Why this children's mentoring program is supporting supervised consumption sites

A local mentoring organization for children and young people is throwing its support behind London's two supervised drug consumption site locations. 

The executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of London and Area says such sites save lives and help, both directly and indirectly, the children the organization serves. 

"It's a no-brainer," said executive director Jessie Rodger. "You have to use your voice, speak up, and speak out for other people." 

Big Brothers Big Sisters has its area head office on Ridout Street downtown. 

Its offices overlook Harris Park, a spot frequently used by people who inject drugs. 

"Especially this time of year, it is pretty common for us to look out our window and see someone who is struggling and trying to find a space (to use drugs) and have a degree of privacy," Rodger said. 

Although Big Brothers Big Sisters doesn't directly provide services for people struggling with drug addiction, some of the children the organization helps have family members who use drugs and some live in areas where needles are frequently found.

"We've also met families whose kids have lost parents because of opioid addiction. We have really seen how addictions impact the families we serve. This impacts our work at Big Brothers Big Sisters," Rodger said. 

Other families are nervous about letting their kids walk to school or play outside. The organization delivers programming in neighbourhoods close to both proposed supervised consumption sites. 

"Safe injection sites get needles off the street. And bottom line, they save lives." 

Staffers trained in needle disposal

Rodger said this past weekend, she was writing a note to her staff, telling them where the Naloxone kit is kept and reminding them two people are specially trained in safe needle disposal. 

"I just got filled with rage. Rage that I was asking mentoring coordinators, who are experts in child and youth mentoring, to do this. Rage that there are community members in London who are looking for a safe space to cope with their addiction, and the parking lot of Big Brothers Big Sisters seems like the best option for them. Then I decided to write the letter," Rodger said. 

Rodger urged city councillors to endorse the two proposed sites and to do "what is morally right" and "what is best according to hard facts and data." 

"Addiction touches everybody," Rodger said. "It impacts the work we do and it impacts the little ones we serve." 

And she urges other non-profits to also stand up for supervised consumption sites. 

"I would put good money on it that there is not one non-profit in London that's not impacted by addictions, even if you don't deliver addictions services programming," Rodger said.