About Us
Purpose
Since 1990, over 115 young adults have lost their lives to gang violence in British Columbia, Canada. Surrey, BC, has become a source of great community concern and national media attention over the recent spate of "gang-style" murders involving youth and innocent bystanders. Families, teachers, and community members are worried about the safety of their region and the future of their youth. CURA was created in response to community demand in looking for a positive solution.
Academic Research
Ongoing review of parallel work; community reflections on youth violence; identifying culturally relevant psycho-social assets protecting youth from violence; identifying paths out of gangs for those already involved; and finally examining and evaluating the current initiatives and future options are the core ways in which CURA will generate positive solutions.
Academic experts, community partners, and youth leaders will collaborate to direct the research at every stage.
Relevance
Surrey is BC's fasting growing community. Effects of gang-related youth violence extend far beyond physical harm, and beyond the victims and victimizers. Rapid growth and changing demographics have also presented many challenges (such as youth involvement in gang-related crimes, drug trafficking, and violence) that must be overcome by the community at large.
Goals
- Establish a collaborative research network, involving community agencies, academic institutions, families, and youth to understand causes of entry into and exits from gang-related youth violence
- Develop and support community capacity for effective interventions that will inhibit gang-related youth violence through training and education
- Create a context for knowledge dissemination through continual dialogue among youth, community members, researchers, and policy-makers through forums, conferences, publications, and media events
Editors: Sandy Alfonso, Sandra Lenore Gutierrez & Meiko Assoon. Design: William Szilveszter