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The Greater Saint John Teen Pregnancy Committee was formed in 1994, to address the high rate of teenage pregnancies within the Saint John area. The committee is chaired by the Hon. Jane Barry, MLA is also comprised of approximately 50 members from a wide variety of agencies and disciplines. The representation on the committee includes government officials, health professionals, employment agencies, social service departments, education personnel, police, parents, community organizations and interested individuals.
(If you would like to participate on this committee, please make contact with the Human Development Council at 506-634-1673 or e-mail at hdc@nbnet.nb.ca)
The vision of the committee is a future where pregnancies in our community are planned and desired, and occur at a time in a person's life that will bring lifelong fulfillment and will not limit our future options or opportunities.
The committee's mission is to help our community create and maintain an environment that empowers teens to choose from the full range of options available for reproductive health.
Although it's initial focus was on pregnancy, the group soon expanded it's horizons to encompass related issues. The three task areas contained within the committee are: 1) family involvement and the male role, 2) education, and 3) access to information and services.
Teen pregnancy has profound impacts on the lives of teen parents and their families. Teenage parents often face a lifetime of extraordinary challenges.
The Greater Saint John Teen Pregnancy Committee advocates community programs and initiatives which address teen issues such as self esteem, responsibility, healthy choices and risks inherent in risky sexual behaviour.
In our task of educating our community on the initiatives of the committe and the availability of resources to parents and teens, we recognize the internet as a wonderful medium to advance the mission of the Greater Saint John Teen Pregnancy Committee.
Teen pregnancy is a complex and sensitive issue and there is still much that can, and should be done to address this problem. The considerable time and effort put forth by the Honourable Jane Barry, School Districts 1, 6 and 8, Public Health and numerous Saint John Community and Government Agencies, is an important first step in addressing critical issues affecting teens in our community.
