The City of Prince George has received $1.8 million in federal funding to launch a crime prevention program aimed at keeping kids in high-crime neighbourhoods from falling into gang life and addiction.
The STRIVE (Strength Through Resilience and Independence Via Empowerment) program builds on the junior STRIVE program offered in elementary schools, city manager of police support services Devon Cooper told city council on Monday.
“STRIVE is an after-school, community-based program,” Cooper said. “The program is designed to build self confidence, self esteem and academic achievement…”
The junior STRIVE program is an in-school program offered at elementary schools in high-crime areas of the city, that provides education about gang life, gun crime, drug and alcohol awareness, online safety and restorative justice principles. Each year the STRIVE program will take 15 to 20 Grade 8 students who participated in the junior STRIVE program, and offer mentorship, team building, experiential learning, cultural and recreational activities and more.
The students will continue through the program as a group until Grade 12, Cooper said. The federal funding will allow the program to take in a new group of Grade 8 students each year until 2026, she added. The city is working with a number of community partners, Cooper said, and is looking for additional sources of funding to continue the program past 2026.
“I think this is something really special here in creating change, and I don’t want it to disappear in just a couple years,” Coun. Tim Bennett said.
“If we can get to some of these young folks before the gang members do, because they know who are vulnerable… it’s going to change lives,” Coun. Brian Skakun said.
Funding was provided through the federal Building Safer Communities Fund.
