Around 80 youth, most of whom are First Nations, will learn about sexual health this weekend.
The Kwanlin Dun First Nation is holding the Choices! Youth Sexual Health Conference starting this evening at 6 p.m. at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre.
Two prominent aboriginal role models are the keynote speakers at the conference on Saturday morning. The first, Jessica Danforth Yee, is the executive director of Native Youth Sexual Health Network. The second, Dakota House, is an actor.
The conference intends to “dispel myths” and to help youth unlearn unhealthy behaviours picked up from movies or the Internet, said community nurse Christina Sim, who also organized a similar conference in 2011.
Sixteen workshops are available for youth on Saturday and Sunday. Topics include suicide prevention, bullying, birth control, “safe partying” and gender stereotypes.
The youth can also choose to go to lighter workshops such as video production or how to perform hypnotherapy.
Saturday night will feature performances by hypnotist Scott Ward and hip-hop group Ground Work Sessions Crew.
Participants have a chance to win $500 if they attend at least seven workshops.
The conference is free for aboriginal youth. The registration fee is $50 for non-aboriginal youth, but no one is turned away if they do not have sufficient funds, Sim said.
For more information contact Sim at 336-0854 or visit kwanlindun.com/choices
(Krystle Alarcon)