What's next for the Building Safer Communities initiative?

Following last week's open house on the Building Safer Communities initiative, Pauline Clark with the City offered her insights on the next steps moving forward. 

"We received some great insights," Clark, who is the Team Leader for the Social Planning Department said. "We're just trying to summarize and run through some of that data collection so that we can incorporate it into the future implementation of these initiatives."

The open house which was held last Tuesday, was meant to initiate discussion among residents and The City on several topics, including the ongoing conversations and research taking place with Airdrie youth that will inform the city's work on ensuring youth safety; as well as opportunities for families to be involved in upcoming initiatives, and how residents can inform and help shape the work moving forward.

"The open house was intended to provide an overview of what our plans were moving forward, to gain some insights to help how we design and pull out these two initiatives in our community," Clark added. "It was very positive. I think there is excitement in our community."

During last week's city council meeting, city officials were given more detail as to how the federal funding and the subsequent project will develop. 

According to city documents, when administration was notified by Public Safety Canada (PSC) that the City would receive funding, 'strategy development began which included the hiring of bassa Social Innovations to survey and evaluate feedback from youth and services organizations in Airdrie to understand youth violence and bullying in the community.'

"These two initiatives intend to foster positive relationships with youth to prevent unsafe or violent behaviour. The two initiatives that will support youth safety. Based on the feedback collected in 2022, the Airdrie Youth Violence Prevention and Intervention Strategy was finalized in 2023, which outlined options for the next steps in addressing youth safety. Two key initiatives were identified," the agenda report explained.

Clark added that the project is a multi-year plan.

"...[With] these two initiatives [they are] rooted in prevention targeting, proactive youth safety initiatives and [the] social well-being at the end of the day. Our two initiatives are really around that community of practice and again, providing some reference supports in our community for young people."

According to city documents, the first initiative is based on a community approach, which began this month and will run until March 2026. The approach is meant to, '...provide Airdrie youth-serving organizations and City Administration an opportunity to learn and be trained in an evidence-based framework called Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS).'

The second initiative, which has been classified as wrap-around support will begin next month and is slated to go until March 2026. The wrap-around supports are being provided, 'through contracted staff, dedicated to the initiative, for youth who are at risk of participating in behaviours such as gun violence and gang activity.'

"Staff will support youth by coordinating community supports, where available, and providing services directly. Ensuring our most vulnerable youth are receiving support through a holistic approach that aligns community partners together," city documents added.

Clark said that they are currently engaged with community stakeholders to develop more details on the wrap-around supports.

"We did some great engagement with some key community stakeholders last week as well, to continue to gain feedback, insights, and expertise. We're still currently working through some of that, to help form and inform this initiative."

When asked if Airdrie RCMP, the city's Municipal Enforcement or the Rocky View School Division will be a part of the wrap-around services, Clark said that they are looking at how to implement and design this program.

"But we are considering all of those factors," she concluded.

The open house is followed by this week's Community Town Hall hosted by the Airdrie RCMP and Municipal Enforcement.

The Town Hall will be held Wednesday, March 27 at city council chambers, beginning at 6 p.m. and running till 9. For those who are unable to attend a live stream will be available and a link will be provided closer to the date. 

Those who wish to do so can submit questions via email (police.townhall@airdrie.ca) to be answered during the town hall. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions during the town hall.

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