  developing ideas for mentoring new grade 8 parents in the fall etc.
-    Kitsilano parents dialogue with Tupper SACY students re youth drug use issues, April 25 – Capacity Café style

•    Youth engagement:
-    Students invited to attend the play - Mirror Mirror
-    SACY youth continue weekly lunch time meetings on various topics
-    SACY youth in training during April to work with select feeder schools to give AOD presentation
-    Kitsilano students dialogue with Tupper parents regarding youth drug use issues, May 9 – Capacity Café style
-    Students planning and conducting weekend camping trip in June 15-17 Zajak Ranch; focus on developing leadership skills & positive choices
•    Classroom drug education:
-    Four teachers test new drug education lessons developed by CAR BC*
-    Students & teacher give written feedback regarding the test lessons
-    Teachers testing new lessons give face to face feedback to CAR BC staff (mid to late May)
-    SACY team work with CAR BC concerning Fall ’07 plans

•    Suspension Alternative Program:
-    SACY team work with Kitsilano and Tupper policy cttee’s. to develop proposed new programs for youth who breach drug use policy
-    Engage youth addiction workers & other community players
•    Other
-    Key evaluation activities to take place in May
-    SACY team actively developing new funding sources to continue SACY at Kitsilano and add new schools next year
-    Work continues with the City, Police, Federal and Prov’l govt’s. and others, in order to extend SACY
* “CAR BC” is the Centre for Addiction Research of BC
Watch for more SACY updates to come…….

Questions? Want more info? See a SACY team member or call Art Steinmann, SACY Project Coordinator for VSB   Ph. 604.790.4507



From the Kitsilano March 12, 2007 e-bulletin

Included in the information package with the second term (2006-7) Report Cards is a Ministry of Education booklet, 'no2meth – A parents’ guide to
crystal methamphetamine. Although the first portion of the booklet focuses on crystal methamphetamine, the second half contains more
generic information about substance use and provides useful suggestions regarding talking with teens about substance use and making
healthy choices. Recent surveys have shown that the prevalence of crystal methamphetamine use is very low among high school
students and that alcohol and marijuana continue to be the most commonly abused drugs for adolescents and adults.
As you may be aware, Kitsilano is one of two Vancouver schools piloting the School Aged Children and Youth (SACY) Substance Use
Prevention Initiative, sponsored by the VSB and Vancouver Coastal Health. One of the four main goals of this initiative is to strengthen
parent and family awareness, knowledge, and skills regarding the prevention and delay of substance use, particularly through enhancing
parent-teen relationships and communication skills. Several Kitsilano parents have continued to be very involved in the SACY project
throughout this school year and more parents are always welcome. For more information about SACY, please contact the project
coordinator, Art Steinmann at 604-876-4507 or art.steinmann@telus.net.



2007 Jan SACY News



2007 Jan Capable_Kids_YOUTH_Grant_application



* GET PLUGGED IN! The Network for Preventing Harmful Drug Use
 
On Saturday November 18th, 2006 the City of Vancouver will host "Get Plugged-In!!” This network for preventing harmful drug use is at Tupper Secondary from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. The event has been created by youth and youth allies to bring together youth, service providers, funders and adult allies, to elaborate on our understanding of what prevention efforts can look like as related to substance use, and to expose participants to different approaches in preventing harm from substance use.
 
This will be a free, fun event including music, informative workshops, film and claymation screenings produced by Vancouver youth, and an opportunity to get plugged into prevention work.
 
To register for this event, contact David Yadlowski at:
david.yadlowski@vancouver.ca <mailto:david.yadlowski@vancouver.ca> or call
604.871.6483




NOTICE PROVIDED NOV. 20, 2006 that the meeting on Nov. 22, 2006 is changed to Dec. 6, 2006 and the planned third meeting will be rescheduled for later.

