sik (smoking isn't kool), formerly known as the Tobacco Youth Initiative (TYI), is a youth-driven, peer-to-peer tobacco awareness pilot program based on the Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) program implented in Florida.
Background:
- Surveys done by Peel schools identify
smoking as a top-three health issue.
- Youth-driven programs encourage kids to be smoke-free.
- Programs led by youth, and focused on youth,
prevent and reduce tobacco uses among youth.
- sik was piloted throughout the 2001-2002
academic year with Dufferin-Peel Catholic and Peel District Public School
Board. Today, a total of 16 Peel schools have participated in the initiative
between May 2001 and June 2003.
- Youth from the sik Regional Steering Committee
were instrumental in renaming and developing the sik initiatvie.
Participants:
- Grade 6-12
- Research shows that tihs is the time when
youth decide if they are going to smoke. Peer-to-peer mentoring is very
effective during these years. Youth who begin to smoke before 15 years
of age will likely smoke until late adulthood.
Objectives at Turner Fenton:
-To disclose the truth about tobacco industry marketing practices.
-To educate youth on facts about smoking and second-hand smoke.
-To promote awareness and information dissemination among youth in Peel.
-To encourage youth participation in tobacco related issues within the
school community.
-To foster motivation, self-confidence and peer-to-peer learning among
youth.
Progress to Date at Turner Fenton:
- Bake sale during World No Tobacco
Week
- Carbon monoxide display provided by Region
of Peel during World No Tobacco Week
- Newspaper
article on tobacco marketing tactics towards teens.