Giving power to the community:’ $22M drug prevention effort targets Calgary youth – CBC News

Dec 19, 2023

Planet Youth approach relies on local data and accountability to ensure efforts work

Despite the outreach programs scattered across Greater Forest Lawn, Surafiel Kibreab has been watching high school students in his community fall through the cracks.

He says many are newcomer kids who come to Calgary after five to six years in a refugee camp. They get put in school according to their age rather than their ability to learn, and they struggle to keep up.

Local agencies are trying to help. But “there is a very high rate of substance issues, mental health, drop out from high school. It affects their mental health; it affects their confidence and makes it hard for them to survive.”

A piece of the solution is missing. But now Kibreab hopes he’s on track to find an answer.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/planet-youth-calgary-million-1.7058403