Former addict shows kids at Carlton there’s another way

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“A lot of the younger years in my life ‘til I was 10 I was in and out of foster care, so I was like in over like 30 foster homes growing up,” said Scott. “After that I grew up around having addicted parents, and just becoming my own addict, so I was caught up in that cycle all my life.”

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Scott said that he turned his life around by going to addictions treatment as well as finding solace in learning more about his own aboriginal heritage.

“I’m still learning every day,” said Scott. “My story is everybody’s story, it doesn’t matter what colour we are, we all face the same problems.”

Now, Scott is using what he’s learned in life to help kids avoid going down the darker route in life that he once faced.

“They need to know that change is possible, they need to know that there is more out there for them,” said Scott. “They need to know that they’re loved and cared about and that they are special and important.”

And it’s not just drugs and addiction, Scott likes to educate kids on the history of residential schools, as well as talking about suicide and depression.

Scott spends his time visiting schools between four to 10 times a month, having visited more than 100 communities in the past year and a half.

“It feels good to watch their lightbulbs come on,” said Scott. “When I share a story that they can relate to you can tell that they’re actually thinking about what I’m saying and that it comes from the heart.”

Scott said that the difference between his message and the message police or other addictions officials might have is that his comes from real-life experience.

“There’s a lot of people that do presentations that are straight out of the textbook,” said Scott. “Mine is lived and I’ve been through it and I got out of it. I think maybe because I’m a little bit younger than most presenters and it’s my story, I think that they can relate to me.”

And Scott added that he’s had a large amount of positive feedback from the kids he speaks to.

“I’ve had young people come up to me all the time and they’ll be like, ‘you really helped me, you really changed my life’,” said Scott. “And I’ll be like ‘I didn’t change your life, I can’t change anybody’s life, I helped open your eyes, now you will change your own life’, and they understand … kids are smart.”

Anyone interested in booking Scott for a seminar can visit his website here or call him at 306-380-1932.

jbowler@panow.com

On Twitter: @journalistjim