VANDERHOOF – Community organizations working to safeguard vulnerable young people from gang involvement and protect victims of domestic, sexual and other forms of violence in Vanderhoof, Burns Lake and region will benefit from $180,000 in government grants supporting public safety priorities.
“We need to support those who are vulnerable to domestic violence,” Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad said. “By working together, we can provide supports for people and in doing so, advance safety in our communities.”
Regional recipients:
· Carrier Sekani Family Services: $100,000 for its Walk Tall program to increase protective factors and reduce risk factors for Aboriginal youth who are at high risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system in the Vanderhoof and Prince George areas.
· Carrier Sekani Family Services: $40,000 for its Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls Through Access to Community Services program.
· College of New Caledonia – Vanderhoof campus: $20,000 for its Vanderhoof Youth Centre.
Carrier Sekani Family Services will also receive $20,000 to support Highway 16 communities with its Victim Family Support/Healing project.
This is part of a nearly $7.2 million province-wide investment— the largest-ever one-time grants investment in community crime prevention in B.C. — combining $5.5 million in provincial Civil Forfeiture Office proceeds and $1.69 million from criminal forfeiture proceeds.
In all, more than 250 projects and programs throughout the province will receive a one-time grant. Nearly $2 million is dedicated to gang and youth crime prevention, and more than $3.5 million will go to community services that address violence against women and girls.
The remainder will support training and education for frontline victims service workers, police training and special equipment, and restorative justice.
This year a new stream of civil forfeiture grants is dedicated to programs focused on sexual assault, including responses to sexual assault on post-secondary campuses. This builds on our Vision for a Violence Free BC, the Province’s long-term strategy to end all forms of violence against women. To learn more about our government’s Vision for a Violence Free BC, please visit: pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices/shareddocs/pubs/violence-free-bc.pdf.