ALLIED YOUTH

IN

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Dr. David Boswell brings Allied Youth to Prince Edward Island

In 1961, Dr. David Boswell of the Prince Edward Island Department of Education decided to do something to help prevent alcohol abuse among the Island's young people. He believed that Allied Youth's program of modern education and positive alternatives to alchohol abuse could be a great help in this effort. Within in few months, he had helped form the Murray River Allied Youth Post - Prince Edward Island's first. Before a year had passed, seven posts had been started in the area, and Allied Youth was here to stay.


Carol Campbell first Provincial Allied Youth President
P.E.I. becomes an official region of Allied Youth International

Along with speakers, films and discussions about alcohol's effects, Allied Youth members became active in recreational activities and community service. Members were also given chances to meet young people from other parts of the province at annual provincial conferences which began in 1962. The structure of the organization became more firm in 1963 when Carol Campbell from Caledonia Post was elected the first Prince Edward Island Allied Youth president. She represented the province that year at the International Allied Youth Conference. In 1965, Prince Edward Island was recognized as an official region of Allied youth, with members on the International Cabinet and Board of Trustees. As membership in Allied Youth grew and as provincial and county workshops, camps, rallies and conferences became more frequent, the Department of Education saw that a Prince Edward Island Allied Youth Supervisor was needed; Alan Andrews was hired to fill that position in 1979. Pat Charlton filled in for Alan Andrews during a leave of absence in teh early 1980's. Francie (Dunn) MacDougall replaced Alan Andrews as Provincial A.Y. Supervisory in 1985.


Junior Allied Youth Post Formed

Allied Youth involved young people from about twelve to eighteen years of age. Because of the many different interests in such a wide range, the organization was divided in 1970 to form separate junior posts for younger members. These junior posts were very successful, and their work has been recognized with International awards going to Cardigan Junior Post in 1971, Tignish Junior in 1972, and Carleton Siding in 1976. After 1973, when carried out by separate groups of junior and senior members. Still the types of projects planned had a lot in common, being based on the Five Point Program of Allied Youth establish in 1973.



Six Point Program & Peer Education

From this program, we can tell that Allied Youth members were involved in:

- Social Fitness Education
- Community Aid
- Environmental Sanitation
- Leadership Training
- Working with Senior Citizens


As a result of a really successful provincial project involving mentally handicapped and non-handicapped children in a camping situation, a sixth point, working with the Handicapped, was soon added. A special project for members of Senior Allied Youth Posts - Peer Education - came to Prince Edward Island in 1976. this project was started by Southwest Allied Youth in Texas and involved senior high school students being trained to enter junior high school classrooms to lead alcohol education sessions. Along with receiving accurate alcohol information, the junior high students were able to learn and practice the process used in making reasonable decisions. Because of the great success of the Peer Education Program, it has been expanded to the point were there are enough senior high trained each year for the program to be offered to nearly every grade seven and eight classes in the province.


Allied Youth Organizes Changes to Meet Need

As the needs and interests of young people change, so does the Allied Youth organization. Now as juniors plan projects based on a revised Six Point Program, seniors will become involved in a Peer Education program, along with the Six Points. With the skills they have developed, and the projects they have carried out, members of the Prince Edward Island Allied Youth have in recent years, made a real impact int heir communities. As the program continues to provide valuable and unique experiences to it's members, it's positive influences upon young people and those around them are sure to grow.