So you want to help young people in Bermuda to avoid or throw off the shackles of drug abuse, but you don't know exactly how to go about it? PRIDE's 13th annual conference at the end of this week -- complete with international speakers and family workshops -- can assist.

The anti-drug body, Parent Resource Institute for Drug Education Bermuda, is to hold the conference at the Sonesta Beach Hotel on Friday and Saturday.

PRIDE youth coordinator Danielle Riviere said the group's main goal was to prevent drug abuse through education.

And she said this was a conference for families or anyone who had contact with youths.

"It's an opportunity for families to come out and show they care about being drug free. It is vital that parents of teenagers or younger children show they are committed to this very important goal for Bermuda.

"And that means fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, mentors and really any adult who is playing a part in bringing up a young person.

"It all comes back to that old African saying that it takes a whole village to raise a child. That's exactly what this conference is about and we welcome anyone involved in that process.'' Recovering addicts will share insight into their ordeals -- the good, the bad and the ugly -- to parents and in a separate workshop they will reveal the true consequences of dabbling with drugs to youths.

And international motivational speaker Dwayne Bryant flew into Bermuda last week to prepare for his part in the conference.

After graduating from university with a dual degree in finance and international business, Mr. Bryant entered "corporate America'' where he worked for Johnson & Johnson for five years until mid-1997.

But eventually he traded the comfort of the weekly paycheque for his "destiny'': to help youngsters fulfil their maximum potential by inspiring them to reject drugs and mediocrity.

One of his achievements since then is motivating thousands of people ranging from school children to corporate executives -- and that is what he intends to do at the PRIDE conference.

Mr. Bryant told The Royal Gazette he aimed to get the message across to adults -- particularly parents -- that children and teenagers would do and become what they saw rather than what they were told.

He will speak to adults about the challenges and temptations facing youth and how parents can develop strategies to raise healthy, positive and productive children.

And he will also hold a workshop to challenge youngsters to understand their purpose in life and develop smart goals to guarantee they have successful drug-free lives.

"You can't do drugs and be successful. It's that simple.'' The National Drug Commission's research officer Julie Dunstan will also speak about the results of the most recent school survey on drugs and the implications for prevention.

She will focus on how groups like PRIDE can use the results to draw up solutions, as well as comparing the results with previous surveys to emphasise the progress already made.

For more details contact the PRIDE office on 295-9970.

Dwayne Bryant: International motivational speaker.