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.<\/p>\n
Following the recent gang-related violence connected to the teens\u2019 deaths, the school district says it has a network of supports in place to help address youth exploitation, gang-related concerns and student safety.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really try to work as a community to support our youth and families,\u201d said Blaney in an interview with Peace Arch News.<\/p>\n
Through the safe schools department, every Surrey secondary school has a dedicated safe school liaison focused on safety-related concerns and offering student support.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d explained Blaney.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Blaney also mentioned the school district\u2019s CHART table<\/a>, which is a community action table that brings together multiple agencies and organizations to connect youth facing elevated risks with additional supports and services.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cThe education piece for families is really important as well,\u201d she said. \u201cI think for our families, knowing that they don\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to counselling services for students, Surrey Schools can also help connect entire families to support networks.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>, which focuses on youth exploitation and related warning signs.<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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,\u201d explained Blaney.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n