The City of Surrey is investing $4.5 million over the next three years in "youth resiliency" programs the federal government used to fund under the Surrey Anti-Gang Family Empowerment program SAFE) aimed at preventing youth gang violence.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke noted that while the SAFE program was funded by the federal government for years Surrey now has taken on and expanded it. The result is similar to SAFE, she said, "but much expanded."
"It's about mentorship and counselling and all those things that often youth need," Locke told the Now-Leader. "The federal government funds these projects; they have a three-year window they fund them for and if they're successful it's up to people to take them on whether its a non-government organization or city hall. "In this case the City decided this was a critically important piece for the City to take on, especially given the number of young people in our city that it was an important project that really is showing success."
The SAFE Program was launched in 2019 in light of recommendations from the Mayor’s Task Force on Gang Violence Prevention.
Also in a press release she described it as an investment in the "long-term prosperity and well-being of our residents – particularly our families and youth. This strategic investment is a testament to our unwavering commitment to creating a safer, more vibrant, and resilient city where everyone can prosper and thrive."
The funding aims to support more than 2,000 Surrey residents with DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society’s SAFE Counselling receiving $300,000 annually to provide "structured and culturally sensitive" clinical counselling to children ages six to 17 and their parents. The Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver’s SHINE will also receive $300,000 each year to provide "community-based one-on-one mentorship" as well as clinical counselling to clients aged six to 24 years and also their parents.
Moreover, Family Services of Greater Vancouver’s Parent Teen Mediation will receive $110,000 annually to help clients aged 13 to 19 address "interpersonal conflict" with their parents and Pacific Community Resources Society’s Learning to Lead Youth Resiliency will get $300,000 annually to provide one-on-one mentorship to children ages 14 to 17 and for community-based group activities centred on community service and" adventure-based" recreation.
The Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society’s StrengthQuest will receive $190,000 annually to "provide community-based one-on-one mentorship" to clients ages nine to 24 "and guidance to their parents as appropriate," and Surrey Women’s Centre’s The Seen Project is getting $300,000 annually to "provide individualized outreach and support groups for 13- to 24-year-old female survivors of gender-based violence and their parents."
