High school students create safe places with Sober House Project

Prince Albert Police Service will make Sober House Project packages available through their victim services unit. (Courtesy Prince Albert Police Service)

A group of high school students from Prince Albert are fighting against the drug and alcohol problem in the province with their Sober House Project.

The project delivers packages that include background information and a poster that sober homeowners are asked to put in their window. The poster lets the community know that alcohol and drugs are not welcome in the home.

Linden Howlett, one of the students involved in the project, told CTV News he knows how dangerous alcohol can be. Howlett started drinking at age 11, he said.

“I just know how important it is to have people who are sober. To have people who are just safe because they don’t drink.”

The student group has received support from both city council and the Prince Albert Police Service.

Erin Parenteau, the Indigenous Resource Officer for the police service, initiated a special presentation for the students where she gave them eagle feathers and announced the police service will make Sober House Project packages available through their victim services unit.

“It’s youth like them that will change our community, that will fix our alcohol and drug problem. I truly believe that.” Parenteau said.

Howlett says the project is not only for Prince Albert. He hopes other communities take the project and make it their own.