A front-line youth counsellor position will continue to serve Greater Victoria thanks to a cash injection from the province into the Pacific Centre Family Services Association.

The province announced the $130,000 investment Friday (June 9) to help the association expand its Crime Reduction and Exploitation Diversion and Mobile Youth Service Team programs by increasing staffing, and protect youth counsellor Mia GoldenB次元官网网址檚 position, which was in danger of losing funding.

B次元官网网址淧CFSA works to support vulnerable youth who are at high risk of participating in criminal activity, including gang involvement,B次元官网网址� said Liz Nelson, executive director, PCFSA.

B次元官网网址淎s issues related to youth violence and exploitation continue to be on the rise in our community, these programs were at risk of ending due to funding. Thanks to this support from the province, we are able to continue these services for an additional year, while also providing us with the time needed to secure ongoing resources so these services can continue long term.B次元官网网址�

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While the association is based in Colwood, Golden and her Victoria Police Department partner Const. Gord Magee work with youth across Greater Victoria and southern Vancouver Island.

VicPD Chief Del Manak said MYST in particular is playing a key role in addressing concerns about gang activity targeting youth in the region, which he said has been a growing concern over the past few years.

B次元官网网址淢any of our youth are being exploited. They are being exploited by adults, they are being exploited by other youth. So they need an avenue, a voice, to help advocate for what they need through a youth counsellor like Mia Golden,B次元官网网址� said Manak. B次元官网网址淭his is meant to be proactive and it is meant to be preventative, so even before youth are being recruited into street gangs or other groups, we are able to make in roads and provide supports so they donB次元官网网址檛 go down that dangerous road.B次元官网网址�

He said early intervention and proactive engagement are key pieces to reducing youth crime, and reducing the chances police will need to intervene.

B次元官网网址淯sually the damage is already done by the time the police are called, so we want to invest upstream to make sure we are supporting youth with a better lifestyle so down the road they arenB次元官网网址檛 finding themselves having negative interactions with police.B次元官网网址�

Speaking during the announcement, Golden said she and her team are out on the streets every day, in schools, and anywhere they feel they are needed, looking out for B次元官网网址減redatorsB次元官网网址� who are targeting youth.

B次元官网网址淭he work is intense, and sometimes heart-wrenching, but it is desperately needed,B次元官网网址� said Golden. B次元官网网址淏eing able to make some positive changes in youth and families lives is why we do this work.B次元官网网址�

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