Dinner Anyone?

Our dining room...and behind that is the sliding door on to our patio. Yes, patio.

Kitchen

Our kitchen...check it.

Full kitchen.

What we had in our fridge:

Bottle of wine

6 pack of Stella

Chocolate

Damn.

Look at this damn suite.

It's sweet.

Blue Mountain!

Well, Shannon and I survived the week at Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood...

It was a real hardship. It definitely was a bizarre week, it was very extreme.

So, check out the pictures...this is what I'm doing instead of unpacking.

Sheldon Kennedy!!!!

W00T!

Yesterday was the big day!

Sheldon Kennedy came to town! It was amazing.

I'm still trying to process it all, but it was amazing to spend the day with him and Wayne McNeil, the other co-founder of Respect In Sport.

We didn't know what to expect when we met with the two of them, but they were definitely down to earth and very, very cool guys.

You had no misapprehension that Sheldon is a Prairie boy when you talked to him.

He said 'give'er' a lot.

Oh. And the best part?

This conversation:

Shannon (my RISE team member): So Sheldon, what did you think of Oprah?

*Sheldon has been on The Oprah Winfrey Show 3 times

Sheldon: (deadpan) She's a bitch.

GOOD GOD I LOVE HIM.

Sigh.

More pics to come.

EVERYONE WELCOME!!

GAH!

RISE for Youth is bringing Sheldon Kennedy to London!!!

September 12th

7pm

Lamplighter Inn

Tickets are $10!!!

Welcome to the The Real O.S.

Well, today I'm in Owen Sound touring around Huron, Bruce and Grey counties for RISE for Youth...as of today I've been to:

- Women's Shelter, Goderich

- Women Today of Huron, Goderich

- Bluewater Youth Centre, Goderich

- OPP, Goderich

- Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Kincardine

- Women's House, Kincardine

- Saugeen Native Drug and Alcohol Addiction Centre, Saugeen

Sigh.

Tomorrow I hit the women's shelter, CHOICES (addictions agency), Keystone (child and youth agency), Grey Bruce Sexual Assault Centre in Owen Sound and Ontario Works and Public Health Unit in Walkerton.

Then I will sleep long time.

So far, so good.

The most memorable stop? Bluewater Youth Centre...the jail for kids...seriously. I had to get clearence to get into the 'compound'. The security guard at the front had one arm and a claw arm. I kept wondering if one of the kids in the detention centre ripped it off trying to escape (jk). But, all in all very nice people.

Tomorrow is another day.

Our Article!

Online survey 'shocking'

Mon, June 4, 2007

More than half of London pupils surveyed have posted information that puts them at risk.
By JENNIFER O'BRIEN, SUN MEDIA

A shocking number of London kids are making themselves easy targets for sexual predators who cruise the Internet, an informal survey has found.

The alarming figures suggest one in four children 11 to 14 have met face-to-face with strangers introduced only online.

Despite years of warnings about stranger-danger, more than half of them have put identifying information such as phone numbers and addresses on public-access websites, youth workers say.

"We were shocked," said Shannon Liddington, outreach worker with RISE for Youth, a project that aims to reduce sexual exploitation.

"The children we talk to are absolutely putting themselves at risk. The level of naivete they have is incredible.

"Every one of these kids knows that if someone drives up to you at a bus stop and asks for your name and school you don't give it to them."

During education seminars, the group has surveyed 600 Grade 6, 7 and 8 London pupils and found 60 per cent have put personal, identifying information on websites such as MySpace and Facebook.

Twenty per cent of the children also admitted posting pictures of themselves online .
But most disturbing is the fact 25 per cent have met people they only knew online.

"That really did blow us away," said project co-ordinator Jessie Rodger. "It is absolutely the most dangerous thing a kid can do."

Compounding that statement is the fact London police have charged seven people with Internet luring in less than two months since the department launched its Cyber Crime Unit in April.

"It's like shooting fish in a barrel to zero in on (predators) out there," said Det. Sgt. Kelly Johnson, head of the Cyber Crime Unit.

In the seven recent local cases, Johnson said officers posing as someone else nabbed predators who thought they would be meeting youths they had befriended online.

There are likely many cases that haven't been intercepted, Johnson said, adding the unit has heard about London girls being sexually assaulted by people they met online.

Like others, Johnson warned against giving out identifying information.

"It is alarming, the number of students that give out personal information," agreed Ray Hughes at UWO's Centre for Prevention Science. "It's like posting up a sign on the (Highway) 401 with all your personal information."

The local numbers are consistent with Canadian findings, according to RISE, but slightly higher than those recorded in the U.S., said Jeff Godlis of iSafe America.

