Anybody read the “Letter to the Editor” last night regarding Planet Youth and the problems with the kids outside the Center?. Drunk and disorderly apparently. Who monitors them and under whose management? These people that were just driving around our city from Prince George found it quite embarrassing and shameful but they did find our city very pretty! I guess that was the plus side 
Youth are not allowed inside the building of the Friendship House or Planet Youth if they are under the influence. So if they get kicked out, they tend to hang around. The problem is not with the centre, it’s with the youth, and their addictions.
Planet Youth strives to give youth an alternative to going out and getting drunk/high, but sometimes the demons inside end up winning.
Well, its a good thing they didn’t for a drive during the bar crowd hours them, they would have thought they’d been dropped into a riot zone or something…
I’m not going to defend drunk and disorderly kids, but sheesh the folks from PG didn’t have to drive all the way out here to find that. Anyone who’s been to PG can probably recount tales from George Street, Queensway or even that shiny new plaza area that they’ve built near the library and a block away from the Police station. Of course since the only shopping areas that they have there are big box stores and the Pine Centre Mall, so perhaps they don’t get out in their own city as much as they should.
That being said, there does seem to be a problem in the Fraser Street area, though I don’t think I would pin the blame on the Friendship House which seems to be at least trying to offer alternatives to the kids.
There’s plenty of other areas in town where there are problems too, Kwinista, CIBC parking area, back alleys behind the bars and such. Short of just moving them along from area to area, there probably isn’t too much that can be done.
Unless the parents or guardians take an active interest in what their kids are doing, I’m not sure how much progress we’ll make on the problems.
I work beside planet youth, since it started at its present location. I’m right next door in the same building. I have seen a lot and have witnessed the increase of vandalism, ( not so much now) we also have security video around the whole building we also had security gates on all 3 entrances to the front of the building all of which except for one are still there.
Torn from there hinges by the same kids who go to planet youth, they were caught on video doing the deed.
Planet youth is a great idea I love the idea of place for troubled youth to come by and shower when needed. It’s a safe place in the community. I also like the idea of kids having a place to talk to a youth councilor if needed. Many kids in this community come from bad homes and need to be given a chance at life. Planet Youth is doing what it can with the resources it has in hand.
Could it be run better of course it can be like any other organization it will need time to find the right tools and techniques to reach the youth of this town.
Location is not ideal you have a beer and wine store behind the building, you have the drunks who drink and urinate and pass out behind pappa jazzies and the lot beside community enrichment society. The access to booze and drugs can be found near the center.
Smartass I have too say I don’t think I have ever seen you near Fraser Street, which of course does not make you wrong, but it would make you more credible if you worked or volunteered near Fraser st like some who do who are posting. We have all seen intoxicated kids on Fraser Street in the early evening or fighting that has gone on.
ohh did you see the black and white shots that are at the old thrift store on 3 ave, those pictures were taken by the youth who go to planet youth, some of the shots are great and give you a good idea of the potential of the youth who go there daily. We watched the youth when they were out one day and they were having so much fun with the camera’s finding subjects to photograph, way to go guys…
OK smartass, just wondering, do you work at planet youth or do you volunteer there??
Even better, do you ever take the time to walk by there at night to see what’s really going on?? because if you did, you would see that these kids, whether their drunk, smoking drugs or just smoking are constantly in and out of the building, I’ve seen them on a few occasions bringing the drunk kids inside. The only time they are asked to leave the building is if they start fighting, other than that their free to do whatever they want.
Isn’t the point of the center to help the youth with their problems and addictions?!? They have counselors there, that may not have the training to help these kids, they just sit around and let them do what they want, they have workers there that are always outside sharing smokes with these kids and telling them to keep whatever else they have on them put away so no one else see’s it…
I know some kids that are always going there, and I’ve even seen a video or two of what these kids do while inside the building, and it always makes me wonder where the adults are while they do this stuff, there was one video on the internet of two girls fooling around with each other while sitting on top of a guy, now that’s not the type of behavior that should be going on inside a center built to help youth. That place is a disappointment, i think something should be done to turn that place around and make it into what it should be.
Here are some pics from the photo day Planet youth did; some very good pictures I think.
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Let me first say that I am all in favour of Planet Youth and the work they do. However some posters have alluded to the main problem.
One of the first things I learned as a youth director for the first Boys & Girls Club in Vernon many years ago, was that when you have these types of venues, those you are serving are either in or out and gone from the area.
There is far too much loitering around PY with the accompanying litter and vandalism. I have personally watched kids from PY walk down the street and spray paint graffiti on business walls. And while making sure the kids are either inside or gone won’t stop all the problems, it will go a long way towards improving them.