MLA GUEST SPEAKER

Our speaker at the October 17, 2008, meeting, SSC MLA Nicholas Simons, addressed a range of child protection issues.

Not least of these is the fact that minors aged 16-18 are no longer in the foster care system, a likely contributor to rising adolescent homelessness. This situation, Simons said, raises serious questions about the responsibility of both government and community for minors at risk.

Jan Smalley remarked on the added difficulty of assisting youth in isolated rural communities like ours, which led to discussion of how Rotarians might help. Starting a local Big Brothers group was one idea that emerged.