After a double shooting that killed two teen boys in Surrey May 10, Surrey Schools is highlighting gang prevention resources and support systems available to students, families and staff.
Following the recent gang-related violence connected to the teens’ deaths, the school district says it has a network of supports in place to help address youth exploitation, gang-related concerns and student safety.
According to Jaclyn Blaney, the manager of the safe schools department with Surrey Schools, the district works alongside multiple community partners to support youth and families navigating difficult situations.
“We really try to work as a community to support our youth and families,” said Blaney in an interview with Peace Arch News.
Through the safe schools department, every Surrey secondary school has a dedicated safe school liaison focused on safety-related concerns and offering student support.
“The liaisons are highly visible within the schools, and they work really closely with the school administration, the counsellors, the youth workers, as well as the police service in our community,” explained Blaney.
Blaney said many parents may not realize that supports like youth care workers and safe school liaisons are available for students. Unlike formal appointments with administrators, Blaney explained that liaisons are often present in hallways and other common areas throughout the school.
For students requiring additional support, Surrey Schools has the ability to also connect youth with counsellors, youth care workers and specialized intervention programs such as the Wraparound program.
The Wraparound program is a partnership between Surrey Police Service (SPS) and the school district that focuses on supporting youth who have had significant police contact or who may be vulnerable to exploitation.
Blaney also mentioned the school district’s CHART table, which is a community action table that brings together multiple agencies and organizations to connect youth facing elevated risks with additional supports and services.
Blaney said education and awareness for parents is another key part of prevention efforts. Families who notice sudden behavioural changes, unexplained money, expensive items or other concerning signs are encouraged to reach out to schools for support.
“The education piece for families is really important as well,” she said. “I think for our families, knowing that they don’t have to navigate all the community systems on their own. We invite and we would love to work with our families as a community of support for our youth.”
In addition to counselling services for students, Surrey Schools can also help connect entire families to support networks.
Blaney says the district has also expanded education opportunities for staff and parents around exploitation and gang-related concerns. This year, staff participated in presentations from SPS called SOAR, which focuses on youth exploitation and related warning signs.
“We wanna make sure that the people who are closest to these youth, their families and the adults that work closely with them, are up to date on what the current needs are, resources, trends and any of those things, just to keep an eye out,” explained Blaney.
When asked what a friend or classmate should do if they think a fellow student could be involved in gangs, Blaney encouraged students to speak with a counsellor, vice-principal or safe school liaison.
For those who may not feel comfortable reporting concerns in person, the district also operates the Protecting Surrey Schools Together (PSST) website.
The website allows students to anonymously submit concerns, screenshots, rumours or information related to safety issues or possible exploitation.
Blaney said reports are reviewed directly by the safe schools department to determine what support or followup may be needed.
“Confidentiality is really important, but when it comes to safety, that’s a priority, too, and so we want to make sure that that student feels safe bringing up their concerns,” she said.
Blaney added that both the PSST website and Surrey Schools website include public-facing resources, information and reporting tools related to gang awareness and youth safety.
“We want to make sure that, at the end of the day, everyone has the same information and understanding that there is support if you need it, and here’s the way that you can access it without having to navigate everything on your own because we really should be working as a community of support,” shared Blaney.
Learn more about the safe schools department with Surrey Schools at surreyschools.ca/safeschools.