Now What? A Community Engagement Event

Parents and caregivers in the GNS community are invited to Denford Hall on April 10, 2019 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for a free community engagement event: “Marijuana is legal for adults. Now what for our youth and their parents /caregivers? Beginning a dialogue with local services providers Reg Fleming, M.A., RMFT, RCC and Jenny Thompson, MA from Discovery Youth and Family Substance Use Services.” This presentation is open to parents/caregivers only. Reg Fleming, MA, RMFT, RCC currently works as the South Island Program Coordinator and clinical supervisor for Youth and Family Substance Use Services, also known as the Discovery Program. Since 1992 he has worked in the drug use treatment field and has been counselling youth and families for over 25 years. Reg has been learning, teaching and reflecting on how substance use happens, while exploring more effective ways to prevent harm and promote change regarding problematic substance use. Reg is passionate to shift projects from an outcomes informed model, toward a community-based approach that honours local knowledge from children, families, and community as much as expert and evidenced-based knowledge. Jenny Thomson, MA, is a counsellor at Discovery Youth and Family Substance Use Services in Victoria. She has been counselling young people and their families for over ten years. Jenny describes her counselling practice as respectful, curious, client-directed, collaborative and relational. She is passionate about her work and highly values young people and families’ experiences, well-being and capacity for resilience. To ensure parents and caregivers get the most from this experience, you are invited to submit your questions for the presenters when you register for this free event in Blackbaud. Dawn Nordin will collect these questions and review them with Reg and Jenny prior to the presentation to ensure they can address the needs of the GNS community. Community resources and practical information will be provided for parents/caregivers to take home. Feedback following the presentation is requested to assist us in assessing the needs and interest for future community engagement events.