STR8 UP gives report on preventing gangs during visit to NB
Local residents had an opportunity to find out more about preventing gangs and helping youth leave them when STR8 UP visited North Battleford for a community meeting Tuesday.
STR8 UP was part of a panel group that included Pastor Sheldon Gattinger – a community liaison, and Renee Sperling, of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Battlefords, the Battlefords Youth Network and the Youth Engagement Initiative, that took part in the presentation at the Don Ross Centre. About 80 people including professionals, teachers, parents and youth were among those in attendance.
The aim of the event was to present the findings from the Building Healthier Communities report on community recommendations for the development of the Saskatchewan Prevention/Intervention Street Gang Strategy, by Robert Henry, a University of Calgary professor with expertise in criminology and justice. STR8 UP, the provincial government and many communities in Saskatchewan were involved in developing the report.
Stan Tu’Inukuafe, co-founder of STR8 UP, said last summer representatives were present to ask the public for input into what they would like to see for a province-wide gang strategy.