Crimesense Magazine - 2014 - Peel/Halton by Vantage Publishing Group Corp.

INSIDE

COVER STORY ______________ Pushing the boundaries and limits... a look at four teen trends that are having horrific consequences.

20 Parents Beware

4 Dangerous trends to warn your kids about

Kids Help Phone

PG. 6

Reaching out ...by just being there

10 Safest City 2012

Reviewing crime and safety in Mississauga

14 Cyber-Bullying

PG. 18

A special feature from the Centre for Suicide Prevention

18 What Do You Gain

When you give back to your community

24 When Girls Feel Fat

Understanding gender differences

30 The Journey to Voice

The difference between moving out of violence

35 Rebel 14

I make things happen

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Jacques Beauchamp Former Regional Police Office EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Christine Panasuk CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jonathan Beauchamp PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jonathan Beauchamp GRAPHICS & ART www.DESIGNit.CA PRINTED IN ONTARIO, CANADA Dollco, a division of The Lowe-Martin Group CONTRIBUTORS Suzanne McLeod

Sandra Friedman MSW

Tony Palermo

Jessica Newton

Diane Hill

Brittany Wakefield

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Don Holt Thomas Easton Daniel Cole Crimesense is published by Vantage Publishing Group Corp. and distributed free, all rights reserved. Contents and photographs may not be reprinted without written permission. The statements, opinions and points of view expressed in articles published in this magazine are those of the authors and publication shall not be deemed to mean they are necessarily those of Vantage Publishing Group Corp. or other affiliated organizations. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, transparencies or other materials. Publications Mail Agreement No. 41927547 ISSN 1927-3142 Crimesense Magazine (Print) ISSN 1927-3150 Crimesense Magazine (Online) Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 40 Colonnade Road Nor th Ottawa, Ontario K2E 7J6 Telephone: 1-888-724-9907 info@vantagepublishing.ca www.vantagepublishing.ca

- est 1990 -

SAY HELLO

Share your comments or suggestions with Jacques by sending him an email at:

jacques@vantagepublishing.ca

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“I wish I could just be happy! My friends are always ditching me, and I always end up home alone on weekends, doing nothing. I always feel like I’m not good enough for people. I can’t sleep, but yet I’m always SOOO tired! My parents don’t realise i’m feeling this way...and I don’t really want to tell them either.” - Actual post from kidshelpphone.ca

hile we often think of childhood and teen years as a time when young people can be free from worries, pressures, and anxieties, the reality is that all young people – regardless of their age, ethnicity, gender, or income – will experience struggles that can impact their mental health at one point or another. Social and academic pressures, uncertainty about the future, and transitions such as starting a new school or moving can all affect a young person’s mental health and well-being. While stress and anxiety can be natural reactions to these types of life events, some youth may experience more challenges than others or have more difficulty coping. In some cases, young people may experience clinical-level concerns that could involve a diagnosis. For some, a diagnosis can be helpful because it may lead to them getting the support they need. Even though young people may experience mental health challenges and could benefit from added support, many do not reach out for help when they need it. Stigma – meaning negative stereotypes, myths and misperceptions – associated with mental health concerns may be part of the reason that some young people choose to remain silent. They might feel embarrassed or ashamed about what they are experiencing, or they might be afraid that their

friends and family won’t understand what they are going through. The threat of being judged or labeled can also leave young people reluctant to seek help. Fortunately, Kids Help Phone that can be there for young people when they don’t feel comfortable going to anyone else in their lives. For many young people, reaching out to Kids Help Phone is the first step towards breaking the isolation. Kids Help Phone recently conducted evaluations of our phone and Live Chat services and these research findings, released in 2013, revealed that 43 per cent of phone service users had not spoken to anyone else about their problem or situation before calling us. Every day, Kids Help Phone professional counsellors offer support to kids, teens, and young adults from across Canada for a range of mental health concerns, from feelings of sadness or loneliness to depression to self-injury to self-esteem. The support that young people receive from Kids Help Phone can positively impact their health and well-being. For example, 96 per cent of those who participated in our phone evaluation said that they felt respected by their counselor, and 93 per cent said that talking with a Kids Help Phone counselor was helpful. Seventy-three per cent said that they had worked out a plan for how to deal with the problem by the end of the call. 7

Support, in general, makes it easier to cope - Only 1 in 5 children in with life’s stressors Canada who need mental and is linked to lower health services ever receives rates of depression, professional help. greater self-esteem, and more positive attitudes towards school. In addition to Kids Help Phone being an important source of support for young people, support can also come from a variety of sources, including family and friends.

- Get to know the online tools at kidshelpphone.ca that can help young people cope with stress and promote relaxation and well-being. The Peace Garden, Breathing Balloon, and Worry Rockets are all great places to start. You might even want to explore these features together as a family or a class.

Opening up the lines of conversation with the young people in your life and letting them know that they can come to you with anything can help them to feel supported. For ways to encourage discussions about mental health at home, read on!

-Open and supportive - If a young person is communication with parents worried about a friend, is associated with positive recognize that it may be a adolescent outcomes source of stress. Not only (Phares et al., 2009) are they worried about someone they care about, but they might also be concerned about breaking that friend’s trust by confiding in you. Remind them that the most important thing they can do is to continue being a caring friend, but also let them know that some secrets are too big to keep, and that sometimes being a caring friend means speaking up and telling a trusted adult what’s going on, even if their friend doesn’t want them to. This could help their friend to get the support that they need, which is the most important thing.

DID YOU KNOW…?

Here are some tips for promoting and having mental health discussions: BE HOPEFUL, ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENCE, AND FOCUS ON STRENGTHS AND SKILLS - Believe in young people as a way of helping them to believe in themselves. An adult’s own outlook influences the youth around them. Be hopeful for the young people in your lives. Hope is arguably the most influential, flexible and enduring of all emotions, seen as something that gets us through stressful times, helps recovery, and promotes mental and physical wellbeing. In adolescence, it has also been linked to self-esteem and overall psychological DID YOU KNOW…? well-being. - About 3.2 million young people in Canada ages 12 to 19 are at risk for developing depression.

- Encourage independence. When young people are able to take an active role in making decisions that affect them, they learn that they have some control over their environment. In this way, having choices – and the opportunity to try, fail, and try again – teaches kids, teens and young adults how to be hopeful. - Focus on strengths and skills. When a child is struggling, pointing out the things they are doing well can help them to see their own strengths and become more confident that they will be able to deal successfully with future challenges.

