By Stephanie Froese

Another step towards drug prevention in La Ronge

Dec 13, 2010 | 5:16 AM

A drug prevention strategy is taking form in La Ronge. At an Illicit drug prevention summit in November, ideas were discussed with the public about what to battle the underlying reasons for drug abuse among the community could look like.

“We definitely have a clear vision of the future and we had some really great ideas come out of the youth in the forum,” Laura Kuley from the Drug Prevention Strategy Committee said.

“What we’re trying to put together is a larger action plan to combat the reasons that drug use exists in youth.”

That overall plan is beginning to take shape and at the forefront are ideas that have come from some young students. Grade 5 to Grade 8 students from local schools, such as Gordon Denny Community School, have come up with action plans that will be a part of the overall strategy.

“We do have some interest from parents and some of the adults that were represented at the forum in continuing as well. So were going to do a larger action plan but we do have the younger youth that were at the forum have some projects that they’re going to be working on,” Kuley said.

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Ideas included ways to get involved in the community, something Kuley has said is a factor in preventing risk taking behavior.

Walking dogs at the pound, a homework help club and a school newspaper were some ideas from students that could be implemented in the near future. The students also set their sights on bigger projects such as activities for community youth centers.

The students will be presenting their ideas to various groups including the town council and the school community council in the New Year. While some of the bigger projects may need some approval from these committees, Kuley said, the presentations are about more than that.

“It’s to inform them what we’re doing and to show them the passion of the youth and also to hopefully get some of them on board,” she said.

The next focuse group that Kuley said the committee is excited to see come on board are the high school students. Near the end of January, 2011, the high school grades will be discussing what they can contribute to the drug prevention strategy.

The overall strategy will incorporate the smaller strategies of different groups making it a collaborative effort between all ages.

Kuley said she was encouraged by the relationships that were already forming in the summit in November.

sfroese@panow.com