Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, Northern Elders and Going M.I.L.E.S Launch Youth World Cafes in DETTAH NWT & PANGNIRTUNG Nunavut

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, Northern Elders and Going M.I.L.E.S
Launch Youth World Cafes in DETTAH NWT & PANGNIRTUNG Nunavut

RT @Northern_Clips: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, N Elders & Going
M.I.L.E.S Launch Youth World Cafes DETTAH #NWT & PANGNIRTUNG #Nunavut
http://ow.ly/VeW9

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, Northern Elders and Going
M.I.L.E.S Launch Youth World Cafes in Northwest Territories and Nunavut

DETTAH, NORTH WEST TERRITORIES AND PANGNIRTUNG, NUNAVUT--(Marketwire -
Jan. 11, 2010) - The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), in
partnership with Northern Elders and Going M.I.L.E.S., today announced the
launch of the Youth World Cafes.

The Cafes will be in Dettah, NWT from January 11-13 and Pangnirtung,
Nunavut from January 18-20 and will bring together First Nations, Inuit
and Metis youth and elders in a celebration of Indigenous knowledge. The
Cafes will also include workshops that provide tools to encourage a
healthy and holistic lifestyle, develop self confidence and positive
self-esteem among youth, and help strengthen family ties - protective
factors which can assist in the prevention of substance abuse among youth.

Going M.I.L.E.S. (Motivate, Inspire, Lead, Empower, Succeed) is a program
founded by Canadian actor Dakota House and jointly operated with Hypnotist
Scott Ward. The program's focus is on motivating, inspiring, and
empowering Indigenous youth to be proud of their ancestry, culture and
language, and to achieve their full potential.

Dakota House is known for his role as Trevor TeeVee Tenia on the CBC
television series 'North of 60' and founded Going M.I.L.E.S. to give back
to Canada's Indigenous youth and their communities.

"With Aboriginal people being the fastest growing demographic at over
three-and-a-half times any other ethnic group in Canada, it is imperative
to give a positive outlet to our youth, giving our future leaders the
opportunity to tap into their natural talents and abilities. The Going
Miles leadership initiative program assists youth in going that extra mile
to ensure a successful future," said Dakota House.

Indigenous Elders are central figures in the Youth World Cafes. Steeped in
Indigenous language, ceremonies, and traditional knowledge of medicines
and healing practices, they are uniquely positioned to help youth
reconnect with their Indigenous culture and to help foster stronger family
and community ties.

In 2008, CCSA formed an Elders Advisory Council (EAC) comprised of 10
Elders from across Canada, including Inuit regions such as Nunavut and
Nunatsiavut, Northern provinces and the Northwest Territories. Members of
EAC were instrumental in organizing this year's Youth World Cafes.

"I am deeply saddened by the destruction of my dene culture and language
and the ever-widening gulf between my generation and those of the youth.
Yes, some of my people do assimilate and are absorbed by mainstream
society," said Allen Jacob, Elder and member of the Elders Advisory
Council of CCSA. "However, have you noticed the statistics? They tell a
deadly story ... and are not getting better. The consequences are dire not
only to my community but to mainstream society as well. The answer lies
not in the destruction of my culture but in helping me to reconnect with
my grandchildren and renewing my culture and language."

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse has focused on northern Canada
since 2005, including adding the North to the National Framework for
Action to Reduce the Harms Associated with Alcohol and Other Drugs, which
guides CCSA's efforts to mobilize national efforts to reduce the harms of
substance abuse.

CCSA partnered with Going M.I.L.E.S. to further extend its work with the
North and to launch community-level initiatives focused on helping youth
find their indigenous pride, self-esteem and resilience through
traditional knowledge exchange.

"CCSA is proud to be a part of making the Youth World Cafes possible and
honored by the welcoming reception northern communities have shown us and
Going M.I.L.E.S.," said Rita Notarandrea, Deputy Chief Executive Officer,
CCSA. "CCSA recognizes that all Canadians have a role to play in the Truth
and Reconciliation process and that Indigenous forums such as the Youth
World Cafes, partnerships with Indigenous Elders and programs like Going
M.I.L.E.S. are essential steps towards creating meaningful and lasting
communication between generations and cultures."

In addition to the Youth World Cafes, CCSA will also be holding two
special focus groups with Aboriginal youth. The focus groups will provide
CCSA with the opportunity to hear from Indigenous youth on the issue of
substance abuse in northern communities and among the youth population.
Their insights and experiences will inform A Drug Prevention Strategy for
Canada's Youth - CCSA's national drug prevention initiative aimed at
reducing illicit drug use by Canadian youth between the ages of 10 to 24.

To watch a video about the World Cafes initiative please visit:
www.goingmiles.com

To learn more about CCSA's work in the North and its Elders Advisory
Council please visit: http://www.ccsa.ca/Eng/Priorities/North

About CCSA:

With a legislated mandate to reduce alcohol- and other drug-related harms,
the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse provides leadership on national
priorities, fosters knowledge-translation within the field, and creates
sustainable partnerships that maximize collective efforts. CCSA receives
funding support from Health Canada.

For more information, please contact
CCSA
Rob Mclean
Senior Media Relations Specialist
613-235-4048 ext. 255
rmclean@ccsa.ca