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Youth bring new perspective to Brush Up Page A3
NEWS: Teen killed on cancer ride /A4 ARTS: Get to know jazz /A11 SPORTS: Catamaran leads Van Isle into Victoria /A14
OAK BAYNEWS Wednesday, June 19, 2013
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Peer support is one click away Natalie North News staff
In the wake of Amanda Todd’s death, amidst a barrage of cyber-bullying stories in the media, student counsellors at Oak Bay High decided to harness the power of the Internet for a new peer support network. Oak Bay Outreach is a web-based tool that allows students to log on to the Oak Bay High website and email anonymously with a trained peer counsellor. The entirely studentled project was soft-launched last March and has elated Allen York, the school’s head counsellor. “It’s not another great idea started by adults,” said York, who plans to promote the service in the fall. “This is based on the simple truth that kids talk to kids.” Once a student submits an email, peer counsellors on duty receive the message and a notification is sent to both York and Lorna Maximick, a second school counsellor. The peer counsellors have 48 hours to respond to the message, which may lead directly into a face-to-face session, or may stay a one-time online exchange. For York’s senior peer counselling class, the tool provides one less barrier to supporting teens. “There’s a huge stigma around coming to see a counsellor,” said Grade 11 student Haley Gurney. “They think, ‘They’ll judge me,’ or ‘I’m weak.’” PlEASE SEE: Students launch support, Page A5
Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Several Clive Drive residents stand against the proposed application for a new apartment building on the corner of Oak Bay Avenue and Clive Drive.
Clive area residents speak out Coverage to date misses mark for neighbours of proposed development Natalie North News staff
Surrounded by four neighbours around her dining room table, in a home halfway down a quiet cul-de-sac, Margaret Asch slides her index finger across the display on her laptop computer. The neighbours know well the image it displays, depicting a piece of plywood held very close to, and extending far above a fence line. The photo was taken from inside a home across the street, immediately beside the 1940s-era Clive Apartments, which developers would like to replace with a substantially larger,
The core issues: mass, setbacks and market rental building. The group listens while Asch explains the parking have remained key concerns for purpose of the slab of plywood, intended to the residents from the time project owners JN Developments first pitched a 23-unit demonstrate how close the new building, apartment (with 13 parking The Clive, would stand, “We have stalls) until their designer, should the project in its current incarnation gain individual perspectives, Cascadia Architects, came back with the current, approval. but on the core issues, 19-unit (and 16 parking “We’re not opposed to a stall) proposal last month. higher-density, new building we are united in our Regardless of design changes, there,” Asch said. “Some of opposition.” the group says their views on us are not offended by the - Margaret Asch replacing a two-storey, eightexisting building and don’t unit building with a threethink it’s necessarily out of storey, 19-unit building which date – that there are eight requires setback variances on all sides affordable rental units that are going to hasn’t changed – despite previous News be replaced by market rental units – the coverage suggesting otherwise. point is that it’s an unprecedented process. We have individual perspectives, but on the core issues, we are united in our PlEASE SEE: opposition.” Neighbours seek thoughtful approach, Page A13
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