Pelican Lake First Nation will have a new crime prevention program in place this fall. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

New Program

Pelican Lake First Nation to launch crime prevention initiative in band schools

Apr 25, 2019 | 5:20 PM

A new program at Pelican Lake First Nation schools will include three new employees who will be hired to work with students and young adults on crime prevention.

That’s according to Band Administrator Jim Ramsay, who said the funding announcement Tuesday in Prince Albert by Federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale was a refreshing change to the way governments have approved programs in the past. He noted the program Pelican Lake will be launching was proposed by the band as one of the best ways to deter its members from going down the wrong path.

“We’ll be dealing with everything from kids who might be in trouble with entering into the gangs or young adults who have some vandalism problems or break-and-enters,” Ramsay stated. “This is over a two-year period and what we’re doing is we’re bringing in some dedicated staff who will be trained in the area of crime prevention. This is more of an intervention program. It’s to work with our youth and young adults [in] the schools, and working closely with corrections and the RCMP.”

Planning for the new program will continue into the next couple of months and employees will also likely be hired this summer. Ramsay added those who are hired will be professionally trained on how to approach individuals, as well as work with organizations like the RCMP. He stressed the outreach workers will be key to the success of the program as they will be seeking out those who need their assistance.

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The whole idea of the project is for the employees to dedicate their time to individuals who need their help. It will be done through collaboration with teachers and counsellors, Ramsay said, and those in the program will be asked about the issues they’re facing in life and the resources needed to address them. He noted it’s about strengthening potentially troubled individuals and getting them to realize there are positive alternatives.

“So often the federal government throws money at problems, but nobody ever sits down and thinks it through about what’s the best way to make it have an effective result,” Ramsay said. “Our goal here is to be not only be accountable to the community and the government in how we’re doing this, but most importantly to set up working models that can be replicated into other communities for success.”

Île-à-la-Crosse, Pelican Lake First Nation and Witchekan Lake First Nation were all selected by the federal government to receive $400,000 over the next two years for crime prevention initiatives. Île-à-la-Crosse will be launching a program called Healing on the Land, which aims to reconnect young people with their traditional Métis culture.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno