(Submitted photo/ Glen Strong)

By Nigel Maxwell

Healthy communities

Colouring books educate youth about suicide

Oct 1, 2020 | 1:07 PM

A group that works with inner city youth has donated 27 boxes of colouring books to Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC), one box for each school with the PAGC’s member communities.

The Kookum and Kids colouring books, designed for grades 1-3, carry the obvious element of fun but also discuss serious issues affecting youth. Rick Langlais, founder and executive director of Hands On Outreach and Development, has been invited to numerous speaking engagements at schools in northern communities. He told paNOW he especially enjoys speaking to the younger children.

“In talking to them I realized they were so hungry for knowledge and when I talked about bullying and racism, they all understood,” he said.

This edition of the interactive colouring books was designed to coincide with International Suicide Prevention Day that took place a couple of weeks ago. The donation has a monetary value of $15,000.

“A small price to pay if we can save even one youth,” Langlais said.

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Hands On Outreach split the cost of the books with QM Points Contracting LP. QM Points is a partnership between QM Environmental and Points Athabasca (owned by the Athabasca Basin)

“We are honoured to be involved with this donation that will support our Northern youth and open the discussion for suicide prevention,” operations manager Kyle Remus said in a statement provided to paNOW.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell