Excitement is rising as the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy and its many partners prepare to host the Changing Futures Prevention Summit on Thursday, Oct. 18 at Lakeside Church.
More than 300 delegates are registered, representing over 15 regions from across the province (spanning from Windsor to Temiskaming to Peterborough).
The Changing Futures Prevention Summit is a conference that will focus on preventing substance misuse and promoting positive mental health with children and youth. The agenda will feature keynote presentations by international experts in the field, including mental health and addiction specialist and associate professor at Harvard, Dr. Kenneth Minkoff, renowned physician, speaker and author Dr. Gabor Mate, as well as national resiliency expert Dr. Wayne Hammond. Attendees will also learn about family prevention programs from an expert panel of individuals with experience in designing, implementing and evaluating these programs.
Following the summit, the information presented will be used to guide community leaders in developing an evidence informed, measurable and feasible community action plan to inform cross-sectoral prevention work in Guelph and Wellington County.
This project has been made possible through the planning and leadership of many community partners, including Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Guelph Police Services, Wellington County OPP, Homewood Community Addiction Services, Trellis Mental Health and Developmental Services, Family and Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County, Dufferin Child and Family Services, Upper Grand District School Board, Wellington Catholic District School Board, the Guelph CHC, as well as parent and student representatives.
Additionally, the project has been supported through a provincial Healthy Communities grant, as well as financial contributions from the County of Wellington, Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health, the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council and the Elora Lions Club. Watch www.wgdrugstrategy.ca for updates on the development and release of our Community’s Prevention Plan over the next several months.
