PRESENTLY, the federal government has announced a call for submissions relating to the National Crime Prevention Strategy under two funding streams:

• Direct Intervention projects can be up to 60 months of duration. The maximum amount of funding available is $7,500,000 per recipient, per project, with a maximum of $1,500,000 per year.
• Strengthening Community Readiness projects can be up to 24 months of duration. The maximum amount of funding available is $400,000 per recipient, per project, with a maximum of $200,000 per year

Over the past five weeks, Wake Up Surrey says it has undertaken an extensive outreach process, participating in approximately 48 focus group meetings with various community stakeholders to listen, learn, document and identify key gaps in combating increasing youth violence and gang activity in the city. During this time, each stakeholder has demonstrated a spirit of cooperation and teamwork, while expressing grave concerns that it is “paramount the City of Surrey receive the appropriate National Crime Prevention Funding and the allocation process be locally driven under one master plan.”

As the announced deadline for funding submissions is July 31, Wake Up Surrey is proposing the following recommendations:

1. Surrey has been identified as having major challenges in combatting increasing gang activity and youth violence. In recognition of the present crisis, Wake Up Surrey recommends federal funding investment of $8 million per year for a period of 5 years (total of $40 million) to implement sustainable community-based programs for the four identified categories:

* youth gangs

* youth violence

* youth bullying

* youth cyberbullying

2. Wake Up Surrey recommends and supports City of Surrey oversee the allocation of all local National Crime Prevention Funding under the following conditions:

* As per the Mayors Task Force Report, a Phase II steering committee be appointed consisting of crime reduction experts and community stakeholders (maximum 9)

* Any appointment to the steering committee be merit based such as individual’s knowledge and expertise to the various components of gang reduction strategies and youth violence

* No conflict of interest directly / indirectly be permitted in the appointment of any individual and the tenure of such positions be for one year

3. The steering committee conduct an intensive community needs assessment and develop a strategic action plan relating to the four areas of funding allocation

* A local call for applications be publicly announced outlining the criteria and process for such funding allocation

* No political pressure or indirect influence be permitted for any subject proposal or allocation of such funding awards

4. Each year, all funding awards be transparently listed on the steering committee’s web page along with the following updates:

* Quarterly monitoring of each program, revisions and a report card

* Annual evaluation of each program assessing its relevance and performance

* Program interviews and focus groups relating to each subject area

* Exploring further best practices and academic research in each funding area

* Yearly adherence to the Government of Canada funding evaluation and reporting

5. The steering committee will always be a proactive leader in outreaching with all

stakeholders by facilitating workshops, guest speakers, community focus groups and be accountable to the citizens of Surrey

Wake Up Surrey says it will always strive for the following:

* Articulate the concerns of Surrey parents with transparency and no political affiliation

* Continually foster respectful efforts with all levels of government, law enforcement and community stakeholders

* Demand issued based accountability of all Surrey elected representatives

* Most importantly, as a parents driven grassroots movement understand the need to responsibly step forward and help promote progressive awareness, outreach and education in the greater interest of our youth