SHORT HISTORY OF PREVENTION AWARENESS FOR LIFE:
Prevention Awareness for Life (PAL Kingston) began when a parent became concerned with the increasing amount of illegal drug use in her neighbourhood and the lack of awareness among other parents. She got in touch with Parents Against Drugs in Toronto (PAD Ontario), and the Kingston chapter, known as PAD Kingston was formed in 1989.
The original group was made up of community members, service providers and representation from the Kingston Police. At the beginning, the focus of the organization was to raise awareness and get information out to the community (e.g. school councils, etc). A peer support group was formed for parents whose children were using/abusing street drugs, to help them recognize the signs of drug use and to help them deal with the many changes this use bring to family life. This group is still active today and meets bi-weekly. (please see Resources for Parents).
In 1992, PAL received funding from the Cataraqui Rotary Club of Kingston, to pilot a drug awareness program, called “Choices” for grade 5 and 6 students. The Frontenac Board of Education (now known as the Limestone District Board of Education) was approached and PAL received permission to pilot the program at Henderson Public School. The pilot proved to be very successful and the “Choices” program, with continuous upgrading of information and topics, continues to this day and is presented to students from primary grades to high schools (K-12).
PAL is very fortunate to have had the support of the Limestone District Board of Education from 1990. They have provided us with accommodation for our office and resource library at several different schools over the years. We have also been very pleased to have had the support of our local RCMP detachment and have had a representative sitting on our Board for many years.
In 1999, PAD Kingston realized that we were moving beyond the mandate of PAD Ontario. In 2000, PAD Kingston became incorporated and we chose the name 'Prevention Awareness for Life' (PAL Kingston), to signify that we were expanding our mandate to help children, youth, and their parents, learn how to make positive lifestyle choices and decisions, not only as it relates to drugs, but to life in general, and through outreach education, to provide them with the resources and support, to help them make these decisions. PAL has implemented other educational programs such as the non-coed programs 'Girls Power to Choose' and 'Just 4 Boys”, as well as workshops targeted and tied to the biology curriculum for secondary school students.
PAL continues to develop new programs and services for the community. A new initiative, Youth Addiction Assessment Service (YASS), is being launched in the winter of 2006, to help youth in the Kingston area who are dealing with substance mis-sue or addiction issues. Addiction counselors will provide a free screening, assessment and referral service for youth aged 12-18. Most addiction treatment programs require that clients have a formal addiction screening and co-occurring assessment to be eligible for treatment. There is a local need for this type of assessment service for youth under 18 years old. The service is designed to make it easy for youth and their families to get the support they need to begin the road to recovery and healthy living. PAL is working closely with our partners in the addiction, mental health, and justice sectors to find effective referrals and treatment options for assessment clients.
Board of Directors:
Chair - Kate Insley
Vice Chair - Jo-ann Eady
Past Chair - Dave Welsh
Members:
Jane Avent, Dan Fitzgerald, Jill Johnston, Rhonda McCoy, Joanne Neilson
Staff:
Annabelle Williams, Executive Director (Employed 1993) - R.N., eight
years experience in addictions and facilitating youth and children's
school programs and parent support groups, trained assessment and
addiction counselor, active member of several community organizations
and committees.
Mary Crawford, Program Development & Research Coordinator -
Communications, planning and research professional with an extensive
background in the non- profit and public sectors, experienced adult
trainer and secondary school teacher.
Connie Herrington, Team Lead Facilitator - trained assessment and
addictions Counselor, facilitator of various child and youth educational
programs, including Choices, Just 4 Boys and Girls Power 2 Choose,
experienced support group facilitator. |
