By Spencer Sterritt

Funding opens doors for non-profit programs helping victims of crime and violence

Apr 18, 2019 | 1:05 PM

NANAIMO — The proceeds of crime are being turned around to help those in need.

Nearly $120,000 for five local programs is being funded by the Civil Forfeiture Office, which takes money obtained through crime and redirects it back into programs designed to protect vulnerable citizens.

The Nanaimo John Howard’s Society received funding for two programs.

More than $28,000 will fund their Alternative Learn Youth Crime Prevention Program for the next year.

Society executive director John McCormick said it’s a 12-week program supporting youth who are at a high risk of appearing before a judge.

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“Traditionally, we’ve worked in the justice system where people have already entered into conflict. We’re doing our best now to actually make sure we don’t have people as clients when they’re 35-years-old,” he said.

The program was tested in Nanaimo over the last year in collaboration with the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District. It focuses on addressing conflict in the youths’ lives in a positive and productive way to steer them away from crime.

Nearly $17,000 was also directed to the Society’s restorative justice program, which sees counsellors and mentors helping people repair the harm they caused through criminal actions.

Non-profit organizations the Nanaimo Women’s Resource Society, Whitecrow Village FASD Society and the Nanaimo Men’s Centre also received funding.

Glen Sexsmith, executive director of the Nanaimo Men’s Centre, said the $30,000 will be enough to keep their doors open and valuable programs running.

“The centre has clients from Vancouver to Victoria, Ucluelet up to Fort St. John, so our reach is really province-wide.”

The Men’s Centre was at risk of closing in early 2018 due to a lack of funding even after years of working with a skeleton crew.

Sexsmith said they won’t be able to hire more staff, but will be able to continue providing services to families ripped apart by domestic violence and drug addiction.

The Civil Forfeiture Office is providing more than $6 million to 173 Canadian organizations.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit