Penticton and South Okanagan students are going to get a glimpse into the gang world from B.C. police.
On Jan. 11 and 12 Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. is bringing End Gang Life to the South Okanagan.
Led and developed by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia, End Gang Life is a comprehensive gang education, prevention and awareness initiative that uses bold, emotional images and messages to:
- Engage the public about gangs;
- Provide material that educates the public about gangs;
- Prevent youth and young adults from joining gangs;
- Encourage those involved in gang life to exit.
Staff Sgt. Houghton provides a glimpse into the gang world from a police perspective. Students are informed about some of the most prevailing myths and realities surrounding gang life affecting youth and young adults in our province. Houghton will lead the audience through the myths and realities by discussing the real-life cases of B.C. gang members and victims of gang violence, discussing not only how they lived, but in many cases how they died as well and how their involvement in gangs affected their friends, families and communities.
The second half of the presentation focuses on a lived experience within the gang world of British Columbia from the perspective of Jordan Buna, a former gang-involved young man. Beginning as early as Grade 6, Buna walks the audience through his early years in school as well as his adult years in gangs, with the focus of the presentation on the choices students face in their day-to-day lives. Through personal experience, Buna highlights not only his negative choices, but his positive ones as well, choices which ultimately took him from the prison cell, all the way back to earning a university education and has afforded him the opportunity to help change the lives of young people through his unique and powerful message.
Presentations will be at Osoyoos Secondary School at 9:45 a.m.; Outma school at 1:45 p.m. on Jan. 11
On Jan. 12 the presentation comes to Princess Margaret at 9:45 a.m. and Penticton Secondary at 1:40 p.m.