The following include information about upcoming workshops Nov. 8, 22 and Dec. 6, 2006:

SACY 2006 October Newsletter

SACY 2006 October Workshops poster



September 2006

Introducing SACY to Kits Parents
 

The
Vancouver School Aged Children and Youth Substance Use Prevention Initiative (SACY) is being piloted in Kitsilano High School this year and includes outreach to Kitsilano’s feeder schools and the broader community. The project is jointly funded by Vancouver Coastal Health and the Vancouver School Board and endorsed with a lot of in-kind support from many community partners including The Vancouver Police Department and the Center for Addiction Research of B.C. (CARBC) There will be 4 streams to this project including School Policy and Staff Education, Teacher Training and Curriculum Testing, Parent Engagement and Education and Youth Engagement. The objectives of the Demonstration Project are:

1. To engage Kitsilano School and the broader community that it serves in drug and alcohol prevention strategies.
2. To build and enhance social connectedness between students, school-site staff and professionals, youth and families, and the broader community.
3. To enhance the school’s capacity to prevent and reduce substance use problems.
4. To increase young people’s awareness, knowledge, and skills through consistent, age appropriate education that reflects their lived experiences.
5. To strengthen parent/family awareness, knowledge and skills regarding alcohol and other drugs in order to enhance parent-teen relationships and communication skills. (Parent Piece)
6. To support initiatives that facilitates young people’s transition from elementary to secondary school.

Let me introduce myself to you. My name is Stephanie Carros. Before joining Vancouver Coastal Health and the SACY project this year, I was the Program Director at Parents Together for 12 years. (Parents Together is a program of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Vancouver that offers support and educational workshops to parents of teens). I have met thousands of wonderful parents who have felt overwhelmed and concerned by their pre-teen’s and teens unhealthy choices. I have tremendous respect for parents and the challenges they face with their adolescent children and understand that more than ever we need to support one another and make use of the community resources available to us. I am excited to be at Kits this year and I hope, together, we can develop some real help for parents to ensure that our youth get they support they need to navigate through their high school years.

How can parents get involved?

While many parents feel that a child in secondary school is most connected to his peer group, research tells us that good parenting continues to make a big difference in helping kids develop in healthy ways, stay out of trouble, and do well in school. It is not always easy for parents to adapt their parenting strategies to their child’s growing maturity. Many of us need help and support to navigate through these often challenging times.

Part of my role and responsibility as the Parent Network Lead will be to learn from you what information you need as parents, as your children transition into high school through their secondary years. I will also be offering workshops to parents throughout the school year. This project is preventative in scope and will concentrate on supporting parents of youth in Grades 7 through 10. Our goal is to minimize substance use and its associated difficulties, and research shows us that building relationships, healthy communication, family support, and caring school climates promote positive behaviors as well as protect young people from making many harmful and unhealthy choices.

In order to set project goals and identify activities for the upcoming school year, I am looking for interested parents to join me on The Parent Engagement and Education Committee. This committee will meet regularly to:
• Develop and implement a range of outreach activities to parents
• Engage parents to share stories and challenges
• Facilitate discussion with parents regarding what they need to help build more constructive relationships with their teens
• Help with content for educational workshops and asset-building activities
• Assess and document learning and report to larger school community committee

You do not need any special qualifications – we need parents with diverse experiences, backgrounds, ideas, with an interest in supporting youth and parents!!!

To volunteer for the Parent Engagement and Education Committee, receive more information about SACY, the Parent Engagement and Education Committee, or me: please phone (604) 732-1287 (Home) (778) 322-1287 (Cell) or email scarros@telus.net
Sincerely, Stephanie Carros (Parent Network Lead/ Parent Engagement and Education)
 



Addiction Services  Vancouver Education Series 2006-7



http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crystalmeth/
BC Crystal Meth Strategy

http://www.no2meth.ca/
The 'no 2 meth' site is designed to help students, parents, and teachers understand more about crystal methamphetamine and other substances that put young people at risk of not reaching their full potential.



May 2006

*Kitsilano* and *Sir Charles Tupper *secondary schools have been selected as pilot sites for the school year 2006-07 to test the beginnings of the *School Aged Children and Youth (SACY) Substance Use Prevention Project*. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for our students and school community.

