YOUTH BELIEVE DRUGS, ALCOHOL OK

Study Highlights Youth's Needs

A significant percentage of Squamish youth believe drug and alcohol
use is acceptable, according to results from the 2005 Squamish Youth
Survey, and a community working group will focus on programs to
discourage this perception.

"We have seen some new risk factor themes arise in the 2005 data
around perceived availability of drugs and parental attitudes," said
Christine Buttkus of Communities that Care (CTC).

"The good news is we are showing improvement and are coming closer to
the norm, but there is still a continued need to increase protective
factors and decrease risk factors to meet the targets set for our community."

The CTC and a broad range of community stakeholders are in their
sixth year of September to June monthly meetings in attempts to
identify where the community needs help. Two programs have so far
been introduced into Squamish families including the Strengthening
Families program for children 6 to 12 and their parents, and the High
Scope approach to education, currently used in two Squamish pre-schools.

The programs provide children with protective factors, such as social
skills, as ways to buffer them against the presence of risky
pressures in the community, and the results have been positive, said Buttkus.

The CTC is working on two new programs to address the issue of norms
favourable toward alcohol and drug use. The Municipal Alcohol Policy
and the Social Marketing Campaign will help raise awareness on ways
residents can set positive examples for the local youth.

"Our goal is to reduce the community level risk factors and increase
the protective factors that contribute to five youth health and
behaviour problems: teen pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse,
delinquency, violence and school drop out," said Buttkus.

Interested community members are welcome to get more information by
visiting the CTC website at www.ctcsquamish.com.