Health Canada funding allows POSSE to produce youth magazine

A new magazine for youth is set to hit the streets of north Halton as early as next week thanks to $99,000 in Health Canada funding to Peer Outreach Support Services & Education (POSSE) Project. The funding, which will be spread over two years, came through Health Canada's Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund. POSSE, a harm reduction and human rights project run by youth for youth aged 15 to 24, plans to use the funds to publish the bi-monthly magazine The Undercroft Chronicles-Where Minds Meet. Some of the funding will also go toward a new transportation service for youth who need rides to the food bank and medical or social service appointments. Kim Kent, POSSE program manager, said they have wanted to publish a magazine for youth for a couple of years. The 40-page black and white free magazine will give north Halton youth an opportunity to voice their experiences and opinions, and educate youth about drugs in their lives and communities, how to prevent drug use, and how to reduce the associated harms of using substances. It will also feature human rights issues concerning youth, such as, homophobia, racism, sexism and ageism. Overseeing the publication is a youth editorial committee, consisting of six paid youths, and POSSE staff Kent and Domenic Padula. Kent said area youths are invited to submit poetry, personal stories, personal experiences, drawings and photos to the magazine. They will be published anonymously, unless otherwise requested, and youths will receive $10 per submission. Writers of longer feature pieces assigned by the editorial committee will receive $50 per article, $50 will also be paid for each issue's cover art. Submissions will be screened to ensure they are anti-racist, antisexist and anti-homophobic. Each magazine is to include 13 literary and art pieces as well as three feature articles. They are hoping to sell ads in the publication. Kent said the magazine will be dropped off for distribution at several locations throughout town including The Altered Native on Guelph St. It will also be distributed through POSSE's outreach program and through youth themselves. Kent said the focus of the first issue will be "The Morning After." Area youth are encouraged to submit items for publication to The Undercroft magazine c/o POSSE at 47 Mill St. E., Acton, ON, L7J 1H1, or e-mail to posseproject@aztecnet.com. Submissions for the upcoming issue need to be received by May 5. Anyone interested in utilizing the new transportation service for youth, or for more information on the magazine is asked to call Kent or Padula at 519-853-5908.