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Surrey teens explore the reality of gangs

Student-produced video airs on TV this weekend.
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Surrey students in Grades 10-12 interviewed Jay Dobyns

A video exploring the realities of gang involvement developed by Surrey students will be aired this weekend on TV.

Called Gangs & Youth Views from a Lower Mainland Symposium, the video was developed through a multi-year collaboration between Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Acting Together - Community University Research Alliance project, Shaw Communications and Surrey School District.

Students in Grades 10 through 12 conducted interviews, did camera work and voiceovers for the video.

Included is an interview with Jay Dobyns, a former undercover agent who spent two years infiltrating the Hells Angels. As well, the teens spoke to Cpl. Doug Spencer, a transit police officer who’s been involved in more than 1,000 gang investigations, and Rob Rai, assistant manager of safe schools with the Surrey School District.

The video initiative piggybacks on Acting Together’s (AT) goals of researching the prevention of youth-related gang violence and supporting positive youth-related community initiatives.

“Nothing could have made me happier than to see that the students put in hard hours when they could have been out playing video games or watching TV, let alone getting into trouble,” said Bob Basil, expert communications collaborator for AT. “I was humbled by the motivations of these students.”

It’s expected the video will become a model and educational tool for the community.

The video will be made available worldwide through YouTube, but will be aired on Shaw TV (Channel 4) on Aug. 13, 11 p.m. and Aug. 14, 9 p.m.