The Next Generation of Communication

1. The Next Generation of Communication Alternative methods of practice for connecting with clients Limitless Possibilities through Freedom from Addictions

2. Addiction Services of Thames Valley Celebrating our 25th year of serving the Thames Valley area (Middlesex, Oxford and Elgin Counties) Our Services: • Substance Abuse concerns • Problem Gambling concerns • Individuals, families and the community • Age 12+ / Male and female • Assessment, Treatment Planning, Referrals, Outpatient Counselling / Case Management • Community Development, Prevention

4. Addiction Services of Thames Valley Background: • Understanding of current generation of youth and substance use • Utilize and expand on Best Practices for working with youth and substance misuse * • Resource and communication gaps and barriers • Youth empowerment four pillar model: Family, Service Providers, Community, YOUTH * CCSA – Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

5. Communication To open dialogue between youth, caregivers and service providers in order to prevent youth from using illicit substances. Youth Parents & Youth Allies Peers & Other Youth Service Providers

6. PIER Project Elgin County Peers, Information, Education, Resources “A holistic approach to prevention against illicit substance use by youth” Production of this Material has been made possible through a financial contribution from Health Canada.

7. What Others Have Said… “Having been involved in a peer to peer model, I truly believe that it works and it is exciting to see it used in another program” -18 year old female, Oxford County “I wanted to be involved in this because I really think parents need to learn how to talk to their kids better about drugs”  -16 year old Female, Elgin County “Adults telling youth information, isn’t the same as when a youth tells another youth the same thing…youth listen to other youth, it’s more personal” -16 year old female, Elgin County “My younger sister comes to me to ask about drugs all the time, and I’m always trying to find the best information to help her. I think this is a great project because it not only helps me to talk to my friends and little sister better but I’m also learning REAL facts about drugs that aren’t biased” – 17 year old female, Elgin County

8. Oxford & Elgin Focus Group Demographics • To date we have hosted 21 youth focus groups in Oxford & Elgin Counties • Youth participants have ranged in age from 12 to 19 • The PIER Project has accessed youth through: high schools, youth centres, probation, leadership retreats, narcotics anonymous, etc.

9. Focus Group Questions Below are some questions that are included in the focus group: • Who do youth talk to about drugs? • How do youth gain knowledge regarding drugs? • Do youth get pressured to use drugs? If so what or who pressure them? • Do youth use resources in regards to drugs? • What ‘type’ of resources do youth prefer? • Do youth know where to access these resources?

10. Adult & Youth Survey Design • We designed an adult and youth survey in order to receive additional feedback from those who were unable to attend in a focus group • We had the survey available online through survey monkey as well as hard copies which we distributed as various events and presentations • To date we have received over 300 surveys from adults and youth

11. Initial Findings of the Project

12. “It makes us focus and zone in on our work” Male Youth Why do youth use drugs? “well it would be like stressin on something. You keep thinking about it and just take them to forget about it or something.” Male youth “and curiosity” Male youth “it does make you money…I mean some people have some nice stuff from selling drugs and everything” Female youth “to fit in, not like peer pressure, but silent pressures” Female youth “So to be into a group like that (popular kids)…you’ll be a somebody.” Female youth “You can pretty much assume about 80% of the school smokes weed. It’s very easy to get marijuana in high school. School authority overreacts way too much when it comes to marijuana, it doesn’t affect anyone else in any negative way what so ever.” Female youth

13. Who or What Pressures Youth to Use Drugs?

14. What would make you feel more comfortable talking to adults about drugs?

15. Responses

16. “I think it’s great to get parents involved; they need to know how to talk to us and not just nag at us” – 17 year old female, Oxford County Q: What do you want caregivers to know? “Don’t tell your kids that they’re screw ups just because they tried” -15 year old female, Elgin County “Don’t freak out on us, that is the worst thing to do” -18 year old male, Oxford County “any parents that say they have open communication with their kids, usually don’t” -16 year old female, Elgin County

17. Insider’s Report: a conversation with teens about drugs • Don’t Harass • Do give space • Do give time • Don’t Over-React • -Do be calm • -Do be open to options • Don’t Criticize • -Do respect their choices • -Do understand their reasons Don’t jump to conclusions -Do listen -Do let them explain Don’t be afraid -Do ask -Do engage in conversation Don’t Smother -Do let them come to you -Do show you care and want to talk

18. What do youth want to know about substances?

19. ACTIVITY

20. “I don’t think youth use resources, I know when I get pamphlets or information it ends up on my bedroom floor” -17 year old female, Oxford County Q: What type of resource do you think youth would prefer? “ Online…You can look it up on your phone now too, you can just whip out your phone and just look it up on the internet” – 17 year old female, Oxford County “ TV shows…like Intervention…I actually kind of like watching those things cuz you get to see it from a different perspective, but you also learn stuff too, it’s cool, it’s sad though.” -15 year old female, Elgin County “I think it’s a good idea because there needs to be better resources” - 16 year old female, Elgin County

22. Drugs and Music Music can stimulate the mind, stir the soul and elicit emotions • Listening to music is a popular leisure activity among youth; music is readily accessible and youth are repeatedly exposed to its messages • These lyrics positively display the use of drugs and may be contributing to their desirability and normalization in society

23. Drugs and Music Research The use of illicit substances in song lyrics is on the rise The number of rap songs containing drug references increased each year from 1996 to 2001. This result parallels the increase in ecstasy use among high school adolescents. A total of 35 songs glorified and glamorized ecstasy use while only 15 songs discouraged its use. Song lyrics relating to illicit substances are found in many genres of music including hip hop, rap, R & B, rock, heavy metal and country.

