Grand-Bouctouche, New Brunswick
Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs announced more than $3.5 million in federal funding to reduce incidents of bullying, violence and victimization among Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ youth in Kent County, New Brunswick.
The Solidarity and Friendly Engagement (SAFE) program will deliver direct interventions through school-based presentations and workshops, peer support groups, individual and family counselling, and referrals to partnering agencies. The interventions will promote the use of community-based protection measures to address risk factors associated with bullying, victimization and self-harm.
The SAFE program will be delivered by the Kent Violence Prevention Centre, an agency which coordinates all victim services in the Kent County region, serving youth ages 12-17 and their parents. In addition, two youth-led advisory committees focused on Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ youth will provide guidance and feedback to ensure that interventions are responsive to the needs of participating youth.
Funding for the SAFE program comes from Public Safety Canada's Crime Prevention Action Fund, which provides funding to support evidence-based crime prevention initiatives that address factors associated with crime among vulnerable groups.
