MAKING THINGS HAPPEN

Our View:

Ryan Thirlwall's story on Page A3 should inspire anyone who has ever
travelled the dark and twisted road of drug addiction.

Not only has the 19-year-old Langford man -- who in his teens was a
chronic pot smoker and heavy user of the party drug ecstasy --
conquered his addiction; he's become, as he so eloquently put it,
someone who "makes things happen," by talking to teens going through
similar problems, and encouraging them to follow a better path in life.

There is a tendency, at least among adults, to turn a blind eye to
troubled youth, as "somebody else's kid's problem," but that would be
a mistake.

Usually when a youth has problems, whether it's with alcohol, drugs,
or an abusive homelife, ripple effects are felt throughout their
immediate family and circle of friends, and sometimes, into the
surrounding community.

Last week we ran a story about car break-ins being up on the West
Shore in 2006, and while we certainly can't attribute these break-ins
to youth, the police make the connection between auto-crime and
people stealing to buy drugs, so it is reasonable to assume at least
some of the thefts were committed by young people with a drug problem.

It's the same story with car thefts.

Despite the bait car program, ICBC reports a 42 per cent rise in
theft of vehicles in Victoria in 2006, and as the cops always tell
us, car thefts, like car break-ins, are driven by addictions.

Who can forget the image of the 20-something youth captured in a bait
car video, cranked up on crystal meth, taking one last hit on the
pipe before police closed in and arrested him?

It's those negative images of youth that the Community Youth
Development Coalition of B.C. is trying to counteract, and we applaud
them for trying.

Less dramatic, but just as pervasive, is the stereotype of the surly,
non-communicative teen. It's a tough one to crack, but Thirlwall and
others are on the right track in getting youth involved directly in
their communities.

It matters less what the kids are doing, as the fact they are
interacting with adults, learning some life skills, and feeling
better about themselves.

It also needs to be said that youth, especially those whose lives
have taken a wrong turn, are more likely to listen to one of their
peers than to an adult, and here again, we applaud the work that
Thirlwall and others are doing.

Through the work of their coalition, teens, families, and the
communities that can play a role in shaping youths' destinies, all
stand to benefit.