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- Help young people connect with appropriate supports and resources, including, but not limited to, a caring family member, friend, neighbor, teacher, guidance counsellor, Elder, coach, or mental health professional when DID YOU KNOW…? appropriate.

LISTEN, COMMUNICATE, AND REMAIN OPEN - A lot of young people hesitate to reach out to an adult because they are afraid – they may be afraid of being judged, disappointing others or losing support. Tell your kid that you value and accept them for they are. Don’t assume that they already know. - Communicate. Encourage them to talk about what’s happening in their lives – both the good stuff and the bad – while respecting that they may not want to disclose everything. DID YOU KNOW…? - 1 in 4 young people will experience clinical depression by age 18.

- Listen. Show your kids that you really want to understand them. Ask for clarification when you need it, and reflect back what you are hearing.

- Be open to the tough stuff. Do your kids know that you’re open to talking about anything – no matter how tough it is to hear? Let them know that there’s nothing they could tell you that would damage the relationship irreparably. Even if you’ve told them this before, it won’t hurt to remind them.

DID YOU KNOW…? - Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for young people, after accidents, accounting for 24% of all deaths among Canadians ages 15 to 24.

- Explore different ways to communicate. It isn’t always easy for young people to open up in person, but writing an email, text message, or a letter might feel more comfortable. How the communication happens isn’t what’s important – understanding each other is. - Work on your own mental health literacy. Educate yourself about mental health. If you’re wondering where to start, visit kidshelpphone.ca for expert information, tips, resources, and more.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF - Remember that it’s okay not to have all of the answers – you’re not expected to. If your kid comes to you with a question you can’t answer, why not use it as an opportunity to do some online research and learn together? - Fear, sadness, guilt, anger, and helplessness are normal emotional reactions for parents to have when their kids are struggling. Allow yourself to feel, but try not to let your own emotions overshadow what your DID YOU KNOW…? child is going through. Seek support from - In Canada, 75% of mental friends, colleagues, or a disorders develop by age 24; mental health professional 50% by age 14. if you need to talk.

©copyright iStockphoto.com | JochenSchoenfeld

- Take care of yourself. Supporting your child through a challenge or difficulty is no easy task. Take advantage of whatever supports are available to you, and make sure to build in time to relax and recoup.

IN AN EMERGENCY If a young person is in crisis and needs help right now, such as if they are feeling suicidal, call 911, or, take your child to the emergency room at your local hospital. CS 1.800.668.6868 •

kidshelpphone.ca

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afety and crime are important factors to residents of any city. Feelings and perceptions of safety and security contribute to quality of life in a city, and so it is important that citizens have access to information about crimes committed in their neighbourhoods. It is for this reason that Safe City Mississauga produces an annual publication called the “Safest City Report”. This report provides the city’s residents with information about crime rates and statistics, analyzing crime rates and the severity of crimes in Mississauga relative to other comparable cities and the nation as a whole. The following is a summary of the most recent edition of that document: the 2012 Safest City Report.

INDICATORS AND DATA SOURCES Two standard police-reported crime measures serve as the key indicators of safety in this report: crime rates and the Crime Severity Index (CSI). While a crime rate measures the volume of police-reported incidences, the crime severity index (CSI) measures the severity of crime reported to the police. In a crime rate calculation, all types of criminal incidents are included and all are treated equally regardless of severity (e.g. a count of homicide is treated the same as a count of motor vehicle theft).1 With crime severity, however, each type of offence is given a weight as determined by the average sentence length for those convicted of the offence (i.e., more serious crimes are assigned higher weights and less serious offences are assigned lower weights). The local police service (Peel Regional Police) kindly provides Safe City Mississauga with crime rates and other applicable data needed for the annual report. The remainder of the data comes from the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, an annual survey undertaken by Statistics Canada, designed to measure the occurrence and characteristics of crime in Canada.2 1. Statistics Canada, (2012). “Section 1: The Crime Severity Index” [Online]. Available: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/ pub/85-004-x/2009001/part-partie1-eng.htm [2014, January]. 2. Statistics Canada, (2013). “Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (UCR)” [Online]. Available: http://www23.statcan.gc.ca/ imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SDDS=3302&Item_Id=1044&lang=en [2013, December].

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

Violent Crime

Overall, Mississauga continues to be one of the safest cities in Canada. In 2012, Mississauga had a crime rate of 2,582 per 100,000 population, a 5.6% decrease from 2011 (2,736) and an even more substantial decrease of 15% from 2009 (3,033.5). The majority of these criminal incidents were property crimes (70%), followed by violent crime (19%), and “other” Criminal Code offences (11%).

The violent crime rate for Mississauga decreased in 2012 from 521.1 per 100,000 in 2011 to 491.4, as did the violent crime rates for Canada as a whole. Physical assault rates remained the most reported violent crime at 55% (down from 57%), followed by uttering threats at 16% (down from 17%) and robbery at 12%. Both homicide and attempted homicide in Mississauga decreased in 2012, by 26% and 75% respectively. Mississauga’s homicide rates remain below the national average, which is currently at an all-time low. Similarly, Mississauga’s robbery rates too are below the national average. The only increase seen in Mississauga’s violent crime rates for 2012 was in sexual assaults, which yielded a 12% increase from 2011.

Property Crime Theft under $5,000 was the most frequently reported property crime (48%) for Mississauga in 2012. Break and enter was next (17%), followed by mischief (15%). Break and enter was the only one of the most frequently reported property crimes to see an increase in 2012 (292 per 100,000 population in 2011, 296.2 in 2012). Additionally, Mississauga ranked as one of the top three cities with the largest decrease of motor vehicle theft in the past five years (183 per 100,000 population in 2011 to 170 in 2012). Although this decrease is a positive change, Mississauga still had higher rates of motor vehicle theft than both Toronto and Ottawa. Finally, fraud increased in 2012, both in Mississauga (13%) and nationally in Canada (5%). Mississauga Crime rates, 2008-2012

Rate per 100,000 population

3500 3000

Crimes Against Persons

2500 2000

Crimes Against Property

1500

Other Criminal Code Offences

1000

Total Canada Criminal Code Offences

500 0

2008

2009

2010

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2011

2012

Other Offences While reported domestic and family dispute incidents have been on the rise the past few years, a slight 2.8% decrease was seen for 2012. Though 14,116 domestic and family disputes were attended to, only 7,775 crimes against persons were officially reported in 2012, nearly half of the actual occurrences. The percentage of youths charged for a crime under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (CYJA) decreased in 2012 by 9% from 2011 and 20% from 2010. Yet, considering the small margin of the population they occupy,

a disproportionate number of youth are charged by Police.3 Of the charges against youth, 35% were crimes of violence (e.g. assault, robbery, threatening). Overall, according to Peel Regional Police, fewer youth have been charged of a crime. Although the source of this reduction cannot be substantiated, some possible sources may include the CYJA’s diversion program4, which offers a second chance to youth who have committed “very minor” offences by referring them to the services of a local community organization instead of being charged with a crime.

