Updated: Thu Apr. 02 2009 18:23:32

ctvbc.ca

When gangland shootings become a daily occurrence, the clamor for action immediately turns to law and order.

But there are others quietly working on a different front.

"Prevention is critical and there's a lack of prevention," said Carolyn Tuckwell, President and chief executive officer of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Vancouver.

The aim of the club is to prevent children from getting lost in the teenage years, especially children living in poverty.

That means 16 per cent of children in British Columbia.

"Families are out trying to make ends meet, Boys and Girls Club needs to be there so the kids are well supervised,'' said Tuck well. " It's one of the solutions to the current crisis we're experiencing,'' she said.

For $25 a year, parents can know that their children are safe after school at the Boys and Girls Club.

"I've been here ever since I was in grade one...the staff are really supportive, It's nice to be here.

Just as a CTV crew was arriving, a worker had to clean up a needle found outside the club.

It's a reminder of the danger kids are protected from inside the walls of the club. 

Affordable child care is a huge issue for working parents

"Poverty and danger doesn't have a geographic barrier. What's more important is kids have place where they belong," said Tuckwell.

And providing that haven not only helps working parents, it invests in creating healthy young people who don't turn to crime.

Gangs offer that sense of belonging

And right now we're seeing the result of people joining gangs.

"It's absolutely critical, now more than ever those organizations like ours are able to be there for families'' said Tuckwell.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Mi-Jung Lee

Please Add Comments(3)

Nata, Burnaby
The government has let thousands of immigrants into the country wihout properly assessing their chances for success (English skills, professional skills, credentions recognition; demand for their type of occupations);it then pushed those thousands of people to the very bottom of society creating the vicious cycle of poverty!....Where were all the politicians who had power and supposely knowledge - when this mess started happening?

Annie
The intro to tonight's report on child poverty implied that being poor puts kids at greater risk to join gangs. We were new immigrants with little money, renting in a poor neighbourhood of Winnipeg (Portage near Main), but we didn't join gangs. We had several organizations, including the United Way, helping with the cost of activities to keep us busy and off the streets. I still appreciate what they did for us to this day.

Bravo to the Boys and Girls club for helping parents and kids from low income families. This is the type of help that really does make a difference. Kids need to feel they are special and important too!

Dianne Goldberg
Thank you to BC CTV for this informative series and to the families that shared their lives.
How sad that so many children and families are struggling to meet basic needs. It reflects the priorities of our province and the political decisions that our governments are making. I will remember that when I vote May 12 th.