| Purpose : |
The project proposed by LOVE (in partnership with the Canadian Training Institute) will develop a gang prevention module template with a curriculum and training materials. The organization will recruit, train and engage youth who have been associated with gangs (based on criteria to be defined during the project) in community gang prevention work. Youth participants will support the project by collaborating on the creation of a Gang Prevention Manual, done by youth for youth, and youth serving professionals.
The project consists of two phases over a period of a year, in three communities: Malvern, Rexdale and St. Jamestown in Toronto. The project will increase the opportunity of children and youth at risk of being affected by gangs to learn the facts about gang participation from peer role models. Phase 1 will consist of training and curriculum development, and Phase 2 will be community outreach to provide an active forum for youth to learn from staff, guest specialists, resource materials and from each other about the research on gangs, as well as what the youth perspective is on the issue. Youth who have been affected by gangs, who have joined gangs, who have witnessed their impact and who have left gangs will be given an opportunity to share their experiences. The project will support youth and will provide them with positive options and alternatives to the perceived support of a gang membership, offering youth insight into the reality of gang life, as well as tips and tangible skills, which should assist in dissuading gang membership.
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