Crime rate per 100,000 population

Comparison of Crimes Rates across other major Canadian cities, 2012 8,000

Mississauga

7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0

Toronto Montreal Vancouver Ottawa Police Police Police Police

Winnipeg Calgary Edmonton Police Police Police

Conclusion The city of Mississauga continues to be among the safest cities in all of Canada. In 2012, the overall crime rate in Mississauga fell 5.7% from the 2011 rate, while the crime severity index fell 6% over the same period.5 This reduction of crime rates occurred not only in Mississauga but nationwide. Canada reached its lowest crime rates in three decades,6 dropping 3% between 2011 and 2012. These trends are promising and, should they continue, are a good sign of things to come. 3. Pam Douglas, (2013). “Violent youth crime is on the decline for fourth straight year” [Online]. Available: http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news-story/4155229-violentyouth-crime-is-on-the-decline-for-fourth-straight-year/ [2014, January]. 4. Ibid. 5. Crime Severity Index for the Toronto CMA, of which Mississauga is a part. CSI is only calculated at the CMA level. 6. Statistics Canada, (2013). “Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2012” [Online]. Available: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2013001/article/11854-eng.htm [2014, January].

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“Cyber-bullying” is described as “the use of the internet, cell phones, texting and other technologies to send cruel, untrue, or hurtful messages about someone or to someone that causes harm” (Brown, Cassidy, Jackson, 2009).

By Suzanne McLeod, BA, MA, PhD Candidate, Curriculum Developer

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Cyber-bullies use emails, webcams, text messages, chat rooms, camera phones, blogs, websites, etc. to spread derogatory, insulting, excluding or threatening messages and/or images. Most bullying occurs between the ages 13 and 14 then usually decreases around ages 15 to 16. This includes both perpetrators and victims (Brown, Cassidy, Jackson, 2009). Social media sites, such as Facebook, mySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Tumblr, Messenger and cell phone texting, have become a large part of the way

in which youth today communicate and socialize (Brown, Cassidy, Jackson, 2006). From this, cyberbullying has become an increasing reality among adolescents. Research shows that youth who have been bullied are at a higher risk for suicide ideation and thoughts, attempts and completed suicides. Bullying contributes to depression, decreased selfworth, hopelessness and loneliness (Hinduja, Patchin, n.d.). Those who become “cyber-bullies” feel that they are able to remain anonymous, giving them a sense of power and control that allows them to do and say things they would not normally say in the “real world.” In cyberspace, literally hundreds of perpetrators can get involved in the abuse (Hinduja, Patchin, n.d.). Youth who are the victims experience the same feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness as if they were being bullied face-to-face. Because of the pervasive nature of the internet and cell phones, it is harder than ever for victims to escape their tormentors. It can happen anywhere—at home, at school, at anytime of the day or night (Brown,

Cassidy, Jackson, 2006). In extreme cases, victims have been known to become aggressive and fight back, or to become depressed and attempt suicide. Youth who have experienced cyber-bullying were almost twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to those who had not. (Hinduja, Patchin, n.d.). Adults do not always understand the seriousness of cyber-bullying. Research shows that 99% of teens use the internet on a regular basis, and 74% of girls aged 12-18 spend more time on chat rooms or sending text messages than doing homework (Shariff, 2005). One study shows that only 10% of parents believe their children have been bullied online, while 40% of kids reported they had been victims (Brown, Cassidy, Jackson, 2009). The consequences can be psychologically and socially devastating as kids do not always know who their abusers are. At an age when peer acceptance is crucial, the internet becomes the perfect medium for adolescent anxieties to play themselves out, sometimes resulting in suicide attempts or loss of a child (Shariff, 2005).

Adolescents do not always recognize the legal consequences of cyber-bullying. Between 46- 50% of youth mistakenly feel that they have the right to say anything through social media because of freedom of expression. This belief in limitless boundaries could lead some to exceed typical legal behaviour under the Canadian Criminal Code and/or Human Rights Act. (Brown, Cassidy, Jackson, 2009)

Professionals recommend the following, in relation to cyberbullying: (Hinduja, Patchin, n.d.; Stop Cyberbullying, n.d.)

Suggestions for Solutions to Cyber-bullying The following suggestions are provided in regards to cyberbullying, in schools and at home: (Brown, Cassidy, Jackson, 2009.; Stop Cyberbullying, n.d.)

• Develop programs to educate students about cyberbullying and its effects. • Set up an anonymous phone line that students can report on cyber-bullying. • Have a zero tolerance policy towards cyber-bullying. • Bring parents, students and school staff together to talk about solutions. • Develop a positive school culture where students learn to be kind to each other. • Offer multiple extra-curricular activities so students will not have the time to cyber-bully. • Work on creating self-esteem in students. • If someone sends a mean or threatening message, don’t respond. Show it to an adult. • Never open emails from someone you don’t know or from someone you know who is a bully. • Don’t send messages when you are angry. Before hitting “send” ask yourself how you would feel if you received the message. • Help other kids who are bullied online by not joining in and showing bullying message to an adult.

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• Monitor the online and offline behaviours of youth. • Implement a suicide prevention and intervention component into any antibullying program. • Ensure any awareness or education program is ageappropriate; all students must be able to understand the serious consequences of cyberbullying. • Even though suicide is an extreme response, educators must ensure that youth recognize the reality and harm that cyber-bullying can have. • Regularly go over your child’s “buddy list” with them. Ask who each person is and how your children know him or her. • Discuss cyber-bullying with your child and ask if they have ever experienced it or seen it happen to someone. • Tell your child you won’t blame them if they are cyberbullied. Emphasize that you won’t take away their computer privileges (this is the main reason why kids don’t tell adults when they are cyber-bullied).

