No Regrets program in Saskatchewan schools

Some high school students in Saskatchewan are being introduced to a new program early in the new school year.

SGI, together with SMARTRISK, introduced the No Regrets program to three south Saskatchewan schools in the hopes of reducing unintentional fatalities and injuries among our province’s youth.

The program was piloted in two Saskatchewan schools in 2003-2004 and was shown to be successful in altering behaviour, attitude and perception towards dangerous situations.

Last Thursday and Friday, youth leaders and teachers from Moose Jaw’s Vanier Collegiate, Assiniboia Composite High School and Balcarres Community School participated in the SMARTRISK training at the John Paul II centre in Regina.

Emphasizing five key messages – buckle up, look first, wear the gear, get trained and drive sober – youth leaders will return to their respective schools to teach fellow students about preventing death and injuries.

Students from Humboldt, Meadow Lake, Saskatoon and North Battleford have already received training and additional schools are in discussions to join the program.

SGI will provide SMARTRISK, a national, non-profit organization with an established track record of designing and delivering injury prevention initiatives to youth, with $180,000 over two years to bring the No Regrets program to 10 new schools in Saskatchewan.

According to research done by SMARTRISK, injuries account for 80 per cent of all deaths among youth aged 15-19 in Saskatchewan, with more than 40 injury-related deaths each year.