A number of recent announcements over the past month have affirmed the Government of Alberta's commitment to caring for Edmonton's most vulnerable people. These projects represent big steps in developing wraparound services in schools, expanding relationships between government agencies and the non-profit/voluntary sector, and bolstering community safety by preventing and reducing crime.

In response to the local needs of Edmonton's communities, these projects integrate education, health, policing and other community support services to help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to make a positive contribution and lead a dignified and meaningful life.

Recognizing that all children and youth must have constructive ways to spend their time, particularly in the crucial hours immediately after school ends, three Edmonton projects will receive $2.26 million to keep at-risk youth off the streets and in their schools, participating in sports and creative activities. The three projects are:

• An Integrated Approach to Schools as Community Hubs in Edmonton — This project will increase the accessibility of critical services to parents and families during evening and weekend hours by using schools as neighbourhood hubs for services. It represents a step forward in developing the wraparound services concept of supporting students and families. Total provincial funding is $1.48 million.
• Edmonton Urban Games — This project will engage high-risk youth in urban art and sporting events, while also providing education and employment opportunities. Total provincial funding is $100,000 to the ihuman Youth Society.
• Restorative Justice Project — This joint project of the Alberta Conflict Transformation Society and the Edmonton Police Service Southeast Division will help address crime and community safety through restorative justice, holding youth accountable for their actions while supporting them in making positive contributions to their community. Total provincial funding is $680,000.

Three more projects to support immigrant families and youth were also announced recently, with over $1.9 million in provincial support. They focus on addressing the underlying causes of criminal activity by providing necessary early supports that keep young people out of the criminal justice system.

• Reducing Crime by Enhancing Resilience and Capacity Among Immigrant Families and Youth — This project aims to provide comprehensive wrap-around programming to address the barriers immigrants and refugees face to healthy integration of their families and youth into Canadian life and systems. The $1.3 million project will provide wraparound services and programs in partnership with Edmonton Public School Board, Child & Family Services - Region 6, Alberta Health Services, Catholic Social Services, and Multicultural Health Brokers' Cooperative Ltd.
• Immigrant and Refugee Mentoring Programs — This pilot will engage children and youth from the immigrant and refugee communities in critical hour programming, recreational activities and mentoring, to prevent high risk behaviors such as drug trafficking, prostitution and gang violence, and to foster positive relationships, increased hope and self esteem. Total provincial funding is $400,000, which will be complemented by $195,000 from TransCanada.
• Keeping Edmonton Somali Youth Out of Street Gangs and Drugs — The aim of this project is to reduce and prevent crime and social disorder faced by the Edmonton Somali community by addressing after school delinquency activities and school dropout rates that have afflicted many Somali youth, children and their families in Edmonton. It will provide quality afterschool programming, including homework help club, sports activities (soccer and basketball) and youth leadership training, with the goals of increasing positive social interaction of its participants, improving the participants' academic achievement and building a strong bond among youth, children and their families. Ultimately, it aims to reduce the rate of delinquency activities and rate of students dropping out of high schools by 15 per cent.

The six projects detailed above complement two that were announced in February with $1.21 million in funding:

• Assessment Support Intervention Success Team (ASIST) — ASIST will focus on the issues of criminal and socially deviant behaviour that lead to a student's expulsion. This may include assault, weapons offenses, theft, bullying and addictions. ASIST will offer wrap around services that include integrated interventions and supports to at risk grade 7 - 12 students in Edmonton Catholic Schools. Total provincial support is $540,000.
• Bamboo Shield — The primary goal of the project is to reduce criminal behaviours (violence, theft, and substance abuse) among high-risk Aboriginal/refugee/immigrant youth in two junior high schools in Edmonton. The intervention program will be modeled on Lions-Quests Skills for Adolescence curriculum by holding bi-weekly meetings with the youth and bi-monthly meetings with their parents. Youth mentors will be trained to assist with one-on-one and small group with the youth, Community elders will provide teachings to students and parents, and Edmonton City Police School Resource Officers will participate twice per month with the youth and occasionally with the parents. Total provincial funding is $670,000.

These projects are not the only ways in which government is meeting the needs of Alberta's communities. Ongoing work includes helping young Alberta families with the development of 14,000 new child care spaces, adding about 300 police officers and 45 Crown prosecutors, and supporting vulnerable Albertans by creating 11,000 affordable housing units.