City of Surrey, Surrey Schools partnership SAFE program receives UBCM community excellence award
The Surrey Anti-Gang Family Empowerment (SAFE) program -- a partnership between the City of Surrey, Surrey Schools and nine other community agencies -- received the UBCM's 2023 Excellence in Service Delivery award for its support of more than 4,500 children, youth and families in Surrey. (Photo by the City of Surrey)
The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) has recognized an ongoing partnership between the City of Surrey, Surrey Schools and nine other agencies that helps support at-risk youth, with its 2023 Excellence in Service Delivery award.
The city’s Surrey Anti-Gang Family Empowerment (SAFE) program was honoured at the recent UBCM Community Excellence Awards for its leadership in supporting more than 4,500 children, youth and parents in Surrey since 2019, through tailored support including meeting gender-specific and culturally sensitive needs.
“We have substantial data from all of these organizations on the success of these initiatives, the decrease in violence, the increase in connection and student success,” said Jaclyn Blaney, acting manager of Safe Schools. “We have the data to show the success of it and it is now a model for other municipalities across the country.”
The five-year, $7.5 million SAFE Program is funded by Public Safety Canada and led by the City of Surrey. In the district, SAFE has helped fund numerous gang-prevention supports for students and youth, including the Next 100 Years peer leadership program, clinical counselling for families connected to the WRAP program and the Children and Youth At-Risk Table (CHART), a community action table that district staff meet at weekly.
“There are programs that are specifically tied to that funding that students can access through CHART,” said Blaney. “The funding has helped to create additional resources such as mentorship, clinical counselling and substance use support for students.
“Last year, by spring, we had 12 to 14 referrals a week for students needing to access immediate support. These students and families were being connected to support immediately instead of having to navigate the systems to access them, and at no cost to families.”
Other SAFE services include youth outreach, caregiver education, family support and opportunities for youth enterprising. For more information on SAFE, click here.
