Provincial government aiming to cut down Kelowna youth crime

With a newly announced grant, the Province of British Columbia is funding a program to help prevent young people from getting involved in crime in the Okanagan.

The program will go over life skills like assertiveness, boundary-setting, problem-solving and conflict resolution.

"Local organizations like the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club play a crucial part of front-line work by reaching young people where they live and steering them away from potential involvement in crime and gang activity,” Minister of Public Safety Mike Morris said. “This year, we've dedicated nearly $2 million in civil forfeiture proceeds to dozens of gang and youth crime prevention projects like this throughout the province - offering critical early intervention to support safer, stronger communities and the Province's broader Guns and Gangs strategy."

This year's $100,000 Civil Forfeiture Office (CFO) grant will enable the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs Downtown Youth Centre to continue New Horizons for Youth, a program first supported with a $20,000 grant in 2015, with 94 youth members to date.

"The grant allowed us to dedicate a staff member to consult our young clients and develop responsive life-skills programming of exceptional quality,” Sarah MacKinnon with the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club said. “New Horizons teaches communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution and various soft skills, building a foundation for young participants to make strong choices and meet their own needs, without resorting to crime.”

New Horizons covers healthy attitudes and coping skills when it comes to dealing with negative peer pressure and addresses mental health and wellness, sexual health and relationships, self-care, goal-setting and financial planning and effective communication.

The program also includes social and recreational activities like art, swimming, dance class, yoga, workouts and sports.

Since it was established a decade ago, B.C.'s civil forfeiture program has returned $27 million to crime prevention and community safety programs, including $1.5 million in victims' compensation.