It is intended that the SACY project will be expanded in 2007-08, and beyond, to include all schools in the next 3 - 5 years.

For your information please see the following one page summary of the project. Should you have any questions or comments please forward them to me. The steering committee is VSB Project co-ordinator Art Steinman, VCH Project Coordinator, Lu Ripley, myself and Wayne Shaddick. There will be sub committees for parents, students, staff and community members that have yet to be formed.
If possible, Art would like to meet with us for half an hour or so before the end of the year - I will try to arrange this after marks have been submitted.

Summary:

The Vancouver School Aged Children and Youth Substance Use Prevention Initiative (SACY)

Mission
To enhance the prevention and early intervention infrastructure for children and youth that will aid in preventing and delaying substance use and preventing substance use problems.

Goals:
1.    Engage the school and broader community in prevention activities and enhance connection between:  students, school-site staff and professionals, youth and families, and the broader community.

2.    Enhance schools’ capacity to prevent and reduce substance use problems using progressive approaches.

3.    Increase young peoples awareness, knowledge and skills through consistent, age appropriate education that reflects their lived experiences.

4.    Strengthen parent/family awareness, knowledge and skills to prevent, delay and intervene regarding adolescent substance use, with focus on enhancing parent-teen relationships and communication skills.

5.    Support initiatives that assist young people’s transition from elementary to secondary school.




Actions and Activities

During the 2006/07 school year, SACY will work within two pilot sites – each site includes a secondary school, feeder elementary schools and broader community.  The focus will be to trial, develop and
 evaluate:

-   Innovative approaches to deal with alcohol/drug incidents
-    Field test new alcohol/drug classroom curriculum
-    Develop and deliver education for school staff
-    Engage parents and develop interaction, skill building workshops
-    Increase capacity for youth-led activities in school and community settings
-    Develop an integrative health promotion program targeting 12-15 year olds that utilizes youth leadership and providing:  dialogue based workshops, an integrative website and promotional materials

Partners
SACY is sponsored by Vancouver Coastal Health and Vancouver School Board. 
Collaborating partners include Vancouver Police Department, Centre for Addiction Research BC (CARBC), City of Vancouver  (Drug Policy and Social Planning) and UBC.

Contact Information
Art Steinmann, VSB Project Coordinator – 604.876.4507, art.steinmann@telus.net
Lu Ripley, VCH Project Coordinator – 604.714.3484 ext 1-2266, lu.ripley@vch.ca



September 2005

Free Lecture Series

Would you recognize the symptoms of drug use in your teenager?
What drugs are readily available on the streets and in our high schools?
How do you identify drug paraphernalia?
How do you talk to your kids about drug use?
These and many other questions will be answered in a series of six free public lectures (The Education Series) offered this fall by experienced drug counselors.

Pacific Spirit Health Centre (Kerrisdale)
2110 W 43rd
604-261-6366
Friday mornings from Sept 9
Sept 16 will be lecture # 2
9:30 – 11:30 am

Raven Song
2450 Ontario Street
604-709-6400
Tuesday evenings from Sept 27
6:30 – 8:30 pm

PAC would be interested in getting feedback from anyone who attends these lectures

Drug talks : the series of 6 free lectures runs cyclically so once one series ends the next week it begins again. Through Sept to June

Addiction Services

 

EDUCATION SERIES

Pacific Spirit CHC

3rd Floor, 2110 West 43rd Avenue

(at West Boulevard)

 

Every FRIDAY from  9:30 am – 11:30 am

* NO CHARGE and NO REGISTRATION *

For more information call: 604 – 267 – 3970

 

 

 

The sessions for the education series include films, lectures and discussions dealing with alcohol and other drugs; they are for clients, potential clients, concerned family or friends, interested community members, and professionals.

 

SESSION 1:

PLEASURE TO PROBLEMS:

Understanding abuse, dependency, and development of addiction.

SESSION 2:

CHEMICALS AND THE BODY:

How body systems are affected by alcohol and other drugs.

