The Regional Multicultural Youth Council started by re-evaluating the ideas we had in my former blog about their Christmas party.  We decided to do activities with a purpose, such as donations of food and clothing, carolling, and clothing making, such as knitting to donate to causes in Thunder Bay.  The RMYC does frequent walk-throughs in the community to find issues and make surveys from their results for youth.  They may do one of these at the party if it’s nice enough weather.  They began to further discuss their dance they are planning for Dennis Franklin Cromarty students.  They asked Josh DePerry, a local DJ, to come to their dance.  Also, because it’s an overnighter, they looked at providing snacks, breakfast and Christmas movies.

We set a date to meet with the Mayor and focused their topics to bullying, the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, the new youth centre plans and its importance, and a campaign to end racism.  The reason we are having the meeting is to refresh what we are doing in the community, creating our new youth centre, and bringing issues to his attention with possible solutions.

The youth council had a two hour discussion after the meeting about getting to a point in their lives where they can reach open acceptance of others.  We discussed ways of starting something where everyone realizes their potential.  The team each went around the circle and described turning points in our lives and our involvement with the RMYC.  Some themes were responsibility, power, interaction, skills, encouragement, and meaningful engagement.  There were two masters of education students there who were presenting that the youth go around to schools and show how we get along, through video or other means.  The challenge we may encounter is students forgetting about their learning in the workshop after returning to daily life, so it was suggested that we have RMYC chapters in all of the schools, ongoing workshops in schools, and follow-up from events.

The overall consensus is to, “create places and people that welcome youth, where youth see themselves reflected in those who have chosen to work with them” (Block, p. 166).  The youth are all in agreement that there is a stark difference between their schools and the centre.  One young woman stated that she could meet someone at school and not develop any sort of friendship, but if that same person went to the RMYC, s/he would be her best friend.  The youth feel a strong connection and love coming back because they are happier and more fulfilled.  They are proud that their group is diverse and they see that as their strength.  After all, the mission is to engage all youths, regardless of race, ethnicity, or cultural background. 

The RMYC began because of the International Youth Year in 1985, where the government funded a regional youth conference.  The youth from the conference convened and wanted to make change happen.  But, the turning point was before that, when Moffat Makuto was hired to start the Multicultural Association of Northwestern Ontario, by travelling to communities across the region to recruit board members.  The board formed in 1980 and acted as a parent organization for the RMYC.  The founding president, Melanie Goodchild, is of First Nations background, and though the group had a goal to bridge the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, they decided to name the group Multicultural to represent who they were, all inclusive.

The youth are fighting against the negative representation in the media.  They also said that they do not like the mindless glorification of ideal youth culture, which they think perpetuates a lot of false ideals and unachievable feats.  These youth are not all privileged, but they have common ground of open-minded acceptance.  I have so much hope for these youth and I see myself in them.  As Peter Block, author of Community, says, “youth are a unifying force in community.  Hard to argue against the next generation.  An alternative future opens when we shift our view of youth (say 14 to 24 years old) from problem to possibility, from deficiency to gift” (p. 165).

The website www.cssdp.org defines the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP) as, “a grassroots network comprised of youth and students who are concerned about the negative impact our drug policies have on individuals and communities. CSSDP considers problematic drug use in society primarily a health issue rather than a criminal justice issue, and advocates for appropriate responses to reduce and prevent harm from drug use. CSSDP provides education and resources to empower chapters formed by students and youth in their work on substance use issues facing their peer groups and communities. CSSDP mobilizes it members to participate in the political process at all levels, pushing for sensible policies to achieve a safer and more just future, while combating counterproductive drug policies, particularly those that directly harm young people.”

The Thunder Bay group is in its initial stages of becoming a chapter of Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP).  However, unlike the many other chapters it is not based out of a university, as we wanted to be inclusive with our group because who we are is not limited to university students.  It took some time to come up with a chapter name, but the slower things are done, the better the process is at addressing everyone’s ideas.  The name is now CSSDP – Thunder Bay Region, so that we may one day involve other communities in the initiatives that we undertake.  The initiative will be housed by the Thunder Bay Drug Strategy who gets moneys and reports back with the City Council.  Their funders also meet twice a year to meet the needs of the priorities established by the drug strategy.  This group is credible because of what they have produced, so it is great that students and youth of CSSDP are invited to have the Thunder Bay Youth Strategy as adult partners.

