The Minister of Education, Roger Grimes, today announced a new initiative of the Youth Services Division of the Department of Education to provide to children and youth throughout Newfoundland and Labrador easy and immediate access to information on supports available to them in time of need and in crisis situations.

"After consulting with various youth serving agencies," said the minister, "my department has produced a poster and a bookmark listing important and urgently required phone numbers for children and youth. Included are phone numbers for The Kids Help Phone; Crisis/Suicide Intervention; Child Abuse; Rape Crisis Information; Newfoundland and Labrador AIDS Committee; Birth Control/Pregnancy/Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Drug/Alcohol/Gambling Problems; The RCMP and RNC phone numbers for the hearing impaired; Career Information Hotline; and Student Aid."

"Although we live in an era when there is a growing awareness of crisis issues facing our children and youth," said the minister, "and although we are continually striving to increase our supports, very many children and youth are not aware of, or do not have access to these supports. This initiative is a step to make them aware of and give quick access to sources of help in time of need or crisis."

Early in the new year, a poster will be displayed in every school and other educational institution in Newfoundland and Labrador. Additionally, every school age child and youth in the province will be provided with one of these bookmarks. The RCMP has requested that copies be provided for their use, as have other youth serving agencies.

"This initiative is a positive step to make important and urgently required information available to our children and youth," said the minister.

Contact: Bill Wilson, (709) 729-5242, or Carl Cooper, (709) 729- 0048.