SESSION 3:

TURNING IT AROUND:

The recovery process.  What is treatment?  Relapse prevention.

SESSION 4:

FAMILIES AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE:

Family dynamics where addiction is a problem.

SESSION 5:

HELPING OTHERS:

What you can do if your child, or a partner, or a friend, has a substance abuse problem.

SESSION 6:

HARM REDUCTION/SOCIAL POLICY:

Alcohol and drugs in the context of our whole society.

 

 

 

          Education Series Title                        Fall 2005 and  Early Winter 2006

1. PLEASURE TO PROBLEMS

Sep 09/05

Oct 21/05

Dec 09/05

2. CHEMICALS AND THE BODY

Sep 16/05

Oct 28/05

Jan 06/06

3. RECOVERY PROCESS

Sep 23/05

Nov 04/05

Jan 13/06

4. FAMILIES AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Sep 30/05

Nov 18/05

Jan 20/06

5. HELPING OTHERS

Oct 07/05

Nov 25/05

Jan 27/06

6. HARM REDUCTION/SOCIAL POLICY

Oct 14/05

Dec 02/05

Feb 03/06

The education series is a community service of VCH



December 2004

Kitsilano students perform in Express - a theatrical performance about life on meth. 

Seven Kitsilano students are in this show that will be performed across the city. Congratulations to Brigitta G., Jacky M., Sarah G., Grady G., Jessica K., Virgile D. and Evie F.. All events are open to the pubic, free, first come first serve. Show times are:

Van Tech High, Thursday, December 2nd, 7:00 p.m., Auditorium Kitsilano High, Monday, December 6th, 1:55 in Auditorium (staff and students only) Templeton High, Monday, December 6th, 7:00 p.m. in the Studio (limited space) Kitsilano High, Thursday, December 9th, 7:00 p.m., Drama Studio UBC's Freddy Wood Theatre, Saturday, December 11th, 7:30 p.m. - admission by donation.

We are encouraging grades 9 and 10 students to attend the performance during school time.  Parents are warned that some of the language may be shocking and upsetting to the students and should students wish to sit the performance out, they may do so.



Drugs, their use and associated dangers are around us no matter where we are, no matter who we are. On Nov. 3, 2004 Cpl. Scott Rintoul of the Drug Awareness Program with the RCMP provides an opportunity for you to learn about the latest information on chemical drugs, street drugs and current drug trends, including drugs of choice on our streets today.

Cpl. Rintoul comes with an impressive background, including being an expert witness on cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, many other drugs and rave parties. He is also co-author of Designer Drugs & Raves, 2nd ed., June 2001.

Being informed means being better equipped for challenges that may arise. Plan on attending this important session.

More info: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/das/default_e.htm

This presentation is geared to adults. To ensure we have sufficient handouts, please register by sending an email to apekits@yahoo.ca.

***

Don't miss this important evening. If you have ever wondered what LSD looks like, or what the signs of amphetamine use are, this talk is for you. These are questions that parents need to have answers to. Know more than your adolescent about the drug scene, find out what to watch out for, and when to worry. Cpl. Scott Rintoul of the RCMP Drug Awareness Program has all the news for parents.
Wed. Nov. 3, 2004 from 7 - 9 pm
Drama Studio

***

Web sites recommended at the Nov. 3, 2004 meeting:

http://www.adicbc.com/

http://www.marijuana-info.org

http://www.streetdrugs.org

http://www.clubdrugs.org

http://www.rcmpda.com

http://www.rcmp-fairmont.org/da

http://www.drugabuse.gov

http://www.theantidrug.com (website for parents)

http://www.innervisionsrecovery.com (Residential Treatment Centre)

http://www.edgewood.bc.ca (Residential Treatment Centre)

healthquest@shaw.ca Dr. Ray Baker (Addiction Specialist)

http://www.wsnia.org/educator/MethPrevCookbook.htm
 (Washington State Narcotics Investigators Association)

http://www.municipalaffairs.gov.ab.ca/fco/ (Alberta Fire Commission)


 

EDUCATION SERIES, Fall 2004, Presented By: West Side Addiction Services



Focus Group on Drug and Alcohol Education 2003-4

                         All parents were invited to attend a 2-hour discussion on school-based alcohol and drug prevention.

