A three day gang education symposium aimed at prevention and early intervention and community awareness will take place in Prince Albert next week as organizers work to address youth gang involvement in the region.
The symposium will run Wednesday, January 14; Thursday, January 15; and Friday, January 16, at the Coronet Hotel. Sessions are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday.
The event is being hosted by Family Futures Inc.
Jolene Furi, executive director of Family Futures, said Prince Albert was chosen as the location because gang activity continues to be a concern in the community and surrounding areas.
“Because we have had issues in our community with gangs, and I felt like it was relevant for us to have updated information,” Furi said.
She said the goal of the symposium is to help people understand how youth become involved in gangs and how early support can make a difference.
“To educate PA and surrounding areas on how to prevent youth from joining gangs and how to deal with members that are in gangs,” she said.
The symposium is open to anyone in the community who feels gang education would be helpful. While professionals who work with youth and families are expected to attend, Furi said the event is not limited to that group.
“Everybody and anybody who thinks that they need gang education,” she said.
Community members can attend with a registration fee of $250 per person. Furi said about 30 spots remain available. Lunch will be provided on all three days.
Topics over the three days will include gangs in Saskatchewan, youth gangs in Canada, digital threat assessment, extortion as an emerging criminal business model, youth radicalization, police, school, and community partnerships, and creating supportive spaces for vulnerable youth.
A speaker will also share a personal story on the final day.
Presenters are affiliated with Safer Schools Together, a British Columbia-based organization also known as GRIP, which stands for Gang Reduction Through Informed Practice. Speakers include Rob Rai and Trevor Zermiak.
Furi said youth gang involvement is often linked to unstable home environments and a lack of consistent support.
“A lot of the kids grow up with parents that are gang members and so therefore they become gang members because they really do not know a different life,” she said. “Gangs provide a sense of family and a sense of people who care about you.”
She said youth who feel lost or unsupported may turn to gangs to fill that gap, which is why early education and intervention are critical.
“How to deal with youth before they get into gangs or if they are just starting to get into gangs how can we help them to steer in another direction in life,” Furi said.
Family Futures is a nonprofit charitable organization that works with pregnant women and families with children up to six years old. Furi said staff often see the need for broader gang education not only for professionals but for the community as a whole.
“We just see a need for training for gangs so that our workers can be safe and that our community has some knowledge of how we can help these youth not go to the gangs,” she said.
Registration is required in advance. Those interested can contact Family Futures at 306 763 0760 or visit the Family Futures Inc. Facebook page for registration details.
“I just think that education is the best way that people can help themselves and their families,” Furi said.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