In Canada, cyber-bullying can be addressed under civil law or criminal law. Under civil law, a person can be charged with defamation (slander or libel); under criminal law, a person can face harassment charges or defamatory libel. Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, freedom of expression is guaranteed “subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society” (Cyberbullying and the Law, n.d.) CS

ONLINE SOURCES

Be WebAware - Cyberbullying www.bewebaware.ca/english/cyberbullying.html Bullying Canada www.bullyingcanada.ca Bully Free Alberta www. bullyfreealberta.ca/cyber_bullying.htm Be Free www.b-free.ca Cyberbullying www.cyberbullying.org

BIBLIOGRAPHY Brown, K., Cassidy, W., & Jackson, M. (2006). Cyber-bullying: Developing policy to direct responses that are equitable and effective in addressing this special form of bullying. Canadian Journal of Educational Administrationand Policy, 57. Retrieved September 20, 2011 from http://umanitoba.ca/publications/cjeap/articles/brown_jackson_cassidy.html Brown, K., Cassidy, W., & Jackson, M. (2009). You were born ugly and youl die ugly too: Cyber-bullying as relational aggression. Education Journal: Special Issue on Technology and Social Media, Part I, 15(2). Retrieved September 20, 2011 from http://ineducation.ca/ article/youwere-born-ugly-and-youl-die-ugly-toocyber-bullying-relational-aggression Cyberbullying and the Law Fact Sheet. (n.d.) Retrieved September 27, 2011 from http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/resources/educational/teaching_backgrounders/cyberbullying/ cyberbullying_law2_h4.cfm Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. (n.d.). Cyberbullying Research Summary: Cyberbullying and Suicide. Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved September 20, 2011 from http://www.cyberbullying.us / cyberbul lying_and_ sui c ide_research_fact_sheet.pdf Secret Life of Kids Online: What You Need to Know (2011). Retrieved September 20, 2011 from http://www.parenting.com/article/kids-socialnetworking Shariff, S. (2005). Cyber-Dilemmas in the New Millennium: School Obligations to Provide Student Safety in a Virtual School Environment. McGill Journal of Education, 40(3), 457-477. Stop Cyberbullying: Project Safe Childhood (n.d.). U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved September 27, 2011 from http://www.justice.gov/ usao/ma/childexploitation/psc/Stop%20Cyberbullying.pdf

Centre for Suicide Prevention #320, 105 12 A v e n u e SE C a lg a r y , AB T2G 1A1 P h o n e : (403) 245-3900 F a x : (403) 245-0299 Email: csp@suicideinfo.ca Website: suicideinfo.ca C o n t e n t d e r i v e d f ro m C e n t r e f o r S u i c i d e P r e v e n t i o n ’ s Straight Talk: Youth Suicide P r e v e n t i o n W o r k b o o k , © C o p y r i g h t 2011

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That is a question we have been asking our profilees over the past four seasons of Getinvolved! on TVO. Each season, Getinvolved! profiles 20 individuals who are getting involved and making change in their communities. And each season, we hear resoundingly that when you set out to change the lives of others, you end up changing your own life as well.

This is the driving ideology behind the Youth Assisting Youth mentorship program. At-risk children and youth are paired with trained volunteer mentors and spend at least three hours together each week. This simple pairing provides kids with a positive role model and gives the volunteers the chance to make a real difference in their community. What makes Youth Assisting Youth’s programs unique is that, as the name suggests, mentors are also youth: ages 16-29. So, while mentees are learning from their elders, youth mentors are also learning about leadership and guidance. YAY volunteer, Jacqueline tells the story of how her relationship with her sixth grade mentee has made a difference in her life.

www.getinvolved.ca/givideos/youth-assisting-youth/ Like Jacqueline, River struggled growing up: moving homes and dealing with his parents’ divorce. He had trouble making friends and found it difficult to communicate with people his own age – but that all changed when he began to volunteer. He began to meet new kids from his community who shared similar goals and passions and he was able to find his voice and connect to those around him. Now, River is part of the Mayor’s Youth Task Force and helps give other youth a voice in their community.

www.getinvolved.ca/givideos/river-wong/

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Ray also turned to volunteerism to help himself through difficult times. At only 20 years old, Ray was told the unthinkable – “you have leukemia.” During the difficult journey through treatment and recovery, he found there was a gap in support services for people his age. He wanted to devise a medium for young adults to express themselves through their cancer journey and find healing through art. With his C4 Mural Project, Ray has helped dozens of youth - and also found a path to his own healing.

www.getinvolved.ca/givideos/ray-ong/ High school student, Zane, got involved with his community to find meaning after a different kind of battle with cancer. Three years ago, Zane lost his favourite high school teacher to pancreatic cancer – an illness with only a 5% survival rate. But the legacy history teacher, Rocky Yeung, left behind was undeniable, so Zane and his fellow students rallied to create the “Run for Rocky” fundraiser. Through hard work and perseverance, Zane and his friends have raised over $19,000 to fund pancreatic cancer research and honour the memory of their beloved teacher.

www.getinvolved.ca/givideos/zane-schwartz/ Our youngest-ever profilee, Amanda, started fundraising for The Heart and Stroke Foundation when she was just two years old. She was motivated to raise money for the cause after it affected both her great-grandfather and grandmother. What began as a family lesson in giving back has turned into a highly successful annual fundraiser. When we told her story four years ago, her annual lemonade stands had already raised a total of over $100,000. This year, Amanda was named one of Canada’s Top 20 Under 20.

www.getinvolved.ca/givideos/amandas-lemondae-stand/ Perhaps more than anyone else, Bilaal shows just how much a young volunteer can accomplish when they set their mind to it. Since the age of four, Bilaal has been consumed by a desire to help others. Turning that passion into action, Bilaal now boasts a resume that includes social activist, philanthropist, fund-raiser, UNICEF Ambassador, motivational speaker, and author. He has addressed organizations such as URISA Canada, FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance USA, and Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and has been a keynote speaker for several provincial teachers’ conferences. To date, he has raised over $5 million for HIV/AIDS orphans, tsunami relief, aid for Hurricane-devastated Haiti and earthquake victims in India. Bilaal’s remarkable accomplishments prove one is never too young to Getinvolved!

www.getinvolved.ca/givideos/bilaal-rajan/ Do

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ÂŠcopyright iStockphoto.com | alexey boldin

Sure, kids will push boundaries and limits. But here are four not-so-harmless teen trends that can have horrific consequences which you need to warn your kids about.

