With a steadfast commitment to social justice and equity, our office operates through a human rights-based lens, weaving the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Inquiry’s Calls for Just. [...] As such, many Key findings from the events are being shared of the findings presented in this report derive to amplify the voices of service providers directly from the perspectives and experiences and to illustrate the complexity of intersecting of those working in various areas of the field. [...] “Treat the root of the problem and not the addiction” When asked if they had any ideas on how to improve services for youth struggling with harmful substance use, one youth replied, “I would treat the root of the problem and not the addiction,” and went on to identify the root of their addiction as their trauma. [...] This powerful recommendation really cuts to the heart of the issue with such clarity: that is, the urgent need to address the underlying determinants of health – not only in the day-to-day services provided to youth, but in the policies and measures adopted to protect youth from substance-related harms in the long-term. [...] If we come together to ensure that the needs, concerns, ideas, and rights of young people are at the heart of the policies we enact and the services we provide, these will fast become more appropriate, responsive, and effective – both in the short- term and in the long-term.
- Pages
- 70
- Published in
- Canada
