The Joblink Plus reprisal of Tamworth’s youth drug education forum was held on Monday with its focus shifted to mental health and personal resilience.
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Joblink Plus revived the forum after it was feared it had bitten the dust after community support waned.
This year’s edition retained keynote speaker Luke Kennedy, who once again shared his story of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
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Mr Kennedy said his themes also centred around kindness and confidence, but his presentation was underscored with some of heavier moments of his troubled past, including the sight of someone dying after taking a single ecstasy pill.
“It gets them a little bit shocked and it’s a bit of self-reflection on some actions they are taking due to worrying what people think,” he said.
“I think the drugs are just a receipt of what is going on on the inside.
“People with kids or anyone in society who can't deal with their thoughts, their emotions, their depression, their anxieties, without knowing different ways of helping they are seeking drugs.”
Tamworth “local achievers” Ashleigh Dallas and Jack Davis also spoke at the event and were joined by Sydney start-up duo “Girls Got Balls”, Casey Gibbs and Lucy McJannett.
Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said the event built on what was started last year, an outcome of the defunct ice action group.
“What have to do is look at, each and every day, how we do things differently, how can we improve the lives of people who matter to us,” he said.
“If it continues to evolve, we have to change with it and today's a great way of doing that.”
It was unclear if the state government would support the Tamworth forum in the future.
“We'are very grateful Joblink Plus has come on in this instance,” he said.
“We're doing a lot in the space and being able to support this is special.”