Youth Outreach worker to provide young women with help
Since he first started three years ago, Whistler Community Youth Outreach Worker Greg McDonnell has been asking for funding to hire a female Outreach Worker – someone who the women in town could relate to and feel more comfortable in relating their problems.
Last month he got his wish.
"I looked at the stats and saw that 70 per cent of the people I access are male, and I was concerned that the female population wasn’t being reached," he said. "Janet McDonald worked really hard to secure the funding for a female outreach worker, basically creating a position. It decreases my workload, and increases our ability to have impact in the community."
Tessa McLoughlin, who is a volunteer for Whistler Community Services and the RCMP’s Victims’ Services unit, will aid McDonnell with current programs, initiate programs targeted to women, and be there for women of all ages that need help.
"I see my role as providing front-line support to women and youth in the community. If someone wants advice or someone to talk to about a problem, I can help with that," says McLoughlin. "If they need more than advice, I know what services are out there, and I can point them in the right direction. Whatever happens, it goes without saying, is confidential."
Although she is only just starting, she has already handled three calls from young women in distress. All of the calls were related to domestic violence issues.
"I don’t think people in Whistler realize how much of a problem this is, it’s every community’s dirty little secret.
"More interesting is the fact that the age of these girls was probably between 20 and 24," says McLoughlin.
"They’re young, they’re confused. The strange thing is that most of them feel they somehow provoked it. But there are programs out there that can help them, and help the guy as well.
"When I first got into Victims’ Services, I didn’t think it was an issue, but it is. Women get caught up in relationships that are abusive, and they don’t know how to get out of it."
One of the programs McLoughlin wants to start is a forum on eating disorders.
"A lot of young women have, or are growing up with body issues in this town. People are so fit here, that it’s easy to get self-conscious, and that has led to different types of eating disorders," she says.
Young women are also prone to the same kind of problems that men face with drugs and alcohol, money, and housing.
At the bars, they need to protect themselves and each other more, says McLoughlin, and realize when they could be putting themselves in potentially dangerous situations with strangers. There have also been several recent cases of women getting slipped so called date-rape drugs at local night spots.
McLoughlin sees her role in those situations as preventative, making women aware of what dangers are out there, and supportive if the something should happen.
"On the outside, Whistler doesn’t even look like a community, but I’m amazed at the number of program out there for people in trouble. I have volunteered with Whistler Community Services, and I know they have some excellent programs and counsellors. I also know that a lot of the women who are new to Whistler, maybe away from home for the first time, probably have no idea what’s available to them," says McLoughlin.
This has been a busy time for McDonnell and McLoughlin as a late start to the season has created a number of problems for young people in town. The food bank recently had a record day of almost 200 visitors, and newcomers to town are stressed out about money and housing.
"No disrespect to local businesses, but there are lots of young people that are in need. These people are so valuable to us, they are the little cogs that keep the tourist business going, but it’s been hard for them," said McDonnell. "They also come to Whistler and get caught up in this whole party town thing, that we’re the Daytona Beach of mountain towns. Some get a little too deep into the scene, and that causes a lot of problems as well."
To give young adults something to do that doesn’t involved drinking or drugs, McDonnell and McLoughlin are organizing a night program, through the Peer Educator Program, to provide free and fun alternatives. Some of the ideas for alcohol-free winter programs being considered include a skating night, a jazz night, a language exchange night, a battle of the bands night and an open mic night. Events will be announced as the dates and activities are finalized.
The Peer Educator Program is in its third year. Through the program, youth volunteers between the ages of 21 and 29 take a variety of training courses with trained counsellors and therapists, and to provide general support and information to their peers about the free services offered in the community.
Some of the courses offered to volunteers include Community Resources and Referral, Counselling and Listening Skills, Crisis Intervention, Conflict Resolution, Time and Anger Management, Professional Boundaries and Self Care, Drug and Alcohol Education, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Abuse in Relationships.
Because McDonnell primarily works with high school students, McLoughlin’s involvement will enable the Community Outreach Program to reach out to young adults as well.
Everything is confidential. You can reach Greg McDonnell at youthoutreach@hotmail.com or 604-938-3902 or Tessa McLoughlin at tessaoutreach@hotmail.com or 604-905-1728.
