superstar Bill Cosby are hoping it will pull together local services aimed at helping troubled youngsters.

It was felt the services could more actively share their resources with each other.

"They work together only very loosely,'' conference committee head and school headmaster Mr. Melvyn Bassett said yesterday.

The reason, he said, was probably that many of the organisations were unaware of each other's existence, he said.

There could, therefore, be some duplication of services, he added. Six workshops planned for this Saturday will feature presentations by a number of different youth agencies, including Family Services, Probation Services, PARENTS, 100 Black Men, the Coalition for the Protection of Children, the Bermuda Reading Association.

The Sandys Secondary principal also revealed plans for school Parent Teacher Associations to play a bigger role in addressing youth issues.

"We want to better utilise PTA's by taking a whole new direction,'' Mr.

Bassett said. "Rather than merely being a fundraising resource they can increase awareness of (youth) services in the schools.'' It was hoped the six workshops would enlighten PTA members of what services were offered by the youth agencies.

"We want to provide parents with the opportunity to see what's available,'' Mr. Bassett said. "And we hope to pull the agencies together and collectively address some of the growing problems concerning our youth. It is expected that actor and comedian Cosby will take part in Workshop Two and/or Workshop Three.

Workshop Two concerns youth issues, including sex, drugs, abuse and career planning. And Workshop Three uses drama to address children's issues.

The workshops cost $30 each and get underway at 10 a.m. at the Southampton Princess Hotel.

Mr. Bassett said a number of businesses were underwriting the cost of tickets for children and parents who could not afford them.

Bermuda Union of Teachers and the Bermuda National Education Conference Committee are bringing in Cosby for the annual event at a cost of around $100,000.

They felt his presence would highlight the conference aimed this year at parenting and youth issues.

But to cover the cost of bringing him here, they are charging $125-a-head for the black-tie banquet.

Tickets were still available for the event, Mr. Bassett said.

"The focus and concern of the conference is those teenagers who are slipping through he cracks,'' he said. "The numbers seem to be increasing. And unless we come to terms with the problem as a community we will lose those kids.

"Not only will we lose them, but they will threaten the wellbeing of the whole community.''