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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday May 4, 2007 - 27 Talk of youth health centre The Oakville Community Steering Committee for a Youth Community Health Centre invites members of the public, including youths, to a Community Information Session to learn about plans to develop an Oakville Community Health Centre for Youth. The centre would be for youths aged 14 to 29 and the committee wants public feedback on what is important for a centre. The meeting will be Thursday, May 10 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Town of Oakville Municipal Building, Trafalgar Room, 1225 Trafalgar Rd. Contact Ellis Katsof at 905-632-6531, ext. 26 or Mary Tabak at 905-825-6000, ext. 2986. GUARAN EED LOWE PRI UARANTEED LOWEST PRICE I HEARD SOME PEOPLE STILL BOOK THEIR VACATIONS ELSEWHERE. YOU CAN LEAD A DODO TO WATER REG. 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The conference was organized by a group of 18 HRYAC youth volunteers, who set out to promote their four key messages of safe social times, youth advocacy, diversity and uniqueness as well as tools for healthy decision making. "We have to get the message out there, especially with youth advocacy. The whole KEVIN thing is finding your own voice, which is who KEVIN is -- it's ourselves," said Ashley Teo, one of the HRYAC youth volunteers. "Oftentimes, youth are overlooked. They should find the issues that are most important and bring it to council, the school board, and they should address those issues, but sometimes there is a roadblock and we are trying to get them past that and approach the decision makers and basically carry out an action plan." With more than 350 students from high schools across Halton attending, the day-long event was a chance for students to meet others and discuss many of the issues faced by today's youth. "This conference is recognizing that there are issues in the community," said Anluise Munro a public health nurse with the youth health program of the Halton Regional Health Department. "This conference is about empowering kids to speak up for those issues for themselves and to use their own voice because the kids are living it and they know what barriers and whatever they face." During the day, students were divided into three groups and took part in variety of workshops to get them thinking about solutions to issues in the community and encourage positive behaviour. "I think teenagers today need to get a sense that they will be listened to," said Oakville Ward 1 Councillor Alan Johnston, who partook in one of the workshops. "They are young adults and if we don't get to take pride in asking questions, they won't do it when they become adults." Johnston was joined by Oakville Ward 5 Councillor Jeff Knoll and Burlington Councillor Rick Goldring. All three facilitated a discussion to generate ideas on combating issues such as a lack of places for youths to hang out, after-hours transportation, peer pressure and stereotypes. The students guided discussions and were honest and open. "I think it's great," said Goldring. "It's a safe environment to open up about issues. It's comfortable surroundings with other youth and facilitators that are comfortable discussing anything they want to talk about." Another workshop at the conference was a presentation on the dangers of drug and alcohol use. However, the workshop was far from typical. The presentation was a performance by the Robert Bateman Improvisation Team. With audience volunteers, the students on the team used humour and seriousness to create informing skits to the delight of the audience. "The beauty of this whole conference is getting young people to make smart decisions about partying, about drug abuse, that sort of thing," said Victor Disyak, coordinator of the team. "Here we have a group that is involved in improvisational theater and they are having a ball, being young using their brains, being physical and just going with the moment. It's a perfect example of how young people can have fun without going through the silliness and the dangers of partaking in bad decision making." The highlight of the conference was keynote speaker Andy Thibodeau of Impact Presentations. Thibodeau is a motivational speaker from London, Ontario. He specializes in youth leadership workshops and uses a high-energy presentation to encourage his message of "care is contagious." "The first step is reminding these kids that when they make positive choices, the people around them are more likely to," said Thibodeau. "Youth leadership conferences remind kids of this age, the power of their actions. Of Travel arrangements by SellOffVacations.com. Ontario Reg. #03121291. Located at 77 Brown's Line, Suite 201, Toronto, ON M8W 3S2. See our website for terms & conditions. 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