                         This project is the first step in a joint initiative between the Vancouver School Board, Ministry for Children and
                         Family  Development, the University of BC, the Vancouver Police Department and Vancouver Coastal Health.

                         The purpose is to help develop a curriculum for addressing this issue, and Kits is one of only a few
                         schools participating.

                         The meeting was Wed. May 26, 2004 7-9pm, Library

 

 http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/fourpillars/
 The Four Pillars Drug Strategy is the City of Vancouver's policy and plan for reducing drug-related harm in Vancouver.

 http://www.preventionsource.bc.ca/

RCMP deal.org Program
http://www.deal.org/DefaultSite/webzine/index_e.aspx?ArticleID=555

 http://www.theantidrug.com/about.asp

 http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

FGTA is a non-profit advocacy society working to improve the lives of drug users, their families and friends, since 1999.
 http://www.fromgrieftoaction.org/

From Grief To Action 1 hour TV documentary available on DVD, about addicted Vancouver west side youth
http://www.fromgrieftoaction.org/content/resources/videos.php#gri

Parents Forever is a mutual support group for parents, family members and friends of addicts.
 http://www.fromgrieftoaction.org/parentsforever.html

Katy Hutchinson, the Mother of eleven-year old twins, Emma and Sam, resides with her family in Victoria, BC.  She moved to Vancouver Island six years ago,
following the horrific murder of her husband Bob McIntosh.   In the course of dealing with the legal issues surrounding Bob's death, she met and married lawyer
Michael Hutchison.
   After Bob's murder on New Year's Eve 1997 Katy waited for five years while the RCMP worked tirelessly to obtain the evidence to prosecute and convict his
killers.  During that period, Katy developed her  perception of the societal forces and lack of understanding amongst young people that created the circumstances
leading to Bob's death.  She grew to recognize the need to advise and educate young members of the community about the risks that arise with the combination of
young people, alcohol, and a lack of supervision.
   Katy is currently divides her time between working with her husband Michael in his law practice and her growing professional speaking career.  She is happiest
when playing on the beach with her kids and their dog, Halle, and tries to fit in the occasional game of golf...
 http://www.katyhutchisonpresents.com/
(In the fall of 2003 Katy Hutchinson presented to Kits Students at Kits and to Vancouver parents at Magee)
In 2006 Katy Hutchinson published her book, 'Walking After Midnight', that chronicles he
r journey from vengeance to forgiveness after her husband was killed in a vicious beating.

SMARTRISK is a national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives.
 http://www.smartrisk.ca/

By definition, the Stupid Line is the line of choice that we each have that separates smart risk from stupid risk. By crossing your stupid line, you’ve taken a risk that may result in injury. But there are five choices that can be made to keep from crossing the Stupid Line: Buckle Up. Drive Sober. Look First. Wear the Gear. Get Trained.
http://www.smartrisk.ca/ContentDirector.aspx?tp=1070&dd=8

No Regrets is a peer leadership program for Canadian high schools. It addresses the fact that injuries kill more Canadian teenagers than all other causes of death combined.
 http://www.smartrisk.ca/ListingContributions.aspx?dd=5&sd=146

P.A.R.T.Y. was created to educate teens to the perils of risk-taking behaviour and the tragic consequences that can occur. This program is a vital component in the growing community effort to reduce death and injury in alcohol and risk-related incidents.
http://www.smartrisk.ca/ContentDirector.aspx?tp=535&dd=2
<>
http://www.mcs.bc.ca/

http://www.dare.com/

 http://www.pcrs.ca/

 http://www.fightcrime.org/

http://www.search-institute.org/
 

The group has a copy of a related article by  Kitsilano parent C. Kuhns. The Opinion article is 'It's time parents led the way in just saying no' from The Vancouver Sun November 20, 1996.
 

