City offers free gang prevention workshops to parents this spring

Registration is now open for the popular Empower Surrey Parent Workshops taking place April through June at nine elementary and secondary schools.

Designed for parents and caregivers of children and youth, the free two-hour workshops will provide participants with tips and tools to recognize and respond to warning signs for gang involvement as well as build protective factors that minimize their young person’s susceptibility for recruitment.

According to the City’s Community Safety section, gangs target youth as young as 10 years old from a variety of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, meaning strategies to start the conversation early are key to strengthening family, school and community connection.

"We received very positive feedback from participants of the November workshops," said Brian Aasebo, Community Safety Manager, City of Surrey. "Our spring workshops will educate residents about warning signs for gang involvement as well as provide them with practical tools to prevent and address such concerns with their young people."

Topics will include:

•How to recognize and address risk factors

•How to recognize youth slang that may indicate potential for risk

•The difficulties Surrey youth face at school and in the community

•Preventative measures, including:

oHow to build protective factors

oHow to develop and maintain strong connections with children and youth

•Where to get help if a young person is at risk of or actively involved in negative behaviours

Workshops will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at:

•Tuesday, April 19 Tamanawis Secondary School (Punjabi Session)

•Wednesday, April 27 Sunrise Ridge Elementary School

•Thursday, May 5 A.H.P. Matthew Elementary School

•Tuesday, May 10 Ecole Salish Secondary School

•Tuesday, May 17 Georges Vanier Elementary School

•Wednesday, May 25 Beaver Creek Elementary School (Punjabi Session)

•Tuesday, May 31 L.A. Matheson Secondary School

•Wednesday, June 1 Pacific Heights Elementary School

•Tuesday, June 7 Bonaccord Elementary School

Workshop facilitators will include professionals from the City’s Community Safety Section, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC) and SFU clinical counsellors from the Surrey Anti-Gang Family Empowerment (SAFE) Program.