Car Surfing Car surfing is a dangerous thrill–seeking stunt where a person rides (surfs) on the outside of a moving vehicle, like the roof or the hood, while someone else drives. Car surfing can result in serious injury and death, even at low speeds, after the participant falls from the moving vehicle. All it takes is a bump in road, or maybe unexpected braking or swerving. In October 2013, 19-year-old Brampton teen Royal Virk died after car surfing in a school parking lot. Virk had been surfing on the trunk of a 1998 Honda Civic being driven by his 16-year-old friend, before falling off. He was taken to a trauma centre in critical condition with head injuries, and died a short time later. The unidentified teen driver was charged with criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death. Virk’s car surfing death isn’t unique. Several other deaths and serious injuries across the country have been attributed to car surfing. When you consider we require people, by law, to wear a seatbelt inside of a vehicle, standing on the roof of a moving car doesn’t make much sense. “It’s reckless and dangerous,” says Ottawa Police Service Const. Marc Soucy. “It doesn’t take much for someone to really hurt themselves, even at low speeds. If we see it happening, we’ll put a stop to it and the participants will be charged.” 21

Choking Game

But the even bigger danger is when kids play the game alone, since they can suddenly lose consciousness, preventing the child from loosening whatever is choking them. In these instances, death occurs quickly – generally in four or five minutes; permanent brain damage in even less time. “Unfortunately, it’s considered by these kids as harmless fun,” says Sharron Grant, whose 12-year-old son, Jesse, died in 2005 from playing the choking game. “There’s nothing harmless about it. The dangers are very real.” A 2009 survey conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health revealed that five percent on Ontario’s high school students reported participating in the choking game; that’s approximately one in 20 students throughout Grades 7 to 12. “Parents really need to understand that not only is it dangerous, but there’s a good chance their kids have tried it or know of someone who has,” says Grant.

Marijuana According to the Canadian Public Health Association, marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in Canada. Even more troubling is a 2013 Unicef report which shows Canadian children have the highest rate of cannabis use among the 29 developed countries surveyed for the report. Const. Cheryl Tomlinson-Thompson is a school resource officer with the Toronto Police Service and agrees marijuana use is a problem with our youth. To illustrate her point, she

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Known as the “good kid’s high” because it’s generally performed by high-achieving, social kids who shun alcohol and drugs, the choking game is extremely dangerous and can be deadly. It works like this: kids choke themselves to cut off the flow of blood to their brain, producing a light-headed feeling. Then, as they release the pressure from their neck and the blood rushes back to their brain, they experience a shortlived, euphoric high. These feelings are actually caused by brain cells dying from the lack of oxygen.

quotes a text message sent from one student to another that reads ‘how bout i let u try sum weed for $5? Il sho u how 2 roll a joint.’ It’s that easy, and Thomlinson-Thompson says this is just one of many similar messages circulating in our high schools. But let’s get real. We’re talking marijuana here – the same drug that mellows and invokes images of peace, tranquility and munchies; the same drug U.S. President Barack Obama said he “inhaled frequently” when he smoked it as a kid because “that was the point.” Despite the pop culture view that marijuana is natural and relatively harmless, Thomlinson-Thompson notes levels of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the mind-altering chemical found in marijuana, have dramatically increased over the years. And since two of the things THC affects are learning ability and attention span, it’s safe to reason smoking weed is counterproductive to a school environment. “I’ve seen many students come in at Grade 9 with averages in the nineties,” says Thomlinson-Thompson. “Unfortunately,

some fall into the trap of marijuana use and their grades plummet by Grade 10.” It doesn’t stop there. Thomlinson-Thompson says depression and anxiety are also maximized with the use of marijuana, and studies show marijuana is addictive – even more so for younger brains in the prime of their development. And there’s nothing peaceful and tranquil about that.

SnapChat

(and other social media)

Most parents have heard of Facebook, the popular social networking site, but there’s a good chance your kid has moved on to another application you may not have heard of: SnapChat. Daniel Miller is a professor of Material Culture at University College London. In his Dec. 20, 2013 article titled “Facebook’s so uncool, but it’s morphing into a different beast” he says young people are turning away from Facebook and are turning to other social media applications instead.

A/Sgt. Mark Nethercott works with the Ottawa Police Service’s West Division school resource officers. He says while the sent images appear to disappear within a few seconds, they can still be copied by a screen capture and then forwarded to other people. In fact, in November 2013, 10 boys between the ages of 13 and 15 in Laval, Quebec, were charged with possession and distribution of child pornography for doing exactly that. The boys were sharing sexually-explicit pictures of girls – in several cases, of each other’s girlfriends – which they saved by taking screen captures. Several of the distraught victims thought they were safe because of SnapChat’s self-destruct feature, but clearly weren’t. “Don’t assume anything you send, whether it’s an image or a comment, will remain private,” warns Nethercott. “Once you hit the send button or click the mouse, you can’t change your mind. In the world of cyberspace, anything you’ve posted will never truly go away.” CS

“What we’ve learned from working with 16-18 year olds in the UK is that Facebook is not just on the slide, it is basically dead and buried,” says Miller in his article. “Parents have worked out how to use the site and see it as a way for the family to remain connected. In response, the young are moving on to cooler things.” And one of those cooler things is SnapChat, which people access from their mobile device. SnapChat allows users to send pictures and videos that “self-destruct” up to 10 seconds after being viewed by the recipient. And it’s this self-destruct feature that police warn gives kids a false sense of security.

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hen I first met my husband we would spend a lot of time talking on the telephone. Each time that Dan would call he would ask me about my day. I would provide him with a detailed blow-by-blow account of how I spent my time. Inevitably there would come a point where I would begin to feel as if I was holding a dead piece of plastic in my hand. “Are you listening?” I would ask, feeling my anxiety mounting because of his lack of response. “Yes, yes, go on,” he would say. And so I would go on until once again I would feel what I perceived as distance between us. “Are you listening?” I would ask again. “Yes, yes, go on,” he would say with just a hint of impatience in his voice. We didn’t have the same trouble face to face, but no matter how much we tried to communicate with each other by phone, we seemed to get caught up in a dynamic that left us both frustrated. It wasn’t 24

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until years later – when I became interested in the processes of gender development – that I recognized the impact that our gender differences had on these attempts at intimacy. Girls and boys grow up to inhabit two different gender cultures with quite different languages and different ways of interpreting and responding to situations. While they may, as individuals, do the exact same things, they will likely experience them and describe them differently.

Girls feel fat when they are angry, sad, lonely and have no language for their emotions or feel unsafe in expressing them.

