STUDENTS LEARN FROM THEIR PEERS

Senior Richmond Secondary students are taking the lead on prevention
messaging for younger students through a unique peer to peer program
developed in partnership with Richmond Addiction Services.

More than 200 students attended Wednesday's Peer 2 Peer Program fair
to learn from their peers aoubt important lessons about substance use
and other addictive behaviours.

"When students teach students, the message seems more relevant" said
Kuldeep Gill, graduation planning teacher at Richmond Secondary
School. "The Peer 2 Peer Fair really captures the attention of the
younger students in a way that we could not replicate in the classroom
because of the role the older students play in teaching them."

The Peer 2 Peer Program is now in its fourth year. Developed in
partnership by Richmond Addiction Services with students and faculty
at Richmond Secondary School, it follows best practices for drug
prevention and education by reaching youth at key developmental
transition points, and by providing information that promotes healthy
lifestyles and behaviour. The program is based on the idea that it's
better to build healthy children than repair adults.

"This program really has it all." said Christa Mullaly of Richmond
Addiction Services. "It provides an opportunity for the students to
connect with their own classmates to develop a project that sometimes
challenges their own beliefs and values. It provides an atmosphere to
dialogue about once taboo subjects and to model what responsible
choices really look like. The link to community is made, which gives
the students perspective into others' lives and experiences, and how
and where to get help if they need it."

In past Peer 2 Peer Program Fairs, senior students created interactive
exhibits to teach younger students about video game use, gambling and
substance misuse and addiction. Topics ranged from Facebook addiction
and gaming, to crystal-meth addiction. This year, the topics were just
as diverse and range from addiction to text messaging, betting,
tobacco use, alcohol misuse along with a number of projects related to
videogame use and gambling amongst teens.

For more information, call 604-270-9220 or see www.richmondaddictions.ca