The Restorative Justice Program on the Sunshine Coast is among the groups benefitting from $6 million in provincial grants that redistribute money seized as proceeds of crime.
The $20,000 grant for Restorative Justice will help with a project called Expanding the Circle: Building Facilitator Capacities and Piloting Participant Supports on the Sunshine Coast.
According to the background notes from the province’s announcement, “This project will build facilitator capacities to respond to participant and community needs through participant-driven programming in each geographic area of the Sunshine Coast. It will facilitate two trainings on Peacemaking Circles, one training on Community Justice Forums and provide on line capacity building in trauma and crisis response, mental health and addictions, family violence, and youth mental health.”
More than 170 local organizations and projects were chosen to receive the one-time grants through the Crime Prevention and Remediation grant program.
“Taking the proceeds of crime and putting them back into our communities to help prevent further crime is just one way to help make our neighbourhoods safer,” said public safety minister Mike Farnworth. “Many of these organizations are working with our most vulnerable citizens, helping them to rebuild and heal after years of violence, or working to prevent youth from engaging in a life of crime.”
Community programs and services that address crime reduction and crime prevention, including initiatives to tackle gun and gang violence, are receiving more than $1.5 million. The remaining grants went to community initiatives such as the Restorative Justice Program.
