Community Dialogue about problematic youth substance use in the Okanagan – Survey Results
Continuing the Conversation – Community Dialogue about problematic youth substance use in the Okanagan
Although the recent opiate crisis has lent certain urgency to this issue, for those who work with at-risk youth, families who have a young person struggling with the issue and the young people themselves, this has been a crisis for quite some time. The Bridge Youth & Family Services and its partners believe it is a community problem, but are also convinced that there is a community solution. This dialogue will help us discover that way forward.
Image used under license by Jan H HAndersen, Shutterstock.com
The ‘Continuing the Conversation’ event will allow organizers the opportunity to present results from the Starting the Conversation Survey that has been in circulation since July. The survey is open for completion until Monday, September 18th. The event will also highlight several new community resources dedicated to respond to the issue, and facilitate a panel discussion amongst local experts to respond to community concerns and questions.
‘Continuing the Conversation’ is open to all who have an interest. The event is scheduled for September 21st at 6 pm the Laurel Packing House located at 1304 Ellis Street, Kelowna. Please join us by registering with Eventbrite.
This event is made possible with the financial support of The Children & Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Local Action Team and the Centre for Addiction Research BC and the shared leadership of ARC Programs Ltd., the Foundry, CMHA and the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club.
Starting the conversation…
On behalf of numerous family and community serving organizations in the Central Okanagan, The Bridge Youth & Family Services is initiating a dialogue to discuss how we can best support the young people in our community who are experiencing problematic substance use.
Our conversation to date has included focus groups with professionals, young people, and their families. Moving forward, we are expanding the circle in an effort to hear from as many people as we can to determine our community’s priorities for service.
The Bridge will be encouraging completion of this survey and will be inviting dialogue via Twitter and Facebook over the summer months. On September 21, we will be hosting an event open to the entire community at the Laurel Packing House. The event will give us the opportunity to reflect what we’ve heard, invite further dialogue, and to update families on new services now available to them.
We believe this dialogue is important, and timely. Please join the conversation by completing the survey, and inviting your friends and family to do the same.
If you need help now:
911
Kelowna Community Resources Crisis Line 1-888-353-2273
http://youthspace.ca/ & text 778-783-0177
Helpline for Children 310-1234
Distress Line (BC Wide), 1-800-784-2433
Kids Help Phone, 1-800-668-6868
Addictions and Counselling Services, Westbank First Nation, 250-768-0227 (not a crisis line)
Online chat options:
http://youthinbc.com/
http://youthspace.ca/
Other Resources:
MCFD: Youth Response Team, 250-861-7610
Okanagan Boys and Girls Club, Overnight Program, Kelowna
Youth Shelter, 250-868-8541
Jaycees Downtown Youth Centre, Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs, 250-868-8541
Familysmart PiR 250-212-3030 familysmart.ca.
The Bridge Youth & Family Services, 250-763-0456
Al-Anon, 250-763-5555
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program, Support Line, 1-855-474-9777
Changes Youth Alcohol and Drug Program, ARC Programs Ltd., 250-763-2977
Kelowna Alcohol and Drug Services, 250-868-7788
Alcoholics Anonymous, 250-763-5555
Cocaine Anonymous, CRISIS LINE, 1-866-662-8300
Narcotics Anonymous, 1-877-604-7613
Youth Addiction Services, 1-604-871-0450
Kelowna Family Centre, 250-860-3181