If we want to work with girls and boys in ways that bring out the best in them, or if we want to improve our relationships with the opposite sex, or if we just want to have a better understanding of ourselves, then we need to understand gender cultures – how they develop, how they determine behavior and influence perspective, and the impact that society has upon them.

UNDERSTANDING GENDER DIFFERENCES

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insecure – and when they

gestation the male androgen (testosterone) stimulates the development of male genitalia and alters the brain of those fetuses that are genetically male. Right from birth boys and girls march to different drummers. Basic differences in the brain structure may account for many of the differences in behavior in boys and girls that are evidenced shortly after birth. Boys tend to be interested in dynamic activity and in objects, while girls show a tendency to be interested in people and in communication.

Gender differences begin at conception. While every fetus is female by default, at different points of 25

Growing up male:

Popular psychological theories describe male development as progressive or stage related. They see independence and autonomy as the major tasks of development. In order for boys to become independent (to ‘stand on their own two feet’) they must separate from their mother at an early age. They hold that boys develop their sense-ofself based upon their individual accomplishments and how well they perform in the world. (Recent studies are now beginning to challenge the need for boys to separate at an early age and to describe the psychological damage that this separation does to boys.) Boys tend to have tremendous energy, a willingness to venture into the unknown and a need to take action and to test their limits. They play in large groups because of their need for physical activity. Team sports teach them about winning and losing and being on top. Boys assess each situation in terms of their sense of adequacy and where they fit in. They are able to tolerate conflict better than girls. Loyalty and fairness play a big part in their friendships. Because language and communication are tools used to win arguments and gain power over others, boys tend to solve problems on their own.

Growing up female: Unlike boys, girls do not separate from their mothers

but develop their identities and sense-of-self in the context of their relationship first with their mother and then with significant others. Girls are interdependent. They perceive the world in the context of their relationships. Girls travel in pairs. (How many girls does it take to go to the bathroom in a public situation?)

Girls play in small groups that are based on communication and connection. Their games teach them empathy and sensitivity. They have fewer rules than boys’ games and girls will change the rules to accommodate the situations that arise. Girls have a best friend. They use language to create intimacy. They do this through sharing the details of their lives. When girls talk they validate each other by making empathic sounds. They interject experiences of their own to let the other person know that she is not alone in how she feels. Girls solve problems by talking to a friend. If it’s a big problem, they talk to two friends. Girls assess each new situation in terms of how connected they feel. Feeling connected to someone else gives them a sense of well being. Lack of connection (or a disruption in their connections) makes them feel anxious. You can see from this description of gender differences how Dan and I had trouble communicating. When he didn’t make empathic noises and readily share his own experiences, I felt disconnected from him. Because he measured his sense of adequacy by helping me ‘fix’ my problems, he became impatient when it took so long for me to get to the point (so that he could advise me what to do and therefore let me know he cared!).

THE IMPACT OF SOCIETY ON GIRLS

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Before girls reach puberty they thrive in their female gender culture. They are physically active and relatively unselfconscious about their bodies. They are honest and direct in their relationships. They speak their minds and voice their opinions. Because they learn to read and write and develop social skills before boys do, the early stage of elementary school is a positive experience for most girls.

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As girls enter puberty they begin to feel out of control. Their bodies and their lives begin to change. Girls disengage from the internal experience of their bodies as they stop using them. They begin to focus solely on their external appearance and upon how they look to others. During puberty girls are taught that their accumulation of body fat – which is normal and necessary for female development and reproduction – is judged abnormal by adult society. At a time when they need nourishment to facilitate their growth, many girls begin to restrict their food intake because they are afraid of getting fat. They measure themselves against each other and reinforce the message that they must constantly try to change their bodies in order to fit in.

LEARNING TO ‘FIT IN’

Because girls develop their identities in the context of their relationships, they flourish when these relationships are open, honest and mutually supportive. When girls reach adolescence they are encouraged to hold back their own feelings and opinions in order to fit in. Girls lose a vital part of their selves. They are taught by society (including people such as ourselves) that it is better to be kind and nice than run the risk of hurting someone else’s feelings. They move from being the center of their own experience to looking outward for definition and accommodating themselves to the needs of others. Girls also find the need to reinvent themselves in adolescence in order to fit into the male culture. They negate the relational part of their female culture that makes them feel good about themselves. Because girls are socialized to internalize their distress-to draw their pain into themselves-they blame themselves and feel angry with themselves. They learn to speak about themselves in a negative voice. They tell themselves that they are ugly or stupid. Because thinness is equated with being perfect and fat is labeled as bad, girls begin to feel fat. When they cannot express their feelings or speak about their experiences, they deflect them onto their bodies and encode them in a language of fat.

THE LANGUAGE OF ‘FAT’

When girls feel fat they are not referring to the size of their bodies. Thin people feel fat and fat people feel fat. Nobody feels fat all the time (although many anorexic girls will tell you that they do). If you feel fine at two o’clock and at two-thirty you feel

fat, the chances are you did not swallow a watermelon. The change in you is emotional and not physical. Girls feel fat when they are angry, sad, lonely and insecure – and when they have no language for their emotions or feel unsafe in expressing them. This speaking in code causes girls to shift their focus from their inner experience to their external self. This just reinforces their alienation from their selves and accelerates the detachment from their bodies that they are already beginning to feel. While many girls feel fat, not all of them will develop an eating disorder. Anorexia and bulimia are part of a continuum of disordered eating that includes compulsive eating, chronic ‘normalized’ dieting, weight preoccupation and body dissatisfaction. As well, the same societal dynamics and pressures that cause girls to disconnect from their bodies (and their inner selves) also contribute to the other health and social risks to which girls of this age are especially vulnerablesuch as smoking, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol use and sexually transmitted diseases. CS N at i o n a l E at i n g D i s o r d e r I n f o r m at i o n C e n t r e 200 E l i z a b e t h S t . 7ES-421, T o ro n to .ON. M5G 2C4 www . n e d i c . c a Adapted from Sandra Susan Friedman’s Just For Girls (1999, 2003) and When Girls Feel Fat: Helping Girls Through Adolescence (1997, 2000).