That federal web education group has surveyed more than 100,000 American children and found 20 per cent -- one in five -- met strangers off line.

The findings show that even as kids become savvy about Internet use -- through social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook -- they aren't always being safe.

"Youths don't equate strangers on the Internet with those on the street," Rodger said.
As a result, kids who would balk at giving their names or schools to a stranger on the street are willingly offering details up to online contacts.

"When they start talking to people for months online, they don't feel that is a stranger," Liddington said.

"They are like, 'It's my friend. I know what their favourite food is, I know what movie they like . . .' "

"Now predators don't even have to leave their bedrooms to find out everything they want to know," Liddington said.

Rise for Youth is a 15-month project run by Western Area Youth Services, a London group home agency that offers counselling.

The aim is to educate kids and parents about sexual exploitation. The project focuses on the Internet because that's what has opened the playing field for predators, Rodger said.

"It used to be poverty and homelessness were the biggest risk factors for kids being sexually exploited," she said. "All that has changed because of only one thing -- the Internet."
Dangers are illustrated with horrifying cases such as that of Kacie Woodie, a 13-year-old Arkansas girl murdered in 2002 by a 47-year-old predator who had befriended her while posing as a teenager online.

Liddington and Rodger suggest parents need to know their kids' online activity.
But they've met parents who don't even know how to get on the Internet, she said.

MORE INFORMATION

- www.myspace.com/riseforyouth or call 519-432-2209, ext. 3203.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

- Talk to young kids about Internet activities and Internet safety.
- Learn how to use the Internet by signing up to networking sites.
- Keep computers in a common area, not in a bedroom or secluded basement.
- Remember kids also can get online outside your home.

TIPS FOR YOUNGSTERS

- Don't post identifying information such as telephone numbers, addresses, school information or last names online.
- Don't post pictures of yourself.
- If you're going to meet someone for the first time who you've only talked to online, tell an adult, take friends and meet in a public place.

TOMORROW!

Ok, yours truly is doing something very exciting tomorrow morning.

At 7:15am I will be interviewed on CBC Radio One...On "Ontario Morning".

So set your alarms folks...

HEADLINE NEWS! ABOVE THE FOLD!

Run, don't walk to the corner store and get a copy of the London Free Press.

Do it.

Now.

Why are you still reading?

GO!!!

www.lfpress.com

p.s. I'll blog about my evening with Jon, the night was so magical I need a few days to process.

Jessie Rodger: News Media Savvy Pundit

Check it out! Shannon (the woman I'm towering over in the photo) and I were interviewed a couple of weeks ago by The Londoner newspaper...www.thelondoner.ca...

CITY LIVING: OUR CITY

Breaking the circle of youth exploitation
London program takes to the street to educate teens