24. ”This ecstasy has got me standin next to you but in the long run these drugs are probably gonna catch up sooner or later, but f*** it I'm on one, so let's enjoy, let that X destroy your spinal chord, so it's not a straight line no more” - Eminem

25. “I need drugs baking soda, cocaine, how sweetI need to find me a crack pipe and I‘m complete I got these crack dealers chasing me through the cement jungle cuz they gave me s*** to sell and yo I smoked the whole bundle” -Necro

26. “Marijuana is everywhere, where was you brought up?” But your young, you got a lot of drugs to do” -Eminem

27. “Pick it, pack it, fire it up, come along and take hits from the bongPut the blunt down just for a secondDon't get me wrong it's not a new methodInhale, Exhale - just got an ounce in the mailI like a blunt or a big fat coneBut my double barrel bong is gettin me stoned” – Cypress Hill

28. “Cause we all just wanna be big rockstarsAnd live in hilltop houses driving fifteen carsThe girls come easy and the drugs come cheapWe'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat And we'll hide out in the private roomsWith the latest dictionary and today's who's whoThey'll get you anything with that evil smileEverybody's got a drug dealer on speed dial” - Nickleback “Gonna pop my pills from a pez dispenser” - Nickleback

29. Nuttin’ but some gangsters smokin’ and ridin’ Come on, get high with us Come on and ride with us – Ja Rule Let’s go home and get stoned We could end up making love instead of misery. Go home and get stoned - Hinder

30. Knowing this…How can we give youth the truth?

31. Resources that youth identify as useful for finding information

32. We know that many youth no longer use email. Facebook and texting is what they use to communicate • PIER Project Facebook pages have been created for both Elgin and Oxford County • Once we accept youth as our ‘friends’ we send them a message explaining that they need to change their personal settings so that we cannot see any of their personal information (wall posts, photos, etc.)

33. Below is the message that we send the Youth once they become our friend: Sorry this takes some time, but for professional confidentiality on my end I need to make sure that your profile is limited from my view. I'm not trying to be rude, but for me to keep my profile working and to keep you added as a friend we need to set your settings.Here's how:go to SETTINGSthen click PRIVACY SETTINGSclick on MANAGE PRIVACY then under PROFILE there's a bunch of different boxes to change/manage (profile, basic info, personal info, status and links, photos tagged of you, etc) for each of those you can choose who you DON'T want to see by CLICKING ON THE ARROW DOWN and at the bottom of that list is CUSTOMIZE. At the bottom of the box that comes up is a red line that says EXECPT THESE PEOPLE this is where you type in MY NAME and hit ok. If you can do this for your pictures, your photo albums, and your wall/news feeds that would be great.

34. On the Youth Prevention Workers main profile we have a disclaimer that reads: **Because of the work I do this is not my primary contact. If you need to talk to me or have me respond right away please call me: 226.374.6220**If you are facing a crisis or in immediate danger of harm please call 911.

35. TEXTING The pros of text messaging • It is what the youth prefer • “More than 75% of teens send or receive text messages and are more than likely to use text messaging than email” (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, 2009) • The majority of youth own a cell phone • “Two-thirds (63%) of teens own cell phones” (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, 2009) • “ Online…You can look it up on your phone now too, you can just whip out your phone and just look it up on the internet” – 17 year old female, Oxford County Youth typically have their cell phone with them at all times and are therefore very accessible

36. Texting cont’d The cons of text messaging • Youth Prevention Workers are accessible ALL of the time, often youth will text outside of typical work hours (evenings and weekends) • There is not a history of the messages that you can keep on file • Still a need to have relationship and explain information to youth on a personal level. • Mis-interpretation of messages can occur

37. WEBSITESwww.adstv.on.ca • Downloadable self referral forms • Self Assessment forms  • Office locator  • Family Tip sheets/information  • Youth page/PIER Project information and results • Gambling games! • Program presentations/information • Downloadable “Taking Care of You” worksheets

38. “Multiple Solutions are almost always necessary”

39. “Tell me…I forget, show me…I remember, involve me…I understand” - Ancient Proverb

40. Questions?

41. Presentation Sources • Substance Abuse in Canada: Youth in Focus. 2007. Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse Activities. AND; Harm Reduction For Special Populations in Canada AND; Action News March 2010 All available at-- www.ccsa.ca • Audience Insights: Communicating to Teens (Aged 12-17). 2009. US Department of Health and Human Services. Available through-- Lynn Sokler, Chief, MCSB Lsokler@cdc.gov or www.cdc.gov/NCHM/DHCM/MCSB • Alcohol, tobacco and illicit substances in music videos: a content analysis of prevalence and genre. Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 37, Issue 1, Pages 81-83. E.Gruber, H.Thau, D.Hill, D.Fisher, J.Grube

42. Contact Information Abbie Boesterd Youth Prevention Worker Oxford County (226) 374.6220 aboesterd@adstv.on.ca Jessica Austin Youth Prevention Worker Elgin County (519) 282.0662 jaustin@adstv.on.ca