Organizers of the South Cariboo P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth) program are looking for volunteers and presenters to assist with P.A.R.T.Y. sessions for the current school year.
The program consists of many volunteers and stakeholders who put together a day-long session for Grade 10 students that teaches them to recognize risk and make informed, smart choices about activities and behaviour, says local P.A.R.T.Y. acting facilitator Laura Dewar.
“Our program is geared toward Grade 10 students; this age group of 15- to 16 year olds, is ideal for P.A.R.T.Y. sessions. They are acquiring some independence, learning to drive and becoming young adults.
“They may be experimenting with risky situations, including drug use. In most cases, they are mature enough to handle the graphic situations and topics we present at P.A.R.T.Y.”
Noting she has been the coroner for the area for 24 years, Dewar says she fully believes in this program as a way to try to reduce the number of traumatic injuries and deaths in the community.
“My role in the P.A.R.T.Y. program is to take the students to the morgue and tell them how their death will impact a huge number of people. They can’t take it back and they can’t redo the day.
“It’s almost a brutally, forthright presentation on making good choices in life.”
Sinclair helps inform the students from an impactful survivor’s position, as she was in a bad motor vehicle incident (MVI) in 1986 that involved drinking and driving.
“I let the kids know what happened to me and what rehabilitation has been like, and I hope they learn from my mistakes.”
Karen Sinclair says she sometimes does a “crossing the stupid line” presentation.
“At the end, I ask the students where they draw their lines because there are no take-backs, no do-overs and no second chances once the crashes happen or you’ve killed somebody.”
Dewar and Sinclair are organizing a P.A.R.T.Y. organizational meeting at 100 Mile House Fire-Rescue on Sept. 22, starting at 7 p.m.
They are looking for volunteers to assist with P.A.R.T.Y. program sessions for the 2015/16 school year, including a “victim” for the Emergency Room mock scenario.
We are seeking a young person who can contribute approximately two hours per session, with three or more sessions per school year, says Dewar.
Other volunteers are always in demand to help out with supervising the students throughout the day and to assist with setting up equipment, chairs, signage, etc., Sinclair adds.
They also need more presenters, including doctors, nurses, health-care aides, physiotherapists, paramedics, counsellors and lawyers.
Dewar notes they also need people who are skilled in doing theatrical make-up so the “patients” look convincingly injured.
For more information on the organizational meeting, contact Sinclair at 250-791-6636 or e-mail karenjsinclair@shaw.ca.
