The BC government is providing nearly $180,000 to two projects in the West Kootenays that support crime prevention and youth advocacy.
A press release from the province says the funds are being provided through BC’s Civil Forfeiture Grant Program (CFOG), which uses proceeds from unlawful activity and redirects them back to communities.
A total of $7.5 million is being provided this year to 166 community-led projects throughout BC that focus on crime prevention, healing, and enhancing public safety.
The Family Action Network of the Lower Columbia received $39,999 to support its Community Connections for Children and Families project.
This project will deliver monthly and quarterly pop-up hubs to provide safe spaces for at-risk children aged 7–12 as well as their caregivers, offering mentorship, skill-building, mental health support, and recreational activities.
The Kootenay-Boundary Community Services Co-operative also received a portion of this year’s allocation, securing $140,000 for its Safe Kids and Youth (SKY) Coordinated Response program.
The project, which is a rural-modelled Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (CYAC) that operates in six West Kootenay communities, supports children and youth from ages 0 to 19 who come forward with disclosures of abuse, violence, or neglect.
SKY has established multidisciplinary teams, child-friendly interview rooms (and mobile video recording equipment), and a regional cooperation agreement to ensure children and youth residing in rural regions have access to collaborative, trauma-informed services when they come forward with their disclosures.
According to the Kootenay-Boundary Community Services Co-operative’s website, the SKY program serves about 50 children and youth in the region per year.
It’s offered in Castlegar, Nelson, Trail, Kaslo, Nakusp, and Salmo.
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