The Preventing Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth (PARTY) Program is taking place this week in the Battlefords.
The program is presented by WPD Ambulance, Prairie North Health Region, Mental Health and Youth Addictions, Battleford’s RCMP and Battleford’s Union Hospital.
Grade nine and 10 students will attend ‘graphic’ presentations intending to demonstrate the consequences of drinking and driving and have the chance to drive a Simulated Impaired Driving Vehicle.
“They drive a course in a stimulated vehicle, which essentially is a go kart, where course administrators can control both the speed and stimulated levels of impairment,” says Corporal James Fenrich.
“One of the RCMP’s organizational priorities is to reduce youth involved crime whether it’s victims or offenders. This includes crime as a direct result of drugs and alcohol. The RCMP believes long term prevention of youth crime and victimization can only be accomplished in partnership with the community, including youth-police partnerships and youth based prevention initiatives,” says Fenrich.
Fenrich adds, “we in the Battlefords Detachment of the RCMP are working hard to increase youth awareness and influencing youth behavior through behavior modelling, mentoring, active learning an engaging youth to positively influence their peers, school and their community.”