COPS FISH FOR YOUTH DRUG PREVENTION

Police in Nanaimo hope to lure kids away from drugs and alcohol with
fishing trips.

Cpl. Jake Ryan, head of Nanaimo RCMP's First Nation Policing Unit, was
casting around for ideas to draw at-risk Snuneymuxw First Nation youth
into drug and alcohol prevention education, but knew advertising an
RCMP drug lecture just wouldn't work.

Figuring learning should be fun, Ryan hooked onto the idea of fishing
trips as a way to lure kids in.

"We were looking for a fun way to try and get drug and alcohol
education messages and provincial messages across," Ryan said. "So we
looked to this venue and it worked really well because the kids really
wanted to be there."

The first excursion launched June 3 with six children, three RCMP
members and a First Nation fishery guardian, but the program took
months to get afloat. It had to be coordinated with the Snuneymuxw
First Nation and the program needed a boat and fishing gear.

Harbour Chandler donated $500 worth of life vests for the children and
Wholesale Sports chipped in with discounts on fishing tackle.
Newcastle Island provides a 40-foot aluminum skiff for the trips and
First Nation fishery guardians who help the children with their
fishing skills and cultural education.

The excursions take out six children per trip and police try to focus
on children ages 8-16.

"This is the age demographic that kids normally look towards trying
drugs, trying alcohol, so we try to get our mentorship in at the same
time to give that opposing help and assistance to deal with what's
troubling them in their lives," Ryan said.

The police act as mentors and who the children can confide in about
troubles at home, school and other areas of their lives. Those talks
are opportunities for the officers to help steer kids in the right
direction.

Officers also keep an eye out for children who appear to need
professional help and guidance from First Nations health centres and
counsellors.

"It's more mentorship than formalized education," Ryan
said.

A lot of the work is to improve the relations with police officers, to
break down old cultural and historic barriers, and cast the RCMP in
the role of people who can be trusted to help when children and their
families when they find themselves in difficult times and situations.

"It gives us an opportunity to build relationships and mentor the kids
towards positive lifestyles and encourage them towards schooling and
career goals - things like that," Ryan said.

Any fish the kids catch are sent home with them so the families can
cook them up for dinner.

Several large rock cod were landed in the boat off the north side of
Gabriola Island on last week's fishing trip.

William Yoachim, a Snuneymuxw First Nation councillor and executive
director of Kwumut Lelum Child and Family Services, said he sees the
program as a foundation for building a positive relationship with the
RCMP that will lead to future projects.

"There's a need for the RCMP, of course, but also First Nations and
RCMP haven't had the greatest history in the past, so it's about
relationship-building and it's also about community-building and I
couldn't think of a more appropriate initiative than for our youth to
go out there fishing in our back yard," Yoachim said. "It's brilliant
and I lift up my hands for Jake for promoting and getting this rolling
- - and the youth director and the youth of Snuneymuxw for participating
in such a wonderful project."

The excursions happen every Thursday until school starts in September.