CBC NEWS SASKATOON | SEPTEMBER 16, 2013

The head of a Saskatoon youth program says teens are a valuable resource when it comes to stopping youth violence.

The Executive Director of the Restorative Action Program (RAP), Winston Blake teenagers are generally the best-informed people in a school. especially in the era of social media. He says teens can often prevent problems before they start.

“The last people to ever know there’s a problem are the adults in the community,” Blake said. “That‘s why I think it‘s very, very important that we teach people that they have a responsibility and a duty to come forward.”

RAP Saskatoon. or Restorative Action Program, was started in 2002 as a way to stop bullying. intimidation and violence at Mount Royal
Collegiate. Since then. the program has spread to seven schools across the city. Each school has a designated RAP worker who works with teens to find non-violent ways to and conflict.

However, Blake says the group needs input from students for the system to work.

“Instead or saying, ‘l‘m feeling like a rat or i shouldn‘t be saying this.‘ kids should feel like they have a responsibility to come and get the help they need from a professional.”

Blake says the program has been a major success in the schools that use the system.

“We’ve had so many situations in our schools where young people have felt the need to come forward to a RAP worker and walk into the office and say, ‘You know what? It’s been talked about all day, there’s going to be a fight after school. and I don‘t want to see a fight happen.‘ ” he said.

“Because of that sense of responsibility. RAP workers can come forward and have a mediation and conduct an intervention.”

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