SOURCES • •

•

• • •

•

Erik Erikson. Identity, Youth and Crisis. New York: W.W. Norton, 1968. Carol Gilligan and Lyn Mikel Brown. Meeting at the Crossroads: Women’s Psychology and Girls’ Development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992. Michael Gurian. The Wonder of Boys: What Parents, Mentors and Educators Can Do to Shape Boys into Exceptional Men. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/ Putnam, 1996. Anne Moir and David Jessel. Brain Sex: The Real Difference Between Men and Women. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1991. William Pollack. Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood. New York: Random House, 1998. Janet L. Surrey. “The Self-in-Relation: A Theory of Women’s Development,” in Judith Jordan, Alexandra G. Kaplan, Jean Baker Miller, Irene P. Stiver & Janet L. Surrey, eds. Women’s Growth in Connection: Writing from the Stone Center. New York: Guilford Press, 1991. Deborah Tannen. You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation. New York: Ballantine Books, 1990.

Books by Sandra Friedman, available at www.salal.com WHEN GIRLS FEEL FAT: Helping Girls Through Adolescence. 2000: Toronto, HarperCollins JUST FOR GIRLS. 2003: Vancouver, Salal Books NURTURING GIRLPOWER: Integrating Eating Disorder Prevention /Intervention Skills Into Your Practice. 2003: Vancouver, Salal Books BODY THIEVES: Help Girls Reclaim Their Natural Bodies and Become Physically Active. 2002: Vancouver, Salal Books

THE IMPACT OF PUBERTY

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By Diane Hill 30

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or some women, finding their voice can mean the difference between moving out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence—or staying trapped in unhealthy (sometimes deadly) situations. For a group of young women in Ottawa, finding their voice has not only helped them to escape abuse, but empowered them to help end violence against all women.

IN A SPARSELY FURNISHED meeting room in suburban Ottawa, a group of young women sit in a circle, talking quietly. Outside, you can tell spring is on the way. The women are members of Young Women at Risk, a weekly support group for women who have experienced violence. Each Thursday, they meet in a former classroom of a converted school, now an outreach centre for young mothers. The room contains a few chairs, a children’s playhouse in primary colours, two diaper change tables, and a folding table with an urn of stale coffee. The sound of children on their way to the playground can be heard echoing out in the hallway. “It was such a relief to tell the truth,” Lisa is saying. She is 24, with shoulder-length blonde hair tucked behind her ears and two silver studs in her lower lip. Tattoos encircle her right wrist and disappear up into the sleeve of her navy blue hoodie. “In this group, I could say, ‘Last night, he punched me in the head but tonight I’m going to cook dinner and act like nothing happened.’ And nobody here would ever say to me, ‘You’re stupid.’” Beside her, 20 year-old Carolyn nods. “In other places, they’d say, ‘What’d you do to make him snap?’” Vanessa, 21, is small and thin. She holds her interlaced hands tightly against her body. “Or they’d say, ‘Leave, leave, leave.’ That’s easy to say, but sometimes you can’t.” Carolyn stares at the floor. “If I hadn’t found this group,” she says, “I don’t think I would have kept talking about what was going on.” 31

For these women, this room is an oasis—the only place they can tell the truth about their lives and not feel judged. Because of that, they’ve not only found the courage to escape the violence, but are also working to end violence against all women. The freedom to say what we think and feel is fundamental to our well-being: It signals that we believe in ourselves and honour our own experience. For women seeking transformative change, voice is the key that unlocks the door.

BUT WHY DO WE LOSE OUR VOICE IN THE FIRST PLACE? Like many of the women in the Young Women at Risk program, Lisa, Vanessa, and Carolyn all grew up in violent homes. Some were removed from their families as children and placed into foster care or group homes. In their teens, some became homeless; all became pregnant. Along the way, they were often blamed for what happened to them, or not believed. By the time they entered the program, most of them had “zero” self-esteem, says Zahrah Hajali, the Outreach and Support Worker of Young Women at Risk.

But it’s not only women in abusive relationships who struggle to find their voice. To some extent, all women and girls learn the same lesson: Our issues, our stories, our points of view are not important. Like desert seeds that lay dormant waiting for rain, we remain silent.

For many women, the healing begins when we find a place where we are heard. Even then, trust can be a long time coming. For Vanessa, the unconditional support provided by the group came as a surprise. “The bond we have here is weird to me,” she says quietly. “I didn’t know non-judgmental people like this existed.”

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The next step is to begin trusting our own competence. To begin this process, Zahrah focuses on guiding each woman to set her own priorities and make her own decisions. “Even if a woman experiences violence on a daily basis, that might not be her biggest worry,” says Zahrah. “Maybe she’s more upset that she can’t feed her kids or can’t afford bus tickets this month. Once we help her to get those basic needs met, she’s usually more able to focus on the violence. But it has to be on her own timetable.” Lisa lived with a violent partner for 10 years and knew people judged her for staying. “I knew my mom wanted me to leave, so I would, even though I wasn’t ready,” she says. “I’d be back a month later. People think they’re helping by pressuring you to leave, but they’re not. It’s so much better to make that decision yourself. That’s how you get out, and stay out.” Each week, Zahrah leads the group through different topics, but sometimes the best lessons come from the other women. What finally helped Lisa to leave was hearing other women in the group talk about how they’d gotten out. “It gave me hope,” she says. “Eventually it kicked in: Yeah, I can do that too.” The women also learn how to listen more and judge less. As Carolyn says, “I used to be pretty judgmental, so it’s made me into a better person. I never knew I was capable of supporting other women this way.” As they begin to realize their story not only matters but can actually help others, the women slowly begin to see themselves differently—not as victims but as agents of change.

Zahrah has witnessed many powerful moments of healing and transformation. One of the most memorable happened at an open house held to commemorate December 6, the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. During the gathering, one of the group members suddenly stood up and started to speak. “She’d never told her story before—she’d never even said she was a survivor,” says Zahrah. “But that day she spoke for 30 minutes, and she became more powerful with every word.” After that, the young woman was transformed; she is now in school and doing well. The moment had special significance for Zahrah, too. “I’m also a survivor, so I know how it feels to reclaim those lost parts of yourself.” The open house was organized by the young women themselves, as one of the “empowerment projects” the group does throughout the year. The projects help them practise new skills that will eventually allow them to rebuild their lives.

never again be internalized quite so deeply, because they know other people think they’re great. That’s a big success.” Thanks to the Young Women at Risk group, Lisa, Carolyn, and Vanessa have all escaped the violence and are now rebuilding their lives. In the process, each is also reclaiming her voice— not just for herself, but for every woman living in violence. Recently, the group marched together at the Ottawa Take Back the Night event. They wore matching bandanas and T-shirts with empowering messages and carried posters they made themselves. Lisa says she found the experience overwhelming. “I just burst out crying,” she says. “It felt so good to be part of something that was for all women who’ve experienced violence just for being a woman. The fact that I was fighting back made me feel amazing.”

