When crystal meth hit the streets of Winnipeg in 2006, Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) began offering the city‘s only crystal meth recovery group in the province. Complementing RaY‘s other wrap-around services, such as clothing and food banks, housing, advocacy, employment and emergency services, this unique blend of holistic support has helped some of Canada‘s most street-entrenched youth transition into healthy living. Participants in this workshop will experience an in-depth look at how a growing street-level agency has achieved remarkable success, and a high level of trust among youth. RaY‘s addictions recovery program, facilitated by a formerly street-entrenched, 10-years clean addictions counselor, includes thrice-weekly inhouse meetings, 24-hour sponsorship support, a highly visible clean-time chart and treatment support including tags, journals, snacks, cigarettes and coffee dates. A harm-reduction approach permeates the program; anyone can attend, and can attend under the influence. RaY also assists the recovering addict with exit planning and housing options, employment, education, recreation, life-mapping and social activities. RaY works with an established network of residential treatment providers that will assist RaY staff to fast-track addicts into treatment. This workshop will also explore the barriers to service in a Canadian context when on the road to crystal meth recovery. Kelly Holmes, B.A., Executive Director, Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY), Winnipeg, Canada, has spent the past 25 years working tirelessly with marginalized communities in the inner-city of Winnipeg and within Aboriginal communities of northern Manitoba. She has coordinated Winnipeg‘s 24-Hours of Homelessness and Hard Night Out community events, raising considerable media awareness about the realities of life on the street. She continues to find ways to connect with youth to better their lives – on their terms. www.rayinc.ca Dr. Lindy Lee, MD, FRCP (C), Medical Manager, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada, is the Methadone Provider at the Methadone Clinic at the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. She has front-line knowledge of the barriers to fully address the services needed for the recovering methadone addict.

Resource Assistance for Youth Winnipeg

First global conference on methamphetamine science, strategy and response, Prague, 15-16 September 2008