TEENS STUCK BETWEEN ROCK AND HARD PLACE

Perceived problems of kids hanging out in town and wreaking havoc is
rapidly turning from a "bad kid issue" to one of problem-solving and
community awareness.

Local police, volunteer workers and many teens agree the recent
outburst of publicity over youth involvement in drug, alcohol and
vandalism is the tail of a snake which has been wriggling through our
community for several generations.

Many believe these so-called "troubled" youth are merely reflections
of the greater problems plaguing adults, parents and the world at
large. Some say these kids are just acting out the dysfunction in our
families and culture.

One teen, 19-year-old Steve Melanson, claims his generation is stuck
between a rock and a hard place. Boredom and isolation, he states, are
the prevailing undercurrent pulling many of his peers into anti-social
behavior.

"Unfortunately, there's not a lot on this island for youth to look
forward to everyday," he said. "We have nowhere to go and nothing to
do. We don't get up in the morning and say 'let's get drunk and smash
things.'"

Melanson explained a number of the kids hanging out downtown live in
the "boonies" and don't want to go home. "There are a lot of kids with
rough lives," he said. "There's a helluva lot of alcoholism on this
island and the kids are just a drop in the bucket."

The bucket of caffeine which these kids are pumping into their systems
may be another culprit to behavioral swings. Stimulants like coffee
and sugar don't make for a good state of mind, Melanson said. "Most
business owners won't let us be there unless we buy a cup of coffee at
regular intervals."

Both Melanson and RCMP Sergeant Darbyshire point out the fact that
groups of 13- to 25-year-olds hanging out together make for dangerous
liaisons. The potentially volatile mixture of backgrounds and ages
create a lack of safety for the younger kids.

"The older people can buy the liquor," said Darbyshire.

Melanson is outraged by the dreary reality that naive kids are getting
dragged along into doing "so-called" adult things at too early an age.

"There are 38-year-old guys driving around with 15-year-old girls, a
car full of liquor and no one gives a damn," he said. "Kids out there
are being used by older people. Dealers get underage kids to sell
drugs for them because it's lower risk than running the stuff
themselves."

One female graduate of Gulf Islands Secondary School (GISS) agrees.
"When I finally came out of denial and started to see the problem for
what it was, it was so big and so ugly. It's like looking at the
underbelly of a dinosaur and realizing how vast it is."

But the young woman stressed it's not the kids who have created the
drug and alcohol culture, but rather a culture that's been created for
them.

"People are desensitized and it's setting back children's rights by
decades," Melanson said. "If you remain silent about a topic, you are
accepting it. If you see something that needs to be changed -
especially if it involves kids - you need to speak up."

The roots of destructive and self-destructive behavior are firmly
planted in the images being swallowed by children through broadcast
politics, economics and culture, said Melanson. "Just look at
television and movies - there's a lot of pressure on kids to conform
to distorted ideas of how things should be."

Values like family, love, trust, food, clothing and shelter don't
match up with the things you see on TV and it's really frustrating,
the teenager commented. "The mass media is one of the most confusing
and disheartening illusions in the world for kids."

Turning young girls into sex symbols is just one of a host of offshoot
problems where drug and alcohol overuse is concerned. "The real
problems with B&Es and stealing is happening because of hard drugs,"
Melanson said. "Wherever there are hard drugs, there are hard problems."

With an impressionable thirst to figure out who they are and identify
with someone, teenagers need positive role models they can look up to
for guidance and encouragement. Increased communication between
parents and kids can iron out many of these wrinkles, said Melanson.

"We need mentors. A lot of kids would really like more support,
education and input from caring adults."

The 19-year-old advocates an agenda or plan where parents know where
their kids will be, when and with whom. That way, youth can check in
with their parents throughout the night or day so they are on their
own but feel trusted, he explained.

"I think it comes down to an inner hunger," said one fourth-generation
island resident who believes it's too much to expect one or two people
to raise a family. It takes two salaries to keep the house afloat and
the casualties of modern economics are the children. Many kids are not
getting the attention they need and looking for it on the street, she
said.

Getting kids off the streets and into creative pursuits is the goal of
a momentous effort by police, youth advocates and the Youth Crime
Prevention Project.

"A huge percentage of kids are just looking for something to do," said
Darbyshire. "Let's keep the ball rolling while we've got the momentum
and community interest to fulfill that need."

Melanson, who just graduated from GISS, is looking forward to working
on youth-positive activities this summer through the initiatives being
carried out from the Core Inn youth centre.

"There are so many amazing kids on this island with loads of
potential. They've got a lot of creative energy and need a positive
outlet. They are full of ideas and feelings that they don't know how
to process it all," he said. "If we can provide a creative channel for
this abundance of energy, everyone will benefit from it."