As part of our ongoing series examining agencies operating under the umbrella of The Council Partners Charitable Trust, the Living section this week takes a look at PRIDE.

*** Now in its 11th year, the Parent Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE), has proven, through its emphasis on the education of both adults and Bermuda's youth, to be one of the most effective weapons in preventing the epidemic of drug abuse.

Observing that there is little point in telling people to "just say no'' to drugs unless this is done in a positive environment where an alternative, healthy and fun lifestyle can be followed, Executive Director Judith Burgess says their programmes, Youth to Youth and Parent to Parent, do just that.

She estimates PRIDE and its related programmes now involve about 5,000 people and she says that last year alone, over a period of nine months, around 27,000 drug-free hours were spent in programmes, special events and conferences.

PRIDE Bermuda is the local branch of PRIDE International, formed in 1977 after a group of Americans discovered their children had been using drugs at a neighbourhood backyard party. Since then, some 80 countries have formed similar groups.

In 1986, Bermuda's Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CADA) sponsored a group of people to attend the PRIDE Conference in Atlanta. That resulted in the formation of PRIDE Bermuda, which has since organised ten successful conferences of its own, reaching out to schools, companies, churches and clubs in its efforts to educate parents.

The main advantage of being under the umbrella of Council Partners, Mrs.

Burgess reflects, is the fact that far more time can now be devoted to education and practical work within the organisation.

"Not only is it wonderful to be relieved of some of our financial worries -- we spent at least one third of our time in fundraising -- that frees us to get on with our programmes and to implement new ones. With the help of Council Partners we are able to turn the dreams we had into reality and to take on a much larger role in the community.

"As part of an umbrella group'', she adds, "there is also less likelihood of duplication of effort. So, with NDC setting up a strategic plan for the Island, and with Council Partners as the fund-raising arm, we can spread our tentacles -- in a positive way -- throughout the community.'' A true grass-roots group, PRIDE helps parents establish guidelines for their children and empower them to talk freely and frankly to their children about drugs. To quote their mission statement, PRIDE helps parents "develop wisdom by way of taking knowledge and turning it into action; develop love by acting in someone's best interest whether they like it or not; and develop courage which is the ability to act even when you are afraid you may be wrong.'' "We have now reached the point where people who went through Youth to Youth are, in turn, willing and able to help those who come along behind them'' says Mrs. Burgess -- living proof, as it were, for today's teenagers, that the programme does work. Through self-discovery and the support of their peers, teens learn how to feel good about their decision to adopt drug-free lifestyles, to make other positive decisions, with the realisation that fun is not dependent on the artificial and short-lived stimulation of mind-altering drugs.

With drug dealers becoming, unfortunately, younger and younger, there is an urgent need, says Mrs. Burgess, to expand even further the work presently being undertaken in the youth programme.

PRIDE, she points out, is a strong advocate of the community approach. "We hear a lot about this `war on drugs','' she says with a wry smile, "but we cannot have a war on drugs if we don't have an army to fight it! We must never lose sight of the fact that we, the whole community, have to work together. My personal feeling on this is that every time a person signs up to join PRIDE, that person is expressing a desire to be part of that army -- even though they may not have time to take part in all of our activities. I do believe,'' she concludes, "that even though we may not eradicate drugs completely we can make a huge improvement -- and not go the way of other, larger countries.'' She points out the Archibald Report found that "if there is anywhere where we can solve the drugs problem, Bermuda is that place''.

"We must hold on to that idea, and thanks to our many volunteers, that is beginning to happen.'' PRIDE was asked by the National Drugs Commission to take over their Youth to Youth programme with Mrs. Burgess, who had been a founding member of PRIDE and a hard-working volunteer, as coordinator.

"So, with funding from the NDC, I became the first salaried employee of PRIDE,'' she explains. "Then, last May I was appointed as Executive Director, so at the moment, I am wearing two hats.'' Noting the organisation is now in process of working out a new strategic plan for the next three years, Mrs. Burgess says they are evaluating staffing needs.

"We shall have to expand because the Youth programme is very time-consuming.

There is an urgency to reach our younger children, and more and more parents and teachers are anxious to learn what Youth to Youth is all about. I would like to think that this group is becoming more `peer to peer' in that we have Youth to Youth alumni who are now working with our younger people. At last, we have having a ripple effect! This is very important because peer pressure has always been there -- especially the negative kind. We have to allow our young people to develop their own personal decisions about drugs. If they decide they want to be drug-free, we need people to help them achieve that goal. We encourage young people to give back to the community, to get involved in things like `trashathons', and helping other charities.'' One of the methods has been to establish Youth to Youth in the elementary schools and plans are now being made to set up programmes in the new middle schools. PRIDE has also been working with CedarBridge School, which will provide their new meeting place for high school students in the new year. At the moment, explains Mrs. Burgess, Youth to Youth will be offered as an extra-curricular choice.

"If the parents who have been so supportive in the primary schools transfer that to the middle and senior schools, that will be a big leap forward.

"I believe that all of these programmes work together and PRIDE allows adults, as well as children, to say `no', enabling them to set out their own guidelines and to feel confident about doing what is best for their children.''