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Photo courtesy City of Richmond

Supports for at-risk youth reduce drug use

Published 1:01 PST, Fri November 22, 2024

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The City, along with dedicated organizations in Richmond, has worked hard over the years to create programs to prevent the harms of substance use to, and addiction of, youth in our communities.

Richmond RCMP’s youth section has a number of effective programs in action every day to interact with youth and offer extra assistance to those at-risk.

• Their D.A.R.E. program (dare.org) reaches over a thousand grade five students every year. The RCMP also visited elementary schools 98 times, and secondary schools 51 times in September to encourage safe and healthy behaviors to create civic minded adults.

• The Yankee 30 Youth car, a partnership where a Richmond RCMP officer and a support worker from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, is present in the community, with the aim of developing positive relationships with youth and youth-workers.

• The RCMP Youth Academy, is a five-day camp for approximately 30 youth in grades 10 to 12. Student feedback is very positive, as they gain an appreciation of what it really means to be a police officer. The RCMP also uses social media to conduct campaigns to engage youth towards positive activities and away from harmful substances.

Other organizations are also working hard in Richmond to support our youth:

• Foundry Richmond (foundrybc.ca/Richmond or 604-674-0550) provides a welcoming, inclusive and accessible space for youth 12 to 24 and their families to find substance use counselling, and other health and wellness supports.

• Richmond Addiction Service Society (rassrichmond.ca) has many programs including school presentations, and the Supporting Youth Program which offers intervention and support for youth experiencing substance use and mental health challenges.

• Vancouver Coastal Health offers free youth substance use services (604-209-3705)

• The Govt. of Canada offers the 24/7 Kids Help Line (1-800-668-6868 or text 686868) which offers professional counselling, information and referrals support to young people.

Richmond City council just started the Youth Advisory Committee to hear from Richmond’s youth to better understand the issues they face. I am proud to be the Council liaison to that committee.

The Council Community Safety Committee meetings are held monthly, usually on the second Tuesday at
4:00 pm, and the public is welcome to attend in person or virtually. You can read the staff reports on the City website (richmond.ca) under Agendas and Minutes. I attend all those meetings because I think it is important for councilors to ask questions of our first responders and stay aware of the activities in Richmond.

In Richmond, we prioritize the well-being and future of our youth with the goal of safeguarding them from at-risk situations, ensuring they have the opportunities and support to thrive. Richmond is a safe and vibrant city and by staying connected we can all work towards a drug free city.