Some of the people we are inviting to the table are students of social work, sociology, nursing, law, child and youth worker, and paramedics as well as other programs.  The group decided on an executive with a chair, vice-chair, secretary, technology, and outreach officer.  The conference that they had last year was a huge success, and please sees my previous “Pot, Pills and Parties” blog for more information.  We are already in the works of planning another conference, with themes identified by young people and organized through hard work.  The idea is to start working and the money will flow through fundraising efforts.

Some of the other sub-committees are the technology committee, media, and research/education.  Someone brought up the idea of having an advocacy committee, but everyone agreed that this group is all about advocacy, so that will be an overarching objective of all the group members.  The group is diverse, with members from smaller Northwestern Ontario communities and representing agencies such as Dilico and AIDS Thunder Bay.  The facebook page for the group is more active than any I’ve ever seen before and can be founds here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2344624843#!/groups/potpillsandparties/ We are also planning on starting a twitter page.

What place does a controversial, youth-run organization have in our community?  It provides fresh, new ideas to a system that nobody questions or possibly even understands.  It gives youth a stake in proactive initiatives and sheds light on some of their rights that may not be common knowledge.  It gives youth responsibility over their future and creating the harm reduction approaches that help them get there.  The idea is that someone/others believe in what we’re doing and will help us in our efforts to provide for the best interests of our community.  CSSDP is now meeting in a local coffeehouse back room, but that is where change must begin.  It is a slow movement, but the slower it is, the better it is when the project all comes together.

Imagine a bicycle recycling project that involved the community at every level: the collecting, fixing, fundraising, and shipping of bikes at our end; and the maintenance, distribution, transportation, and operation of bikes sent to 3^rd world countries.  As a Social Work student, I eat this up.  Bicycles for Humanity has sent 8 containers of donated and tuned up bikes and most recently sent a container of 500 bikes this month!  You can view a video documenting the process here:  http://player.vimeo.com/video/16983718?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0

This project is very grassroots, as the bikes come from community members and fixed by people who have local roots, but they are achieving something that would seem near impossible without collaboration.  They operate out of the basement of an art gallery in downtown Fort William in Thunder Bay.  I had the chance to see the location and learn about fixing bikes along with youth from the Katimavik program and the New Experiences Program.  A portion of the bikes that are donated go towards local projects such as these.  There have been over 4500 bikes donated altogether.

What the bikes do in countries such as Namibia, is provide transportation, health care, and food.  An orphanage that was donated bikes had over 30 youth staying there.  They were all into drugs and violence but when given the bikes, they immediately all turned their lives around and every single one of them is in school.  The program provides jobs to the community, as the bikes are not just dumped in Africa, but they are given to maintenance workers who then distribute them as a business venture and work on the bikes to create sustainability of the project.  Where hospitals are far away and people used to transport others on the end of their bike, the maintenance shops have created bicycle carts to attach to the end of their bike.  Medical supplies such as first aid kits and HIV/AIDS prevention packages are also distributed to at-risk areas with the use of the bikes.  Also, what used to be a difficult trip to access food at long distances, is now made easier.

The community members who receive, improve, and send the bikes are passionate about the cause.  And, those who donate the bikes are glad to get rid of the dust collectors in their sheds.  The Thunder Bay youth get to learn bicycle maintenance skills and may get to keep one which they ordinarily wouldn’t be able to afford.  At all levels, this is a truly innovative, inventive, and inspiring undertaking and involves the community in an organic way.

The next step after involving small business in social entrepreneurship is to blur the sectors of not-for-profit and for-profit.  I attended a webinar on November 16, 2011 on this the topic of creating shared values among the business and non-profit world, which was put on by the Social Innovation Generation (SIG) organization.  The idea of collaborating with business invites new avenues for philanthropy and new ways of engaging the community.  This past summer, I had a Program Development Intern position for PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise.  PARO’s idea is to engage small business owners in Thunder Bay in training, support and circles to enhance the scope of small business start-up and growth in Northwestern Ontario. 

Many smaller organizations could benefit from getting business on board.  The SIG webinar presenter, Alyson Hewitt, gave some important tips she had learned through her involvement with MaRS Discovery District.  She said to stay grounded and that knowing the language, tools and resources you need to move to the next level is important.  For businesses, instead of handing over a giant cheque in the picture, their dedication to the social impact bonds would be shown in volunteering for the organization.  The main pull for businesses to get involved in social ventures and enterprising is the social return on investment, such as reduced criminal justice, lower school drop-out numbers and reduced young Moms. 

The changes that are brought about at the corporate level change the way we see corporations.  Success stories, such as the Dove ‘Real Beauty’ project and Shoppers Drug Mart’s ‘Women’s Health’ project can provide examples for businesses who want to engage in social change.  Staff and volunteers can learn from the involvement.  Not-for-profits can meet the business where they are at by aligning themselves with the business. Peter Block , author of the book ‘Community,’ describes small business for, “social activists [who] acknowledge that without some wealth coming into their neighbourhoods, they will continue to depopulate and deteriorate” (p. 168).

There is a place for small business and a place for government and Universities in building community.  Listening to the speaker, I began to get ideas about the potential of smaller communities to encourage and nurture social entrepreneurship.  What usually stops the two hemispheres of business and non-profit from overlapping is the fear of the power of business.  But we need to change our perception of business in order to get a stake in our community.  When the two hemispheres collide, there would be no real reason to fear the stronghold of money-making endeavours because they have a role in knowledge brokering and the accumulation of new skills.

 

Every 3^rd Saturday of the month, musicians, poets, singers, and songwriters gather at The Learning Cafe for a few hours to shine a light on Aboriginal talent.  The organizers invite guests to get comfortable, snack on dishes brought by their peers, and share some of their performance skills with the crowd.  Many local acts have had their start at this venue and for some it is a way to express themselves and share their life’s struggles. 

One staff named Paul who is from Negahneewin College has a background in Community Development at Algonquin College.  He brings his children to the event and engages the crowd in his guitar/vocals entertainment.  I got the chance to talk with him about the initiative and he said there are not many community projects like this one, as it is a gathering that promotes change through music and sharing.  Even the Dean of the College came one night and sang while there was an open jam with all the artists. 

Negahneewin is an Ojibwe word for “Leading the Way,” and the event is promoted as a gathering place where developers invite those in the margins of society.  Robin Ranger, one of the staff and local musicians, has often referred to the Aboriginal community as a hot spot for so much hidden talent. This event is a way to focus on gifts, on associational life, and at transformation that occurs through music.  Too often when we discuss the Aboriginal community, we are focusing on deficiencies and needs.  Creating a cultural community where members are encouraged to share their strength and courage with others through song brings hope and value built into gatherings.

At Negahneewin College of Academic and Community Development, their priority is, “to sustain a learning space described by diversity, self-reliance and success in learning. The classroom is only the beginning.”  Members embrace a learning culture where their peers are from many backgrounds and interests, sharing traditions and creating common ground.  The Learning Cafe is a small group taking small steps, but the self-esteem of those who sign up to entertain carries through the community like a ripple effect.  The role modelling that is achieved through the open mic encourages many through life’s challenges and creates growth in the strength of the Aboriginal community so that they may thrive and keep their culture abundant and lively.

What better way to turn isolation into sociability than to bring the commonly solitary task of preparing food into a group kitchen gathering?  When we gather in a setting in which we feel as though we’re among friends, and do something that brings us pleasure, we create circles of strength, thus connecting in ways that promote change. 

This particular event was held by the Indian Friendship Centre and the host was inviting participants to engage in their own way and bring added knowledge to the conversation.  The menu was healthy and before we began to try out the recipes for recipes including fish cakes, grilled salmon, salmon patties, and lemon salmon, we discussed the preparation techniques from different cultures regarding cooking with fish.  We discussed wverything from buying fish to gutting and smoking it and the convener and others had many important tips. 

The participants were community members of all ages and cultures and there was a large amount of food cooked with everyone contributing.  Community kitchens are a great way to create friendships and support as food is a connection point for families and thus holds great value.  The event was held at The Learning Cafe which is a creation of Negahneewin College of Academic and Community Development.  The Learning Cafe was started by the Dean of this College and has branched out into a gathering space that is lent out to community groups who would like to host an event or series of events. 

The staff member encouraged me to start running a program and explained that there was another student who hosts pregnancy workshops for single Moms.  They created a place where community members can take ownership over their lives and make use of the resources they have in order to initiate learning that is important to them or that they are knowledgeable about.

The participants were all invited through networking with the assumption that if they come, they will help to contribute to the process.  The gift is that everyone involved can enjoy the end product and learn the skills that can help to enhance their healthy living.  There is a quote that applies here: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”  Also, with new technology, one of the participants was taking pictures of the process for his website to send to contacts up north, with detailed descriptions of how to follow the instructions.

