Pubdate: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2011, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Author: Jenn McGarrigle CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS YOUTH ADDICTION ISSUES Youth addiction issues take the spotlight at a one-day conference and forum next week. The Nanaimo Addiction Foundation is hosting its first ever community awareness and education event Wednesday (Feb. 23) at the Coast Bastion Inn. The event, which features workshops by local service providers, a keynote speaker and a community forum, is an opportunity for parents and caregivers to meet with local service providers to talk about what's available in the community and what is needed, said Geri Sera, the foundation's executive director. "We feel this allows the professionals to be in the same room as the parents and caregivers and each to be learning from the other," she said. The event begins at 3 p.m. so that people don't need to take the entire day off work, said Sera, and cost is $25 for all or part of the day. The foundation is giving seats away to those who cannot pay. "We're quite willing to give seats away because we know that information is important," said Sera. Three workshops will begin at 3 p.m. The Vancouver Island Health Authority's Discovery Youth and Family Addiction Services will provide participants with an overview of their programs; Nanaimo Family Life Association will talk about Life Works, its new youth program that focuses on life skills and building resiliency; and Nanaimo Youth Services Association and Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre will discuss their youth residential housing models. The hour-long workshops will run twice so people get a chance to attend two, said Sera. At 6:30 p.m., Cecilia Benoit, a scientist at the Centre of Addictions Research of B.C. and sociology professor at the University of Victoria, will talk about her study of at-risk youth in the Victoria area (please see related story on this page). The event finishes with a community forum at 7:15 p.m. where service providers, government representatives and community members have a chance to ask questions and provide feedback. The foundation, which received more than $300,000 last fall to give to agencies providing addictions services in the community, plans to do two things each year - it will organize some sort of an education project and it will distribute money to agencies, starting with $30,000 to an agency providing youth addiction services this year. The recipient of the money will be announced shortly, Sera added. To register for the event, please go to www.nanaimoaddictionfoundation.org. Scientist studied dozens of youth for several years Many youth who ended up on the streets of Victoria come from unstable family situations, says researcher Cecilia Benoit. Benoit, a scientist at the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. and sociology professor at the University of Victoria, followed a group of about 70 street-involved youth in the Victoria area for several years, looking at the reasons why they end up on the streets. She also interviewed a random sample of Victoria youth for comparison with the street population. The street-involved youth tend to have unstable family and housing situations and tried drugs at an earlier age than the general youth population, said Benoit, and not only are the street youth using alcohol and marijuana earlier, but they are also using more intensely. "Street involved youth are entering adulthood earlier," she said. "Often their parents are not around. And those who do live with their biological parents are from poor backgrounds and have less parental support." Key to preventing substance abuse amongst youth, Benoit concludes, is more supports for families. She said only 39 per cent of the street youth she interviewed were in the same family situation they were born into by age 10, compared with 70 per cent of the general youth population. Just dealing with the addiction alone will not solve the problem, said Benoit, adding that people need access to stable housing, education, physical and mental health services and emotional supports. Drugs become a coping mechanism for all the other issues homeless youth face, she added. Benoit will present some of the findings ay the Nanaimo Addiction Foundation's educational conference and forum on Feb. 23. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D