The group discussed among other things, the problem of 'binge drinking', including some parents providing alcohol to other people's legally underage children.

In 2002-3 Point Grey Secondary had a guest speaker who was a young recovering drug addict who had written a book 'The Agony of Ecstasy". The speaker had grown up in Ireland and had moved to Alberta with his father. The speaker was motivated to recover from drugs and write his book because too many of his young friends were dying from drugs. The speaker talked about how as a young teenager,  there is apprehension about going out on your own and being accepted by your peers. He said for him and many others, drugs relieved that anxiety and gave a sense of acceptance by a group doing drugs. The speaker said the drugs are as small as a sticker on a sticker sheet and therefor easy to hide. The speaker said a challenge for him recovering from drugs in his twenties was that his social maturity was that of a young teenager. As a teenager he had never learned how to go out on his own and handle that anxiety without drugs. As a teenager he had never learned how to entertain himself or keep himself occupied with healthy pursuits because he was on drugs. He had been active in sports as a pre-teen, before getting involved in drugs.

Also see Links of General Interest to Parents
 

Related book:

"HOLD ONTO YOUR KIDS: Why Parents Matter" by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté
and
Course available on DVD "MAKING SENSE OF ADOLESCENCE" by Gordon Neufeld
 http://www.gordonneufeld.com/

See also Kits PAC Teen Safety in Our Neighborhood

See also Kits PAC Bullying at School



Student Nurses for Clean Drinks, don't get tipped
http://www.studentnurses.4t.com


In 2004, a Langara College nursing student experienced an adverse event in the form of an attempted drug facilitated sexual assault.  In response to this incident, three Langara College nursing students, in collaboration with The Vancouver Police Department, established Student Nurses for Clean Drinks (SNCD).  SNCD was developed as a health promotion project about drug-facilitated (sexual) assault to increase public knowledge and awareness.



Motivational books/speaker on AIDS awareness
http://www.ScottFried.com



http://www.projectstitch.com
Vancouver Coastal Health web site for youth to educate youth about AIDS



Herpes

http://www.cdc.gov/std/Herpes/STDFact-Herpes.htm

Article about the Herpes problem in Canada



A vaccine (for girls and women ages 9 to 26) has been created that may guard  females from 4 types of human papillomavirus. Those types may cause 70 % of cervical cancer cases and 90 % of genital warts cases. Info at:

http://www.gardasil.com



Book about US university females regarding promiscuity and binge drinking - Unhooked by Laura Sessions Stepp

Article in Macleans magazine Mar 23, 2007 - "When it comes to love, sex hurts - How serial monogamy, not the one-night stand, became the norm on Canadian campuses" by John Intini



http://www.preventionsource.org/



Tobacco Links:

http://www.tobaccofacts.org/

http://www.cctc.ca/
Canadian Council for Tobacco Control

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/
Centre for Disease Control (CDC)



Alchohol Links:

http://www.camh.net/
Centre for addiction and mental health

http://www.aadac.com
Alberta Alchohol and Drug Abuse Commission

http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/
US Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Servise Administration (SAMHSA)



Marijuana Links:

http://www.nida.nih.gov
US National Institute on Drug Abuse


http://www.aadac.com
Alberta Alchohol and Drug Abuse Commission

http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/
US Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Servise Administration (SAMHSA)



Club Drugs Links:

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/bc/programs/drug_awareness/drug_information/raves_e.htm
RCMP "E" Division Drug Awareness - British Columbia - Designer Drugs and Raves

http://www.nida.nih.gov
US National Institute on Drug Abuse


http://www.aadac.com
Alberta Alchohol and Drug Abuse Commission

http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/
US Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Servise Administration (SAMHSA)



Methamphetamine Links:

http://www.kci.org
The Anti-Meth Site
US KOCH Crime Institute


http://www.nida.nih.gov
US National Institute on Drug Abuse

http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/
US Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Servise Administration (SAMHSA)



Cocaine and Crack Links:

http://www.acde.org
American Council for Drug Education


http://www.nida.nih.gov
US National Institute on Drug Abuse


http://www.aadac.com
Alberta Alchohol and Drug Abuse Commission



LSD Links:

http://www.streetdrugs.org/lsd.htm
Street Drugs (US)


http://www.nida.nih.gov
http://www.drugabuse.gov

US National Institute on Drug Abuse

http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/
US Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Servise Administration (SAMHSA)



http://ohioline.osu.edu/lines/fami.html
Ohio State University - Family



http://www.search-institute.org
Search Institute is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. To accomplish this mission, the institute generates and communicates new knowledge, and brings together community, state, and national leaders.

