Friday, March 5th 2010 marked the last day of the Cornwall Community Police Services Youth Symposium.
The Youth Symposium is held once a year by the Police Services and this year was their 6th year holding the event.
Police Chief Dan Parkinson describes the event as ‘a way to engage the community and their community partners in a variety of aspects involving youth issues.’
“It’s a way to encourage healthy lifestyles, healthy decision taking, proper social development and most importantly to reach out the youth and encourage them to enjoy life but to enjoy it safely.”
The event lasted one week and included a wide variety of activities. The activities included presentations at local high schools from key note speakers, a presentation about mental health issues involving anxiety disorders in teens and a hockey game to finish off the week.
“We had one presenter who spent 15 years in a penitentiary,” said Chief Parkinson. “He talked about getting an education, changing his life and how not to make those mistakes.”
Despite the fact that the mental health presentation this year was not featured in French (although the presenters were bilingual) Chief Parkinson is confident that the whole week was a success.
“We build upon success,” says Parkinson. “We build more on what we learned. [The anxiety disorder presentation] as a professional presentation and we had to tell people we couldn’t have more participants.”
The week closes off with a hockey game between the OPP and students from Saint Mathews High School.
“It’s just for fun,” says Parkinson. “It’s a chance for the OPP to interact informally with the community.”
As for the winners of the game Parkinson doesn’t think it matters.
“I don’t think it matters [who wins]. We’re both winners,” he explains.
Youth Symposium
Youth Symposium
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