Regional youth conference makes stop at G.P. Vanier

Guest speaker Troy Payne started his career as a youth counselor, but eventually found helping one or two kids at a time wasn’t enough and wanted to see if he could help hundreds and thousands of kids at a time.

Susan Thompson
for Express

Youth from around the region congregated at Georges P. Vanier school on May 27 as part of a five-day regional youth conference.

Students from Ecole Heritage, Ecole Providence, and G.P. Vanier gathered in the Vanier gym to hear speaker Troy Payne talk about how to overcome adversity. They also enjoyed an energetic performance by aboriginal hip hop group the Red Power Squad.

The youth conference was free to all local kids aged 13 to 17 and included stops in several different communities in the region including Wabasca, High Prairie, and Peace River.

Featured speaker Troy Payne started his career as a youth counsellor, but eventually found helping one or two kids at a time wasn’t enough and wanted to see if he could help hundreds and thousands of kids at a time.

“I just really try to make a difference in kids’ lives so they can break the cycles in their own lives before it’s too late,” Payne said.

Payne shared the story of a young boy who experienced incredible amounts of adversity in his life, detailing the abuse he suffered as a child which later led to self-destructive choices. Payne explained how the boy started doing drugs, moving from marijuana into harder drugs and eventually crime. He also told the story of the boy’s near suicide.

Eventually, Payne revealed the young boy was in fact himself, and asked the assembled youth, “Why is it that some people can endure incredible amounts of adversity and still grow up to be contributing members of their community and have healthy loving relationships, while others get trapped in the continuing cycles of abuse and drugs?”

Payne explained that adversity is inevitable. He said the difference between people who remain trapped in negative cycles is and those who don’t is resiliency, or the ability to deal with adversity. He taught the students four important steps that he used to overcome the adversity in his own life.

After lunch, which was included in the conference, students were treated to the positive message and killer dance moves of the Red Power Squad. The Red Power Squad combines traditional Native dancing with breakdancing to promote “old school” hip hop with a message of “peace, love unity and having fun.” Their music doesn’t involve any swearing, girls in bikinis or glorification of the gangster, drug dealing lifestyle.

To illustrate their message of non-violent conflict resolution, the hip hop group even had teachers Dan Turcotte and Nathan Lamonte go head to head in a dance battle, to the delight of students.

The Red Power Squad also gave out copies of their CD Here to Stay, which just won Best Rap / Hip Hop CD at the Aboriginal People’s Choice Awards.

Laurie Stavne, Community Program Coordinator with Community Services in Peace River and a representative of Peace River F.C.S.S., had a large role in coordinating the conference as part of the regional planning committee.

Stavne said it was important to provide a big event to reach as many youth as possible in the region.

“We wanted to provide an opportunity for youth in the northwest to go to an event where they would experience empowerment and be linked to resources in their communities,” she said.

The planning committee chose five schools with large enough gyms to accommodate groups of local youth.

“We wanted to provide five different central locations. We wanted it to be as accessible as possible,” Stavne said.

Most of the conference planning was done for the schools, but with a large amount of communication between local planning committees and the central committee through F.C.S.S.

Funding for the conference, which had a budget of about $28,000, was entirely provided by donations by community sponsors. That community support is important to show to youth.

“They need to know they’re listened to,” Stavne said. F.C.S.S. also hopes more youth will become local volunteers to build up their resumes and give back to their communities.

The last day of the conference included a special announcement.

“We’re also partnering with the R.C.M.P. to start a positive ticket initiative to reward kids ‘caught’ doing good things, like wearing proper safety equipment on their bikes, volunteering at their schools, etc. The tickets are coupons to local businesses.”

Stavne said local businesses have been enthusiastic about the idea, and F.C.S.S. currently has 400 positive tickets ready to go.

The new positive ticket initiative was announced at Glenmary School in Peace River and will be starting in June. It may eventually be expanded to include nominations so that youth who aren’t “caught” doing good by R.C.M.P. can still be recognized. Stavne said the next regional youth conference will be held two years from now.

“It’s too much work to do every year. What we’re hoping to do is to hold a smaller, local one next year, then a big one every other year. So it’ll be more biannual.”

Copyright © 1999-2009 Smoky River Express. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.

View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster