The province has handed out a number of grants to programs run by community organizations to help combat youth crime and gang violence.
One of the grant recipients the Cowichan Women Against Violence Society which plans to engage at-risk youth with community groups, leaders and organizations to come up with a design and development of youth spaces within parks in the Cowichan Valley.
Victoria Alvarez, a former Street Smarts participant, says kids are much less likely to get into gangs if they truly feel heard……
Overall, the province is making $7.2 million dollars available to community organizations working to keep vulnerable young people from gang involvement and protect victims of domestic, sexual and other forms of violence.