By BEN BENEDICT, The Londoner

It's exploitation and it's happening in London. Whether by force, need or want there are young people in London trading their bodies for a variety of things like smokes, drugs or even food and shelter.
That's the message Western Area Youth Services (WAYS) wants you to hear because it may just be happening to your child.
Their information campaign is called RISE - Reduce Incidents of Sexual Exploitation for Youth - was initiated by Kim Hall, a youth worker with WAYS for 15 years, in response to what she was seeing on the streets of London. Funding comes from the provincial attorney-general's ministry and is aimed at young people in Grade 7 and up.
The program is entering a second phase, says WAYS project coordinator Jessie Rodger.
"This time the funding will run for 15 months not seven," Ms. Rodger says. "I was the student in the last phase. One of the things we found last time around was that as phase one ended, we were just beginning to make inroads. Time is something that is required to build trust and to allow people to open up. We're realistic in understanding that we need to go to them."
In her efforts to raise awareness this time out she will be assisted by Shannon Liddington, a youth outreach worker.
"My position was created so I can be in the community - in schools, at the Youth Action Centre and on the streets - so I'll be the face they'll see. I'm a child and youth worker and am sensitive to their needs," Ms. Liddington says. "Forming partnerships with leaders, caseworkers and in some cases parents will help build that bond. We're not pretending that we know what these youth are going through but we have the education and passion to help make a difference."
What's going on is a cultural shift that marginalizes and exploits more vulnerable youth where often, the youth themselves may become exploiters.
"When we introduced this idea of trading stuff for sex it wasn't seen as exploitive. There was a lot of minimalizing going on and an understanding that they were in control. But once we broke it down and talked about the legal aspects and consent it doesn't matter if they are under 18. Age of consent is 14 but if I give consent to an older adult (or another youth for that matter) in exchange for a pack of smokes it becomes illegal," Ms. Rodger says.
Liddington concurs. "By exploitation we mean any time anyone under the age of 18 was given anything like drugs, money, food or a place to stay in return for sexual favours. With the exchange of goods for sex it doesn't matter about age. It's also important to say that although we're dealing with street youth it is also happening in better class neighbourhoods because of children's free access to the internet. Our aim is to provide resources and provide our crisis number - 519-433-0334."
Their concern is back up by some very telling statistics.
"Only about 20 per cent of youth exploitation happens on the street. The other 80 per cent happens at home, school or clubs," Ms. Rodger says. "Another important element is that the statistics are about equal for what we found when we asked about the stats saying 75 per cent are girls and 25 per cent are boys. They are quick to respond that guys deny it more because of the social factors of being labelled gay. It's an added stigma for boys."
These numbers become even more telling in response to a survey conducted following phase one of the project.
"In London, following that last phase, we had talked to 300 youth from across London. We gave them all questionnaires and from that found that 20 per cent responded that they were being sexually exploited. We also asked if they knew others in their peer groups and 54 per cent said yes. In our experience, the numbers are under reported," Ms. Liddington adds.
It's something of which London youth are fully aware.
"We found in the first phase that by high school they were completely aware of the situation," Ms. Rodger says. "We found that prevention was easier than trying to get them to stop once they reached that point."
While youth on youth exploitation may seem like an easy way to get stuff, much of the exploitation is active in the form of grooming.
"With the grooming process it does take time. What will happen is the recruiter, who can be anyone, they will create a relationship whether romantic, platonic or economic - they'll start giving them things like drugs and a place to stay. They then get introduced to a new peer group and changing behaviours," Ms. Rodger says.
"At this point the individual becomes even more detached from the family unit," interjects Ms. Liddington.
"That's the point when parents, teachers and friends will start to notice that something is going on and will confront the young person and often not very effectively. The youth then returns to the recruiter and will be bated, meaning they'll either move out or run away and it is at this point when things begin to go down hill. It's the one thing about runaways that we found, kids who run away are at a higher risk of being exploited," Ms. Rodger says. "The youth often call it survival sex as a way of re-empowering themselves but it's important to remember that it is still abuse."
The largest barrier the two social workers have encountered is with those who need to hear the message most - parents.
"The only barrier we've had is with parents. Adults often want a warning sign. We have to tell them that there is no one sign and it's a number of things that put youth at risk. The number one sign is isolation and it can happen to anyone. If you are isolated you don't have any resources for help," Ms. Rodger says.
There are no single indicators for those exploiting others or those being exploited.
"What I think is important is that it's not a question that can be answered in a check box. It's a series of understanding and visual clues that indicate there may be at risk issues. It's that message that is important to bring to social workers and service providers," Ms. Liddington says.
Heather Miko-Kelly is the street-team leader for mindyourmind.ca and was the project coordinator for the first phase of the project. She offers this advice to parents.
"The best way not to engage in this is to build their self-esteem. It all comes back to having strong relationships in their life so they don't feel isolated and vulnerable," Ms. Miko-Kelly says.
Since the programs inception there has been a solid response from social workers within London.
"We've had an overwhelming response so far and are booked into April. The Children's Aid Society has been really open to having us come and speak. They're keen to hear about the program. WAYS and the city's group homes are also interested," Ms. Rodger says. "Front line workers are very open to talking about it and want to learn - it's not something that is taught in college. They definitely see and know that things are going on in London."

WANT MORE INFO?
For more information and resources about exploitation of young people, phone the WAYS crisis line 519-433-0334 or visit one of these London websites: Western Area Youth Services http://www.ways.on.ca/; Mind Your Mind http://www.mindyourmind.ca/; RISE (Reducing Incidents of Sexual Exploitation) www.myspace.com/riseforyouth

It's My Office!

Here it is!

I just got a new cell phone, and it has a camera so I took a photo-

Here's my office.

That's a huge map on the wall of the area that I cover. Next to it is my laptop, which I got after 5 weeks. And on the left is my filing cabinet that a bunch of UWO students from Saugeen (a.k.a. the Zoo) decorated.

It's nice!

Uh Oh

This article was just published on CBC this morning about group homes in Ontario...

Apparently there's loads of room for improvement...Yeah, no shit.

However, as someone whose office is located in a group home, and who works in social services, I must say that blaming service providers is the easy way out.

It would be much harder to blame inexperienced parents, addictions, systemic violence/discrimination or *gasp* the government shitty funding for kids in group homes having a higher rate of involvement in the justice system.

When kids get to group homes, the seeds have been planted already. If there were a bit more funding and a bit less shitty parenting I think that group homes could function quite nicely. As it is, these kids are handed a tough plate to deal with.

That being said, I have noticed more police officers around...

