GNWT Department of Health and Social Services:
Reel Youth Workshops

Challenge

According to the GNWT’s 2006 Addictions Report, more than 1/3 of the NWT population engages in hazardous drinking practices, with youth aged 15–24 the most likely to engage in these activities. And research shows youth start drinking as young as 11–12. However, there is hope. Research also shows that the longer youth delay first use of alcohol, the less likely they are to become substance abusers.

After initial interview and focus group research with community stakeholders and leaders, RCMP, addiction workers and youth, it became apparent that the best way to delay the first use of alcohol was to involve youth in the decision-making process. Helping youth to voice their thoughts about addiction could help make it possible to break the cycle of addiction.

Solution

Tait developed a two-phased plan to engage youth in three communities — Deline, Lutsel’ke and Fort Simpson — to begin a dialogue with adults in the community and with each other about alcohol, drugs, and addictions. Drawing from this dialogue, youth were given the opportunity and the tools to express their thoughts about addictions through video and hip-hop. Reel Youth (www.reelyouth.ca) conducted adult and youth training workshops and then helped the youth to explore their ideas and express them.  Videos ranged from dramatic to comic to musical, but all provided a poignant look at the issue of addictions through the eyes of youth.

In phase II, the videos music created become a pivot point to engage youth from across the territory in further ownership of the anti-addictions message through creative expression.