A former high school transformed into a house for the arts, sports, not-for-profits, markets, small business endeavours.  If Social Workers create community by trying new things, opening up a school to the public to use as they wish would be a wonderful way to tread new ground collectively.  Walking through the hallways, the environment captures all of the things I had wished high school could be when I was going through school.  Everything from hand drumming and belly dancing to at LGBTQ Resource Centre, this is the school that will bring about change.

Cleverly housed inside of a chi centre was an FASD education room.  Replacing desks with space to move, dance, jam, and cheer is a dream of every young person.  But, there are also markets where you can buy baking, crafts, spices, and art as well as a coffee shop where friends can chat and use the space to unwind after an intense class of, for example, martial arts practice.

The selling points are “shared spaces, shared expenses, shared vision, joint events, networking, and mentoring.”  They are looking for conveners such as visionaries, pioneers, member businesses, benefactors, and partners.  The conversation is one of realizing your dreams in a safe, supportive environment where cooperation comes before working in silos and inclusivity is paramount. 

The mandate is to “provide a healthy, positive, all inclusive environment that supports, encourages, and incubates innovative ideas, and collaborative approaches as will as the very entities housed within the Centre.  To support, rather than manage or direct the growth of this dynamic new business community.  To promote this healthy, positive, all inclusive environment to potential member businesses, to the business community, the Thunder Bay community as a whole, and to other communities who may wish to replicate our success!” 

The vision is “A vibrant, dynamic environment made up of autonomous profit and non-profit entities brought together through a shared interest in conversation, collaboration, reciprocal mentoring and change; an interest realized through open dialogue, as we search for and discover innovative answers to current questions.” 

The greeter whose project has come to life is Sandi Boucher, a local community motivational speaker and author.  Her energy is inspiring and her love of the community shows through in everything she does.  She has written the book, “Honorary Indian,” which is an inspirational guide and the book is in stock at Chapters.  She is also a business consultant and has acted as Executive Director of the Volunteer Resource Centre.  She is a driving force behind this community hot spot, and she also has an daily motivational website which can be found here: http://www.sandiboucher.ca/Thoughts.htm.  She is someone who doesn’t hold anything back and there is no room for dissent in her work.  She has created a channel for community members to define what they want and she accommodates.  This is the 80-20 rule, where the majority of people define what the centre will consist of, and the minority takes it in and creates space for it.

The media coverage on the event is here http://www.tbnewswatch.com/video/23211/Centre-of-Change

Part of community is feeling a part of something bigger.  The Take Back the Night marches that happen across Canada to end violence against women create safety though emotional, spiritual, and psychological membership among supporters.  The event was planned by the Gender Issues Centre at Lakehead University.  This year, it was held at the Port Arthur Collegiate Institute which had walls covered in beautiful Aboriginal art.

The event started with a First Nation’s ceremony and prayer, including a smudge.  Then, a Master’s student gave a touching account of her research findings about prostitutes.  She shifted the attention from problems in the community to the possibility of the community if everyone took on the responsibility to defend these women.  Then, there was a passionate account of personal experience by a woman whose daughter was raped and murdered at age 19 in Moose Factory.  Just before the march, Robert Barrett spoke from the Catholic Family Development Centre about a man’s perspective to the issue, providing hope and a gentle support. 

Next, the women left for an hour long walk circling around downtown Port Arthur, chanting, yelling, talking, and laughing.  There were honking horns from cars going by to show support, as well as encouragement from people walking by and peaking out of buildings and stores.  The women’s stories were heartbreaking, but the important part is we are there together, struggling, moving forward, and finding strength in the whole. 

8 out of 10 Aboriginal women in Ontario had personally experienced family violence in an Ontario Native Women’s Association study.  In some Aboriginal communities, the rates are as high as 80-90% of women experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner.  Violence often goes unreported and unpunished.  When an issue has such prevalence, it is important to listen to the women’s stories and provide support to each other to create a future distinct from the past.  Social Workers can make change by taking action and speaking out at events such as this and taking every opportunity to help a fellow citizen find their way out of harmful situations. 

After the women arrived back, they were encouraged to view the information booths and listen to some entertainment from local artist Nancy McNabb.  The women left with a positive message of hope and were able to feel strength in their community and believe that change is possible.  Students, children, men, women, professionals, and Aboriginal women of all age groups, religions, and socioeconomic classes were able to connect around a common goal: to stop violence and end hate.