At the heart of the institute's work is the framework of 40 Developmental Assets, which are positive experiences and personal qualities that young people need to grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.



http://www.talkingwithkids.org/drugs.html
Talking with kids about drugs and alchohol (US)



Info for elementary school students:

HEARTSMART KIDS(TM)

HeartSmart Kids(tm) are Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. & Yukon's curriculum programs.  The K-3/bc.tobaccofacts, the newly revised 4-6 and the Aboriginal 4-6 programs focus on encouraging children to make heart-healthy lifestyle choices in a fun and engaging way within the main areas of heart facts, healthy eating, active living and being smoke-free.  As of 2007 HeartSmart Kids Workshop Facilitators are needed.
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/edinfo/reading_room/heart.htm



http://www.watari.org/about_us.htm



Teens and Drugs: What you need to know
http://www.canadianliving.com/family/teens/teens_and_drugs_what_you_need_to_know.php

Stop your teen from binge drinking
http://www.canadianliving.com/family/teens/stop_your_teen_from_binge_drinking.php

 

Note: binge drinking and the danger of alcohol poisoning – many think of this danger as consuming too much alcohol too fast, it is important to be aware they are other possible scenarios for alcohol poisoning,

 

ie.

-        5 or 6 drinks of alcohol over the course of an evening,

-        drinking alcohol while using marijuana, because the medical use of marijuana is to reduce nausea, and the body’s natural defense against alcohol poisoning is to vomit

-        drinking alcohol while drinking high caffeine drinks like Red Bull, as the high caffeine combined with alcohol can affect the body’s disposition to alcohol poisoning

 


 

Children of the Street Society

http://www.childrenofthestreet.com

 

Note: the process of sexual exploitation of children and youth involves illegal drugs.

 

 

Children of the Street Society is a registered charity and a non-profit organization consisting of members of the community who are making a difference in effectively preventing the growing number of children and youth who are sexually exploited.    

 

Children of the Street Society is a Provincial Society and a Federal Charity, concerned with the growing number of children coerced into and exploited within the sex trade of British Columbia.   The Society’s mission is to take a proactive approach through public awareness, education, and prevention-based workshops to decrease the number of sexually exploited children and youth, while also offering support to families since 1995.

 

 

 

 

The Society was founded when Executive Director, Diane Sowden lost her 13 year old daughter to the sex trade.  Recognizing that this vicious cycle can happen to any of our children in the community, the priority of the Society has been to pro-actively launch Prevention Based Workshops through out the Province, for children, parents, caregivers, service providers, police, government and other community partners.

 

Highlights of our achievements

 

·         Children of the Street Society has been successful in its endeavours to increase the Legal Age of Protection to 16.  A new law is now passed.

 

·         In 2007/2008, the Society conducted over 550 workshops to more than 25,000 participants throughout the B.C.

 

·         Children of the Street Society’s programs and initiatives have resulted in the decrease of children and youth that may have otherwise been lured into the sex trade.

 

·         The Society has also brought about an increased understanding and support for youth that need help in order to exit the sex trade.

 

·         The Society has connected children and youth who have come forward with disclosures of sexual exploitation, to the appropriate support and intervention services. 

 

·         We are here to help the children and youth in our community, while also providing support to affected families.

 

 



It sometimes helps to remind high school students that one reason for the legal drinking age is that you need to be mature enough to self monitor for addiction.



http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Information


 

http://www.kidshelpphone.ca


Kits PAC Special Interest Groups