Kids call group homes "gateways" to jail
CBC

Almost half of Ontario's young offenders in detention for minor crimes came through the child welfare system, a report from the Office of Child and Family Service Advocacy shows.
The trend is a concern for child advocates across the country and Ontario Child Advocate Judy Finlay said many of the province's young people are beginning to think of group homes as "gateways to jail."
"We're taking them out of very difficult family circumstances, bringing them into state care and then we're charging them for their behaviour. It's very concerning to me," Finlay said.
The report, which was obtained by CBC News, lays much of the blame on group homes that rely too heavily on police to resolve problems that could be handled by staff.
Kids have been charged for everything from refusing to read a book or hitting someone with a tea towel, Finlay said.
One group home in Ontario called police 400 times in a single year.
Ontario is not the only province that needs to fix the system, the report says. A sampling of facilities across Canada found that 57 per cent of young offenders had a connection to the child welfare system, the report said. In British Columbia, a recent study put that number at 73 per cent.
While some teens acknowledge the more serious charges may be warranted, they complain that too often, staff lack the training to deal with troubled kids and resort to calling police.
One teen, who can't be named under federal law, said workers would often provoke him. After he was charged, group home workers had an easy way to threaten him by suggesting a breach of his bail or probation conditions would mean a return to a young offenders facility.
"They threaten you and say you better read that book or you're going back to jail. Come on, what kind of system is this?" the teen said.
Finlay is calling on the province to collect data on police calls from group homes and the charges that result. She also wants to see a mental health worker attached to each group home and higher standards for an industry that costs taxpayers more than $200 million a year.

Getting Wheels

So because of the new job and the intense driving around I will be buying a car.

Am I excited about this? Yes and no.

I like to drive, the bus is slow and cold, but I like my money.

But unfortunately the decision was made for me, so last night Dad and I went to a few dealerships, drove a 2007 Ford Focus XZ5 (very nice), and I'm going out again Friday night...maybe Annie will come with???

When I get the beast, I'll let you know. And no, Maggie can't drive it.

I'm Getting Wheels

Alright, so because of a clarical snafu, I need a car for my new job.

It was supposed to be put in the job ad, but it wasn't. So imagine my surprise when I was told I couldn't use a company car (because of the grant specifics).

So, as I have to roam around Western Ontario I will be going to dealerships tomorrow with my Dad.

I don't know what's more painful, having to dole out the cash for a car, or having to deal with my Dad's high standards when it comes to purchasing a car.

Here's how it goes:

Me: I just want some wheels that won't break down.

Dad: What do you want?

Me: The cheapest thing that won't break down.

Dad: But what is it that you want in a car?

Me: Cheapness.

Dad: This is your escape! You're wheels! You have to think about what you want!

Me: I know what I want. To not spend a lot of money.

Dad: What do you want?

Me: Cheap. Wheels.

End Scene.

First Week Of Being A Grown Up

Alright, so last week was my first week at Western Area Youth Services as the Project Coordinator of RISE (Reducing Incidents of Sexual Exploitation) for Youth.

I have my own office, business cards and a whole lot to do.

My main job will be public education about sexual exploitation of youth...what that you ask?

Well, I'll tell you.

Sexual exploitation is when anyone trades anything with anyone under the age of 18 for any type of sexual favour.

Some people unwittingly call this youth or child prostitution. By law this is child abuse, so it should be treated as such, so don't call it prostitution. It's abuse and against the law.

You may think that this only happens in developing nations like Thailand, but the reality is it's happening more and more in Canada.

From experience I can say that this is a silent epidemic in Canada, London is running rampant with exploited young people. Sometimes their street kids, but there are just as many kids trading stuff for sex in the suburbs as downtown.

With this phase of the project I will be responsible for ten different counties...yes count 'em up:

Essex
Chatham-Kent
Lambton
Middlesex
Elgin
Oxford
Perth
Huron
Grey
Bruce

Yes, from Windsor to Owen Sound, I'm on the case to help exploited kids everywhere.

We've even got ourselves a MySpace page, check it out:

www.myspace.com/riseforyouth

It's Alive!

So last Spring when I was at WAYS we developed a killer youth brochure...but since the funding ran out, there's no more programming at WAYS for kids in the sex trade.

However, now that Heather (the coordinator for the RISE for Youth program) is at www.mindyourmind.ca as a the Street Team coordinator, our youth brochure has been transformed!

Check out the link below to see our ANIMATED brochure! And take the quiz!

Yea!!!

http://www.mindyourmind.ca/mind-games/scan-stuff/sfs.htm

http://www.mindyourmind.ca/mind-games/play-stuff/sfs-quiz.htm