 

The Sister Margaret Smith Centre gym was filled with families, dancers, drummers, youth, and elders for the 2^nd Annual Mini Sobriety Pow-Wow.  The event coincides with National Addictions Awareness week and invites anyone to attend, including treatment centres, concerned citizens, and program youth.  The Pow-Wow got underway after some chili and bannock, with the grand entry and passionate drumming at 6:00pm.  This exhibition of culture attracted a huge crowd in Thunder Bay, where the population is increasingly more Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal.  Drummers and dancers came in and signed in at the registration and went to their change rooms to prepare for a night of ‘dancing the Pow-Wow trail.’ Although this is a smaller sized event, some of the drummers and dancers have experience performing all across the country.

What this creation of community wellness means to me is growth and acknowledgement that culture is an important part of creating community relations.  Spaces that are culturally-sensitive promote change and when people who are not Aboriginal can support this change, it shows integration of community values.  The chosen value is sobriety, so it was an alcohol- and drug-free event.   As part of the planning team, I had the chance to see how we decided to invite centres, agencies, and organizations who could benefit from the type of cultural healing that is conveyed through the spirit of the drum at a Pow-Wow.  The event Master of Ceremonies has experience with this type of healing as it has been the major shift in his own battle with addiction.

The volunteers who helped the event to run smoothly were all taking small steps towards creating a successful community-driven population of concerned citizens.  These volunteers worked hard all night to make sure that everyone was served food, seated, and cleaned up after.  They gave of their own time, some of them for school community hours, to contribute to an event that will be remembered for a long time.  The key word is ‘recovery’ as the small group of youth involved in the event are people first, then their addiction which may be an aspect of their lives but it is not the defining factor.  This event taught me about the spirit of the Aboriginal force in our isolated community and how it brings us so much knowledge, wisdom and strength.

The Regional Multicultural Youth Council has always been close to my heart.  When I was in high school, I discovered this amazing place and began volunteering my time to plan programs and events for youth, which we fundraised for through hard work.  What drew me to this organization was empowering youth to get engaged in their community through youth-led initiatives that involve youth regardless of race, ethnicity, or cultural background.

The youth meet at Dennis Franklin Cromarty high school weekly and this past Saturday, Master’s of Education students came for the beginning to introduce some team building to the group.  The more time the group takes to get to know each other, the better they build on dynamic strengths of members.  And, it’s a safe, fun way to begin working on the anxiety-provoking issues that these young people are addressing, such as creating youth spaces, youth engagement, and designing community strategies.

The meeting soon got underway and the youth were preparing what to say at a meeting with Mayor Keith Hobbs about potential youth centre locations, priorities, and operation logistics.  Next, they were discussing the joint Regional Multicultural Youth Centre/Dennis Franklin Cromarty Christmas party.  They planned a Halloween party together which was very successful and the event article link from Wawatay News is below.  Some of the activities planned for their Christmas party are to have a hand-made secret Santa, a multicultural potluck, and karaoke.  Lastly, the youth are presently creating a booklet of activities/workshops for conferences such as the Youth Embracing Diversity and Equality conference where the youth council hosts a workshop each year.

While acting as youth council president, I started a girl’s collective to empower young women to realize their passions and follow their dreams.  The present coordinator of the Girl Power program is Stephanie Kawei and she recently planned a Halloween party and is now training students to deliver programs in their schools through a video-making partnership with the Community Arts and Heritage Education Project.

I want to end with a quote from the Executive Director of the Multicultural Association of Northwestern Ontario who is an adult partner to the youth council and provides limitless amounts of support, guidance, and advisory assistance. Moffat Makuto responded to the Roots to Youth Violence report by saying, “Improving the quality of life for children and youth and creating a positive, healthy and safe environment shows a caring community... Affordable recreational activities reduce boredom, promote fitness, and engage kids in healthy fun activities...  This will reduce delinquency and save a fortune in costly correctional services and rehabilitation of young and repeat offenders.  This will make our schools and community safer and more secure for everyone.”

 Regional Multicultural Youth Council website:

http://my.tbaytel.net/manwoyc

Halloween sleepover article in Wawatay News

http://www.wawataynews.ca/archive/all/2011/11/10/dfc-students-hold-sleepover_22043   

Dennis Franklin Cromarty, Thunder Bay’s First Nation’s high school, hosted a 2 day cultural and traditional teachings event with many exciting community role models, most of whom were of the culture they were presenting.  Breakfast and lunch was provided for students who attended the school activity.  Attendance was low among DFC students, but those who did attend spoke highly of their learning from the workshop.  Also, students from Westgate and Superior Ojibway classes were invited to attend the second day in the afternoon as part of their coursework.  It also acted as a professional development day as teachers and educational assistants were encouraged to attend.

