C.L.E.A.N

What is CLEAN?

CLEAN stands for “Community Link Empowered Against Narcotics”.  Our Mission Statement is …“Parents linked with our community to assist in the need for Support, Awareness and Empowerment against Narcotics”.  CLEAN is approved as a charitable organization (#859763138).

How Was CLEAN Formed?

Narcotics use had been escalating in our community, but not until the fall of 2000 when about 14 students from Waterloo-Oxford D.S.S., Baden, ON, showed up at Kitchener’s Detox with heroin use complications, were school officials and others in the  community willing to acknowledge there was a problem.  Out of this, a Drug Awareness meeting was held at Waterloo-Oxford D.S.S. on November 29, 2000 where over 700 attended.  At this meeting a sign up sheet was made available for parents who wanted support or to become involved in some way.  From this signup sheet a meeting was held December 18, 2000 at which representation from the Waterloo Regional Police Services, counselling personnel, and parents that had signed their names attended.  Const. Deb Strand from the Wat. Regional Police Services Community Mobilization program, worked closely with the 6 founding members of CLEAN for 1 year.     

Originally CLEAN started out to be a parent support group, but it became apparent that those involved wanted to do more to help other parents as a preventative approach to drugs and to do that it was felt the community needed to be educated.  As a result, CLEAN has two main elements—SUPPORT and EDUCATION.

SUPPORT—

What are the support meetings and who can come?

The meetings are for parents or individuals who have had or currently are having drug use concerns with their loved one.  It is a parent support group, but whether you are a parent, sibling or friend, you can come and share in a safe, confidential setting with others who will understand.  No one is judged for their situation and our intention is to join together to share our experiences as well as resources and through this gain strength and hope.  There is no membership fee to join.  All are welcome to come as often or as few times as they wish.

What do you do?

A founding member leads each meeting.  After first name introductions, the leader reads a brief explanation of what our intention is and the logistics of the meeting.  They then share  a word or phrase they have picked which is intended as a starting point for discussion, leaving it open to any others present to share if they so choose.  The setting is informal and no one is made to feel uncomfortable if they do not share and just want to listen.  At the close of the meeting, new parents are given a handout (drug, parenting, and resource information) to take home and keep. We have also started a library of books, videos and other resource information that parents may sign out.  

What aren’t you?

We are not trained counsellors and therefore we are not a counselling service. 

What are you?

We are concerned parents/individuals with a common goal—to help our loved one to be drug free and the best they can be.  We believe that together we gain strength, which in turn helps us to help our loved one choose a different path.  

When do you meet and where?

Our support meetings are held every 1st & 3rd Monday evening of the month (except statutory holidays) from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 23 Church Street, New Hamburg, ON (519) 662-9555—come to the double glass doors and go upstairs.

If I want to contact someone from CLEAN directly, what do I do?

You can phone (519) 662-9555 and ask for one of the following members of CLEAN:

 Mike / Jenny    -     Ron / Gwen    -      Frances

EDUCATION—

What is the purpose?

To get the message out that drug use is a “community” issue, not just a family issue!  To try and educate parents, and members in the community about drugs—what to look for, what to do, what resources are available to help, etc.  By doing this we are attempting to prevent and/or reduce the escalating drug issues in our community.

Who can get involved in the education portion of CLEAN?

Anyone can!!  This is for anyone who would like to make a difference in the war against drugs—you don’t have to be a parent, you just have to be a concerned citizen who would like to get involved and make a difference!

What are you doing to educate?

The founding members have formed an executive and through the executive, decisions are made on what community activities to get involved in; planning and holding our Annual Drug Awareness Presentation at Waterloo-Oxford D.S.S., Baden, ON; speaking engagements—at other elementary/secondary schools drug awareness meetings, community organizations, churches, etc.

How can I get involved?

Come to an executive meeting, call (519) 662-9555