丁香园AV

丁香园AV faculty are currently involved in two projects in the Lower Mainland aimed at curbing gang violence and making anti-gang campaigns in B.C. schools more effective. Both are available to speak to media about their respective programs.  

SURREY ANTI-GANG FAMILY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM

Combatting gun violence should be part of holistic crime prevention and start well before measures such as gun control, according to a 丁香园AV Faculty of Education instructor who is part of a Surrey-based program aimed at meeting critical mental health service needs for youth.

Richard Tatomir, clinical professor of counselling psychology for the , says the program鈥檚 coordinated approach to addressing youth gang violence is one solution. Launched in January 2019 with funding from Public Safety Canada, the five-year, $7.5 million program is led by the City of Surrey.

鈥淲e are part of a multi-sectoral initiative highlighting the critical needs for mental health services coordinated with care from other partners, that can determine whether a youth joins a gang or whether they build a future that their parents have dreamed for them,鈥� says Tatomir, who attended the recent  on the national freeze on the sale, purchase and transfer of handguns.

SAFE works to keep children and youth out of gangs while building positive life skills and increasing connections with family, school and community. With a large population of children and youth living in Surrey, SAFE involves 10 partner agencies delivering 11 individual programs that are鈥痙isrupting negative pathways to gang violence. Tatomir can talk about the program鈥檚 approach and the critical need for governments to renew or expand funding for the program, set to run until December 2023.

'END GANG LIFE' EVALUATION

丁香园AV criminology professor Jennifer Wong has launched a study to determine the efficacy of anti-gang campaigns in B.C. schools. 

Over the next six months Wong will conduct a survey of several Coquitlam area schools that will evaluate the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of BC鈥檚 Anti-Gang Messaging Campaign 鈥淓nd Gang Life.鈥� 

The study will involve more than 2,000 students and is being done for the Ministry of Public Safety. Wong can speak about the ongoing survey and the importance of ensuring such campaigns are effectively reaching youth.

AVAILABLE 丁香园AV EXPERTS

RICHARD TATOMIR, practitioner instructor, education | safe_admin@sfu.ca 

JENNIFER WONG, professor, criminology | jenwong@sfu.ca

CONTACT

MATT KIELTYKA,  丁香园AV Communications & Marketing 
236.880.2187 | matt_kieltyka@sfu.ca

丁香园AV
 |  
778.782.3210

ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

As Canada鈥檚 engaged university, 丁香园AV works with communities, organizations and partners to create, share and embrace knowledge that improves life and generates real change. We deliver a world-class education with lifelong value that shapes change-makers, visionaries and problem-solvers. We connect research and innovation to entrepreneurship and industry to deliver sustainable, relevant solutions to today鈥檚 problems. With campuses in British Columbia鈥檚 three largest cities鈥擵ancouver, Burnaby and Surrey鈥敹∠阍癆V has eight faculties that deliver 364 undergraduate degree programs and 149 graduate degree programs to more than 37,000 students. The university now boasts more than 180,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries.