District receives KPU Community Impact Award for anti-gang efforts

Surrey Schools is being recognized by Kwantlen Polytechnic University with its inaugural Community Impact Award for the district’s work with the Surrey Anti-Gang Family Empowerment (SAFE) program.

Led by the City of Surrey, the program aims to keep children and youth out of gangs while building positive life skills and increasing connections with school, family and community. The district is one of 10 partner organizations that make up SAFE and has been associated with the program since its launch in 2019.

“The Surrey School District is very proud to be a partner in this collaborative effort to keep students happy, safe and attached,” said Rob Rai, director of School and Community Connections with Safe Schools. “We are honoured to be among the recipients of KPU’s Community Impact Award.”

The Community Impact Award recognizes individuals and organizations who make a difference in regional communities and support KPU’s vision of transforming lives and empowering positive change. Over the past three years, the SAFE program has supported 3,037 Surrey children and youth and 411 caregivers.

While the district’s Safe Schools and Community-Schools Partnership departments deliver a number of programs for at-risk children and youth, Rai said it’s a collective of staff throughout our schools who work to keep students out of gangs, and the award acknowledges the district as a whole.

“It’s recognizing that the school district has stepped up and said, ‘We want to be a part of this coalition and do what’s right for kids,’” he said. “The teachers and staff in our schools do such great work day-to-day.”

Thank you, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, for recognizing the work of our amazing staff to keep our students safe!