Board Biography

Lew Golding

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Manager of The Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth

Lew Golding is a former 3 times Canadian champion and member of Canada's National Track and Field Team. Throughout his career, Lew achieved great heights and has traveled great distances in his career. As a practioner in social services since 1984, he worked extensively with youth, regarding youth and for youth serving change agents. Lew continues to successfully mobilize initiatives, which respond to the challenges faced by today's youth and the institutions that serve them. He has participated in neighbourhood, municipal, provincial and federal initiatives related to youth violence, gangs and community development. For more than 20 years, Lew worked with youth who are challenged by mental health and substance misuse challenges.

He achieved a Master's degree at York University's Faculty of Environmental Studies that centered around identifying alternative approaches to youth violence prevention. His work at times takes the form of advocate, educator, facilitator of programming which question, informs and empowers.

Lew's message to today's youth – "You are the smartest generation that has ever lived, our job as adults is to assist you in mastering the resources necessary for your success."