The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: 1.The objectives of workshop is to provide an experiential learning experience to create awareness on how to create a youth based cultural tobacco cessation program.

2.Kickin' Ash: Youth Cessation Projects and Programming Inc. (Kickin' Ash) developed an Urban Aboriginal (Indigenous) youth based program that allows youth voice and ownership in healthy lifestyles. Knowledge of this process is important for those who work with youth or those who are interested in incorporating culture into their programming.

Methods: Kickin' Ash developed a program that educates urban Aboriginal youth to continue to honour the sacredness of traditional tobacco; acknowledge health effects of commercial tobacco; the benefits of quitting; and to share the information they have acquired with their peers.

The program has been involved in community mobilization; enabling trained youth to train other youth about tobacco cessation; development of murals in six urban centres, a television commercial, brochures, and posters with urban Aboriginal youth direction and participation, and a training gathering that brought together Aboriginal youth from reservations and cities.

Through discussion, brainstorming activities, and action planning, participants of this workshop will gain information on the Kickin' Ash process.

Results: There has been a high interest from across Saskatchewan and Canada for information and training on what is seen as the Kickin' Ash model. This is indicative that this program is viable.

It is hoped that through attendance in this workshop participants will leave with motivation to initiate something of this nature in their home communities.