One of the sessions was Métis jigging and fiddling, where the students danced with each other, their teachers and community members while listening to live fiddle music.  Students who wanted a half day field trip went on a hike to snare rabbits, but students couldn’t catch them because they were trampling on the ground.  Role models in the community came in to do drumming with the youth.  A full-day session was birch basket weaving and medicine bag/earring crafts were constructed in the art room.  There was wild food preparation and cooking and the moose meat that was prepared was given to the workshop leaders.  There was a session on cultural sensitivity.  Lacrosse was played as well as outdoor survival and gun safety.  Bannock making was in the kitchen.  Alice Sabourin, who is a MSW graduate from Lakehead University, had a hand drumming and traditional teachings gathering in the DFC tipi with a bonfire. 

Lastly, there was drumming and traditional teachings with Ron Kanutski, who is the cultural coordinator of the New Experiences Program.  This is the one that I attended and listened as he spoke of personality colours, discussed the process of getting your colours through traditional ceremony and the importance of using these colours in your life, through regalia, clothing, and spiritual items.  He also revealed that the drum originally came from the Lakota people, and the drum he was using was 100 years old.  He sang traditional songs and involved the participants in some drumming.

The school event helped to address many of the suggestions the students identified in a 2011 DFC Students Survey compiled by the Regional Multicultural Youth Council.  These included providing more recreation opportunities for students, learning and speaking their language, and hosting cultural and traditional events and activities.  The students said they wanted a school for Aboriginals with the right to be who they are.  Residential schools took that away with culture-killing because they were one-sided in terms of the cultural sharing.  Also identified in the report was the student priority of recreation.  The students wanted activities other than sports, as some could not make the team and they wanted to connect with a wider cross section of other students.

Because many of the students feel they do not have the skills to organize their own activities, I left with the question, “How can we encourage the youth to create their own projects and lead cultural/traditional programs and projects within the community?”

The following link is a profile on Dennis Franklin Cromarty shown on The Fifth Estate called “Stories from the River’s Edge” http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/2011-2012/storiesfromtheriversedge/#idc-cover

The document I referred to called “DFC 2011 Students Survey Report” can be found here: http://my.tbaytel.net/manwoyc/projects/reports.html

Community is created through designing solutions.  When we think of community, we think of all of the issues and problems.  The "Pot, Pills, and Parties" Conference held at the Lakehead Labour Centre focused on drug policy reform and was more concerned with the possibility of change than the disheartening situations that have gained so much media coverage.  When community members with a like vision, like interests gather in a common meeting place, innovation happens.  Through stories shared by the retired judge, Honorable Marvin G. Morten, the conference turned from legal issues to insightful discussion about creative prevention methods. 

The overarching theme of the conference was preventative rather than reactionary methods, as it is not beneficial to the community to simply throw drug abusers into ‘super jails.’  In fact, the conference itself was a preventative measure, because it educated participants about their rights and the legal penalties of drug abuse, so that policy reform could happen with informed citizens. 

Another theme was looking to the needs of those with drug addiction.  This methodology relates to the Social Determinants of Health, namely housing, education, unemployment and job security, physical and mental health, and social exclusion. The language was important here as, instead of focusing on conviction of criminals, the terms of choice were ‘reasoning, negotiation, and compromise’.  

Passionate speakers continued throughout the day, with a speaker from the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy who was proposing the idea of creating a chapter of this group in Thunder Bay.  As a result of the conference, interested members of the community have been gathering to plan the structure of this group. 

Although the conference had the topic of drug policy reform, the day was very topic directed, with areas identified by the Thunder Bay Youth Drug Strategy, including harm reduction for youth, overdose prevention, marijuana and the law, hosting safer parties, and realistic drug education.  There were smaller group focus break-out sessions where participants could interact with community leaders and have their say in possible strategies. 

The conference ended with a Harm Reduction panel, which turned even more to the participants for involvement in the creation of a brighter future for our community in terms of drug and alcohol policy reform.  Some of the ideas that came from this involved and passionate discussion were social networking sites dedicated to the topic, community ownership, and outreach to underserviced populations.

We create community when a diverse, dynamic, space is created by folks with like vision, voice, and vocation who are concerned with the big picture as it relates to the whole. 

The event website is here: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e4sb8ido99aa2801&llr=w55y5nhab

The newspaper coverage in The Chronicle Journal is here: http://www.tbnewswatch.com/news/Default.aspx?cid=168898