Youth Action Alliance begins recruitment drive

By Ken Johnston
Editor

In a move to really expand the Youth Action Alliance in its second year a region wide release of a recruiting video was held last Wednesday.
Local Peer Leaders for YAA in Rainy River as well as local dignitaries sat in on a video conference at the Rainy River Hospital while members of YAAs in 11 other Northwestern Ontario communities did the same thing in their towns.
At the video conference the 10 minute recruitment video was released. It was created in the region and features local peer leaders and youth volunteers and what YAA does.
Last year the RR YAA was one of only a few in the region, a pilot project of sorts, and it was deemed a huge success. They conducted awareness campaigns against smoking. Snow angels and fact cards were done all over town to inform both youth and adults alike about the dangers of smoking.
The group also helped smokers move outdoors by putting butt stops (outdoor ashtrays) outside of local clubs and recreation facilities.
This year’s peer leaders, Natasha Dyck and Rochelle Jenson, have been focusing their efforts on the launch of the video. “Our main goal right now is to recruit volunteers to help us,” said Dyck.
Jenson works primarily at Rainy River High School and Dyck at Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program in Stratton. But both hope that when they have some volunteers they can fan out across the area and bring YAA’s message to the public.
In a backgrounder handed out at the video release YAA said 47,500 Canadians are killed by tobacco products every year. “The tobacco industry must target youth to replace those customers. Through the Smoke Free Ontario’s Youth Action Alliances, local peer leaders and youth volunteers are teaming up in the fight to de-normalize the tobacco industry and promote anti-tobacco initiatives.”
Dyck said she and Jenson are planning to show the video at their respective schools in the next couple of weeks and then have a meeting. “We hope for as many as want to come out and volunteer to do so,” said Dyck. Once they meet they will begin planning events that are fun but with a message. “We will target youth and help them not to start smoking,” added Dyck.