Since February is Junior Achievement Month, I’d like to acknowledge the efforts of a group of youth I had the privilege to meet in the fall.

I had the opportunity to attend the second Youth Leadership and Project Development Workshop held in Regina, Saskatchewan. The RCMP’s Youth Engagement Section gathered a group of youth and RCMP officers together to discuss youth crime and victimization issues in their communities. Each youth along with the RCMP officer from their community created an action plan to tackle these issues.

I had a unique role in this workshop. I was allowed to observe the workshop and I was also one of the staff who supervised the night time activities that were arranged for the youth. I’ve had a lot of experience with youth programs before, but this workshop was one of the most unique experiences I’ve had.

What made this trip special for me was meeting youth from almost every province and territory in Canada. I’m a city kid, so I’m used to living in a city bubble with public transportation, community centres, movie theaters, big shopping malls, stadiums, etc. It was a shock for me to hear about youth living in small towns, fly-in only communities which could take up to 10 different planes to get to, places where they have to drive 2 hours or more for groceries…there were so many life styles I couldn’t imagine experiencing. Some of the challenges these youth faced were tremendous, like living in a house that is so crowded with family members that they chose to live with a friend instead or living in a community where it’s common to see people sniffing gas when you’re out for a walk.

I’ve also been studying Criminology for the past 4 years, so to see things come to life from the classroom was a humbling experience because it made me appreciate what I have. The main lesson I learned was that you can watch something on TV or on the Internet about an issue in a place that’s far away, but you can’t forget that these are real people that you are seeing on the screen.

The youth are now leading creative initiatives to tackle things that they felt could be improved in their community. For most projects, turning to youth voices for ideas was important while also looking for partners to help get their ideas rolling. Some of their initiatives included creating sports and/or evening activities, Facebook pages to post ideas for community activities, cultural based outdoor classes for school, job opportunities, youth-led drama activities and newsletters made by youth for youth.

I was very proud to see the youth, police officers and the Youth Engagement Section staff working together so well. I was also very surprised and honoured to have some of these youth consider me a friend within the short time that I met them.

Links:

“I’ll never stop sniffing gas” – CBC Digital Archives

Photo by AxOoo on Flickr

We often have to confront hardships in life. For example, Julie used to live in an abusive and neglectful home. Julie is now 22, and she has almost completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She will be moving on to do her Master’s degree. Julie has also done a lot of volunteer work and has won a lot of scholarships. How did she manage to accomplish so much despite a difficult past? She says that it was all possible thanks to her foster parents.

There are some of us who will run into problems in our family life that may not be able to be fixed. However, these challenges do not have to dictate how we run or live our lives. There are choices and alternatives that can make you feel secure and can bring you to a place you can call a home. Not only are these options available to you, it is actually your right as a youth to grow up in a safe and positive environment, free of violence, abuse and neglect (UN).

So now you might be asking, “If I have the right to a positive family environment, what are my options?” An example of an alternative choice that is sometimes stigmatized (en anglais seulement) is foster care. There are many negative assumptions made about foster care. We assume that youth in foster care carry baggage and that it’s their fault they ended up in the program. This isn’t true. Some foster care youth may be waiting for a new family because their biological parents may have been abusive or neglectful, not because they were unwanted by their original family. There are many success stories that have been shared by youth who have grown up in a foster care setting that will prove that foster care does not deserve a bad reputation.

Without a doubt, family is one of the most important parts of our life. They provide us security, a safe place to grow up and continuous love and support. However, for some people, a stable family life isn’t something they are used to. There are growing pains that we will have to endure, but feeling as though you don’t have a family to support you does not have to be one of them.

Links

Myths and Realities – Adoption Council of Canada
Convention on the Rights of a Child – UN
Your Stories – Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies

Photo by Judy Gayle on Flickr

Today, you’ve probably noticed, we can “communicate” with lots of people without ever having to look at them. In many cases, it is often automatic to text message or email someone instead of taking the time to meet or even give them a call. But while electronic communication surely has benefits (ex. being able to “communicate” with someone who is at the other end of the world), it also has drawbacks as it can slowly break us a part from each other.

Face to face

Saying “hello” to someone face to face or by telephone is not the same as texting or emailing it. In the same way that if something is bothering us, it is certainly more obvious and taken seriously when you’re face-to-face with someone, than if you’re “talking” about it by electronic means. If things are not going well, it is better to talk to someone rather than being alone at the end of the cell phone connection or a computer right?

With the constant use of technology, we sometimes forget what it means to be connected with others. This could simply mean: saying hello or thank you, asking about the health of your neighbour, acknowledging and thanking the janitor when you pass him or her in the hall, asking about someone’s family, apologizing if you accidentally bumped into another passenger on the bus, etc. It’s not much, but it is a sign that you are open to others, that you do not pass by without seeing them, minding your own business and concerns.

More than an act of kindness

To just say “hi” not only helps us to be outgoing and socially connected, but it can also have a considerable impact on the lives of others. For example, you could find out that some people are going through very rough times and not only need to talk but need people to listen. Like Maria, who was seriously thinking about committing suicide, until a stranger asked her how she was doing.

Saying “hello” is not just being nice, it’s a way to solidify social bonds between people around you and more often than we think; it can prevent and repair problems. So don’t be shy, just say hi!

Link

Say Hi

Photo by Chuckles_hp19 on Flickr

It’s winter and we’re finally able to enjoy outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, sledding, tobogganing, tubing, ice fishing and many more. But, before you hit the slopes and lakes and rivers this winter, here are some things to keep in mind to ensure your adventures are memorable ones.

Recently, a man was killed in an accident on a ski mountain resort in BC. The group was on a closed ski hill late at night tubing when one of them crash into a wooden pole at the bottom of the hill (CBC News). This tragic accident reminds us that skiing, sledding, snowboarding or tubing is dangerous at night because we can’t see where we are going. Make sure to do these activities on a designated hill (one that is supervised or a community hill that you are allowed to use on your own) during business and/or daylight hours. For more safety tips, check out the Canada Safety Council’s ski, snowboard, sled and toboggan pages.

If you are going to be ice fishing or hanging out in an ice shack, a hill isn’t what you’re going to be worried about. However, there are still some safety concerns to consider. Parks Canada reminds us to check the ice a few times before you walk or drive on it. Be sure to know your local by-laws regarding how large your shack can be and what type of heat sources you are allowed to use. Also, if a person is under the influence of alcohol while on a frozen body of water, they wouldn’t be able to react quickly to help someone who has fallen through and to drive to get help if necessary. For more tips on how to have a safe ice adventure, check out the Government of Ontario page on Ice safety.

Be safe in any winter activity you choose to participate in. Enjoy!

Links

A Cold Reception – DEAL.org
Calgary man dies in sliding incident at B.C. ski resort – CBC News
Safety on the Slopes – Canada Safety Council
Sled Safety 101 – Canada Safety Council
Skating on Ponds, Lakes and Rivers – Parks Canada
Stay Safe – Ontario