summer given young Bermudians the opportunity to travel abroad to represent the Island at three conferences.

Ten members attended the international conference held in Ohio in June, and last month 20 went to the Eastern States Conference in Rhode Island. Tribute was paid to the Bermuda branch when the Cayman Islands asked the Bermudians to help run their conference.

Reaction to the organisation is best summed up by 15-year old Zakiya Johnson, who describes it as "Youth to Youth magic''. She says that the overseas get-togethers give young people a chance to meet people from other countries in an atmosphere that is "full of fun without having to rely on drugs and alcohol''.

Mrs. Althea Overbey, who in her capacity as co-ordinator of the National Drugs Strategy oversees Youth to Youth, says she is grateful to the companies and the general public who have given financial support. Members have also worked year-round to raise money for their trips. Besides the usual car washes and bakes sales, they swelled the coffers this year by helping The MarketPlace install all the equipment for the open-air Bermuda Philharmonic Society Pops Concerts.

"Most of the young people who went away this year were going for the first time, and it was a wonderful experience for them to learn about living drug-free and at the same time, enjoy the international exchange,'' says Mrs.

Overbey.

According to Mrs. Overbey, the general membership of Youth to Youth encompasses about 60 percent of the Island's teen population.

"There are about 20 percent who would never get involved in drugs and about 20 percent who could be said to be at serious risk. In between there's the 60 percent who could go either way, so our programme is focused mainly on that middle-of-the-road group and to help them not just to say `no', but to stand up and be proud of saying `no' to drugs and alcohol.'' Youth to Youth, which was founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1982, was designed to confront the problems of substance abuse amongst young people through a method of prevention rather than cure. To attract -- and to continue to attract -- as many teens as possible, the educational aspect has always been supported by emphasis on social activities.

When the programme was introduced into Bermuda (initially through NADA -- National Alcohol and Drug Agency) seven years ago, the same format was followed.

Besides a regular weekly meeting at the Bermuda College's Stonington campus, there are regular no-booze dances, cruise and parties. Membership, which Mrs.

Overbey says represents schools from all over the Island, now stands at around 80.

"I'm very proud of these young people and the progress made by Youth to Youth in our community. We place high importance in developing self-esteem and leadership qualities. We find that having adults and youths working together, with the same aims, is part of the strength of this programme. They go to schools and clubs and do presentations, with skits, songs and dances,'' she says.

Mrs. Overbey is aiming is to get "every school on the Island'' involved in Youth to Youth. "I think we have quite a good cross-section of society,'' she says. "I think some people have a perception that we are a `goody-two-shoes' outfit, but if they came along, they would see that's not so! We would like to get more diversity in the membership. We need more integration, but it is happening.'' Although the various conferences are the highlights of the year, much of the rest of the time is devoted to developing the Bermuda programme.

Malik Showers, 22, one of the local founder members of Youth to Youth, is happy to be "giving back what I received from the programme''. He was one of the group leaders who went to the Cayman Islands, where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the conference, organising workshops and helping to train staff.

"At the conference we were challenging the kids to take responsibility for their own lives -- to say `no' to drugs and to mean `no'.'' He explains the four main strategies used to that end: "We encourage personal growth and self-esteem. Number two is community involvement, which means `spreading the word'. And when we talk about environmental change, we are talking about changing the prevailing attitudes to all drugs -- and that includes alcohol and cigarettes. Finally, we stress fun alternatives, to show that life can be fun without drugs of any kind.'' Not surprisingly, most teens join the programme through friends. This would suggest that another of their mottoes -- to attract by example -- seems to be working.

Zakiya, who attends Bermuda High School for Girls, and has been in Youth to Youth for four years, says she was introduced by an older friend. "But I stayed because it was such a nice group, very positive people,'' she says.

This year I've got really involved, speaking at schools and clubs, and I love doing that. We all get to be such good friends that we do everything together and we get interested in all kinds of activities -- we don't just sit and talk about drugs all the time!'' Eighteen-year old Raymond Walker, a Bermuda College student who is working at Four-Star Pizza this summer, only joined Youth the Youth last November. In June, he was one of the five or six thousand delegates who converged on Ohio for the international conference, an experience he says he will "never forget''.

He, too, came into Youth to Youth through other friends, who convinced him it was fun. "It was fun, but I found I really began to enjoy learning all about the drug-free life in an entirely new way,'' he says. "We listen to good speakers and are trained to do public speaking, so we are constantly learning and enjoying ourselves at the same time. I've met so many new people -- now I feel we're like one big, happy family.'' Mrs. Overbey says she is hoping that all secondary schools will become involved in Youth to Youth.

AIMING FOR AMUSEMENT -- Play was a big part of the Cayman Island gathering, with the water bucket game being part of the line-up.

GOOD TIMES -- There's more to life than drugs and alcohol say Youth to Youth members, from left, Zakiya Johnson, Raymond Walker, Malik Showers and co-ordinator Mrs. Althea Overbey.