SAFE Program Highlights Booklet

Surrey’s Approach Proven Effective

SAFE has delivered on its objective of preventing and addressing youth risks for gang involvement in British Columbia’s fastest growing city through the implementation of 11 innovative, collaborative, and targeted programs for youth. SAFE’s unique approach to barrier reduction, advocacy, and risk driven intervention has elevated our success and provided outcomes no one agency could achieve alone. The featured success stories in this document are just a few examples of many, that reinforce how SAFE programming mitigates risk for gang involvement and strengthens protective factors such as positive life skills and connection to family, school and community. September 30th, 2022 represented the 75% mark of SAFE at which time SAFE was on track to meet the target of serving 4700 children and youth within it’s first 5 years of operations. SAFE programs demonstrated expert organizational agility in navigating the two

year pandemic, collectively served 475 secondary clients (parents and caregivers), and implemented additional gang focused initiatives launched via the SAFE Centre to enhance participant outcomes. The City of Surrey together with committed community partners have created and delivered significant value to our community by de escalating risk, bolstering proactive factors, and securing a sustained commitment to multi sector collaboration. We know that lessons learned through the implementation of SAFE are just the start of disrupting the gang activity that exists in Surrey. Children and youth in our community continue to be targeted, lured and groomed by organized crime. The continuation of SAFE’s targeted programs that effectively divert young people away from gang pathways are vital to ensuring a safe and engaged community.

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SAFE | Surrey Anti-Gang Family Empowerment Program