On International Women’s Day the group organized a day-long community event they called HersDay. They did everything: created the schedule, chose the workshop topics and speakers, designed posters, handled promotion, and prepared the food. When the day came, 150 people showed up; the vast majority were at-risk young mothers.

Carolyn sits up straighter in her chair. “It really opened my eyes. Being supported by 10 women in this group is amazing, but seeing hundreds of women together on the street tells you people are out there fighting back. Just think about the kind of impact we can have, together.” CS

All day, the group members were praised for organizing such a great event. The words provided a powerful counterbalance to the usual negativity that scars their lives. “Their partners are constantly telling them they can’t do anything right, that they’re useless,” says Zahrah. “But after that day, those words would

T h e Y o u n g W o m e n at R i s k p ro g r a m i s d e l i v e r e d b y t h e S e x ua l A s s au lt S u p p o rt C e n t r e o f O ttawa a n d s u p p o rt e d b y t h e C a n a d i a n W o m e n ’ s F o u n dat i o n .

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he City of Mississauga is gearing up once again to bring youth together May 1-7 in celebration of Rebel14. This free week-long collaboration empowers local youth to showcase and share their unique talents and abilities across the city. The motto is ‘I Make Things Happen’ and the events throughout the week are created and executed by local youth to inspire and empower their peers. Rebel14 was created in Mississauga in recognition three national campaigns – National Youth Arts Week, Music Monday and National Youth Week. The name ‘Rebel’ was developed as part of the 175th anniversary of the Rebellion of 1837. Further inspiration came from an art show produced by Erindale Secondary School during 2012 that highlighted the technique and style of ‘Rebel’ Canadian artist, Norval Morriseau.

Rebel14 events focus on three main themes: arts & culture, sport & physical activity and opportunities to make a difference. Some of the highlighted events include:

May 1 – The Rebel Experience “I Make Things Happen” Civic Center, Great Hall - 4-6 pm

Kick-off the amazing week with performances by the Port Credit School Senior Jazz Band; Culture Division Dance Pack and Company; guest speakers and performances by local artists.

May 2 – Mississauga Youth Film festival Maja Prentice Theatre - 7-9:30 pm

High school students from across Mississauga will be participating in this year’s Youth Film Festival, competing to be one of the best three films to be featured at the awards ceremony. The event will be preceded by a film talk by Reel Asian Film Festival and feature information about their summer mentorship program for youth, Unsung Voices. The adjudication panel consists of professionals in the industry, including Patrick Barfoot and Joel McConvey. s u p p o rt i n g o u r a dv e rt i s e r s s u p p o rt s c r i m e s e n s e

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May 3 – Behaviour 2014, Word Up Jam Mississauga Valleys Community Center, Gymnasium – 6 pm – 1 am

Behaviour is an urban arts festival that inspires the vibrant imaginations of youth and ignites the reminisced memories of an older audience. Youth tell their stories through collaborative works in the mediums of music, visual arts, dance and performance art using the language of hip hop.

May 4 – Mississauga Youth Achievement Awards Civic Center, Great Hall - 4-6 pm The Youth Achievement Awards are an entertaining event celebrating youth leadership and volunteerism in Mississauga. Organized by Mississauga’s Youth Advisory Committee (MYAC) the afternoon will be focused on recognizing youth involvement throughout the city.

May 5 – Music Monday Celebration Square - 12 pm – 1 pm

With an anticipated attendance of over 5,000 students from grades 5 to 8, Music Monday is not to be missed. Communities across Canada perform the same song on the same day, at the same time, uniting the entire country in song. The Mississauga event is a partnership between the City of Mississauga, Peel District School Board and the Coalition for Music Education. Music Monday celebrates its 10th anniversary with a live webcast linking simultaneous events across the country; ending with synchronized nationwide performances of I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) with former Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield, led by Maestro Bramwell Tovey of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

May 6 – Slam Jam Civic Skate Plaza – 4 – 10 pm

This event is managed by local youth, bringing together skateboarders, spoken word artists, poets, musicians, and will even include a fashion show. With something for everyone, Slam Jam is taking place in the Civic Skate Plaza and combines the heart of the city with the talent of our youth.

Drive, youth Fresh Air Fitness, a concert in the amphitheatre (8-10 pm), a performance by Devon Glover “The Sonnet Man” and Mississauga’s own Huge Cosmic.

Rebel14 Workshops and Events at Libraries and Community Centres include:

Do-it-Yourself Book Art – Libraries across Mississauga will be offering Black Out Poetry, allowing youth to create works of art from discarded books. After-School Drop In – Community Centres across Mississauga will have activities and events taking place in the centre every weekday in the after school hours. Drop by and see what’s happening at your closest location. Free, pre-registered one-hour workshops – allows youth to explore new creative industries and exposes them to professionals succeeding in the arts. Programs include: • Show Production – using the state of the art sound equipment at Celebration Square, techniques for sound production for Live Performance are taught. March 2, 4 p.m. • Digital Design – explore digital design with a variety of free open source software programs used to create new apps, websites and graphic design held at Lorne Park Library, March 5, 4 p.m. • Devon Glover “The Sonnet Man” – With the jagged rhythms of rap and the smoothness of rhythm and blues, New York hip-hop artist Devon Glover is set to inspire a new generation of Shakespeare lovers in this interactive, “edu-taining” workshop showcasing Shakespeare’s sonnets and the story of The Sonnet Man. Held at Meadowvale Theatre, 4 p.m. CS We

i n v i t e e v e r yo n e to j o i n u s f o r f r e e

w e e k - lo n g f e s t i v i t i e s ac ro s s t h e c i t y .

Every Community Center

and

Library

w i l l b e pa rt i c i pat i n g

w i t h d i ff e r e n t e v e n t s e ac h day , s o v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e o r c o m e i n to a lo c at i o n n e a r yo u to f i n d o u t w h at ’ s h a p p e n i n g .

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May 7 – Rappin’ Up Rebel Celebration Square and Amphitheatre – 4 – 10 pm

All afternoon and into the evening, Celebration Square and the Amphitheatre will be host to non-stop events. There will be movies on the Square, winning films from the Mississauga Youth Film Festival, a basketball tournament on City Center

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