A MATTER OF RESPECT

Originally taking courses at university to get into the legal
profession, Bruce Robinson instead detoured into the human services
sector, creating the Alcohol and Drug (A&D) program at Smithers
Secondary from scratch to help abate the growing issue of substance abuse.

"I've always been very proactive and liked the challenge," Robinson
said. "I never wanted the same thing day in and day out."

Moving to the Bulkley Valley with his family four-and-a-half years
ago to be closer to family, Robinson quickly fell in love with the
community and even more quickly being welcomed in by a friendly
community, he said.

He began working with the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder program in
town, until two years ago when he was approached by Smithers
Secondary to pilot a program to help them educate students and
advocate a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle.

Quickly initiating preventative measures, Robinson started
confidential one-on-one counselling sessions, an after-school workout
program, in class presentations, some informational booklets as well
as working with teachers to help them know what to look for.

"I enjoyed it," Robinson said. "I've been fortunate enough to have
this ability to work with students and to build a relationship with them."

Robinson credits the success of his program to respect. By treating
the children with respect he was able to build a more trusting
relationship with the students where they'd feel free to talk to him.

Robinson also made sure that students realized that when they went to
him the conversations they held would be in strict confidentiality,
so that unless that student meant harm to themselves or another they
could open up without worrying about who would know about it the next day.

"It all boiled down to respect and positive mentorship," Robinson
said. "A lot of students wouldn't open up if they thought you were
going to go tell everyone."

During the first year of the program, Robinson had seven students who
were interested in the after-school workout program, however growing
in popularity this past year the program had 37 participants.

When he first started with the program he was asked what a workout
program had to do with preventing the use of drugs and alcohol, but
Robinson pointed out that the program not only gave the students
something to do in their spare time (other than drugs and alcohol) it
also created peer mentorship and it promoted a healthy lifestyle in general.

Out of that team Robinson created a Sun Run team, bringing 14
students down to Vancouver to participate in the Vancouver Sun Run,
an amazing feat Robinson said, considering that at the beginning of
this program these students barely participated in the mandatory gym class.

One of the biggest challenges, Robinson said, was not the work with
the students but with getting everyone, students, teachers, and
school board administrators on the same page with this program, to
realize the importance that the program had, not just within the
school but within the community.

"I tried to make the most efficient, useful program out there,"
Robinson said. "I hope that this program continues, it's a very
useful program."

When the program first began, Robinson said that Smithers Secondary
had 100 incidents with drugs and alcohol in that year, many of those
being repeat offenders. As of mid-January, he said that the school
had yet to experience one incident of substance abuse in the school.

"I was quite pleased," Robinson said, "I based everything on the
respect factor and that was probably the key to my success."

While Robinson loved the work an opportunity came up for him to work
with the child youth mental health program in Terrace, an opportunity
he couldn't let go. Robinson began his new job early this spring and
now spends his time working with youth in Terrace.

Robinson is taking his experience from the A&D program and using it
to help bridge the gap there. Respect is still his number one policy
and so far he's enjoying the new challenge.

"It was a wonderful opportunity to be at the ground level of a new
program and to link with an extremely strong team," Robinson said,
adding that though his new job may be in Terrace his home remains
here in Smithers.