Presenting plans for a spring Police Camp, a new mentorship program for youth and Camosun College student awards
The Greater Victoria Police Foundation (GVPF) celebrated its launch today, with a gathering of supporters including regional police agency members, political, business and non-profit leaders and presented existing and upcoming programs designed to build bridges between the police and communities they serve, while inspiring youth leadership.
“Thanks to the efforts of everyone joining us today as well as many others, we are pleased to announce we will hold Police Camp again this March, as well as roll out several other fully funded programs designed to help our regional youth fulfill their full potential,” said GVPF board chair, Robert Jawl. “I would particularly like to acknowledge our advisors Don Mattrick, Kim Basi, and VicPD Deputy Chief Constable Colin Watson, along with the support of our regional Chief Constables and all our police partners in the region for their invaluable guidance and support for our vision for the foundation.”
As a provincially incorporated non-profit society, the GVPF’s vision is that the communities of Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Saanich and Central Saanich as well as regional Indigenous communities experience positive change driven by youth, through empowering citizenship and leadership programs. The GVPF's goal is to enhance the work of regional police agencies with funding for community facing programs outside of core regional police budgets.
“Together with our newly formed board and under the guidance of Andrea Wright, the executive director of the Vancouver Police Foundation, we began by reaching out to regional police agencies, local businesses, non-profit service providers, community leaders and Indigenous partners to identify gaps and where we can unite collective assets, expertise and resources to foster the development of youth as influential members of society,” said Jawl. “And this dialogue will continue as we grow and evolve our programming over time.”
The resurrection of Police Camp quickly emerged as a high priority programming opportunity. Police Camp was a very successful program which ran in the Capital Region from 1996- 2013. With the help of police agency advisors, the GVPF was able to successfully fund and operate the return of Police Camp in March 2023 and deliver an impactful leadership and confidence building experience for 50 regional youth.
Building on the 2023 experience, the GVPF is pleased to announce that Police Camp will again take place over 8 days in March 2024, empowering 50 students within a team-based environment. Presented at no-cost for students and delivered by police officers, reserve officers and others, youth aged 14-18 years of age have until December 8, 2023, to apply.
Police Camp includes a mix of classroom lectures covering leadership and public safety topics, physical training and activity challenges, drill instruction, exploration of social responsibility, good citizenship and important life skills.
"I would like to thank my regional police service partners for collaborating and supporting the GVPF programs, especially the return of Police Camp this past spring. I think we can all agree that Police Camp was a remarkable success,” says VicPD Deputy Chief Constable Watson. “With the energy and enthusiasm surrounding us, I can only imagine the GVPF will continue to grow to become an invaluable contributor to our communities and our youth.”
Additional GVPF funded programs include a mentorship program designed to facilitate trust-based and respectful connections between youth and regional police officers. Mentors and mentees will meet between 6 and 12 times a year, with the program intended to be fun while nurturing open conversations and longstanding relationships.
The GVPF has also established a scholarship program through Camosun College which will recognize four students from across Greater Victoria studying in the fields of Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Addictions. Recipients will have demonstrated a strong commitment to volunteerism, leadership and mentorship within their community.
More information about GVPF and its programs may be found online at www.gvpf.org.
About the Greater Victoria Police Foundation:
As a provincially incorporated non-profit society, the GVPF’s vision is that the communities of Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Saanich and Central Saanich as well as regional Indigenous communities experience positive change driven by youth, through empowering citizenship and leadership programs. The GVPF provides funding for programs outside core regional police budgets, and it has begun collaborating closely with all police agencies serving these communities, local businesses, regional non-profit service providers and Indigenous partners to unite collective assets, expertise and resources to foster the development of youth as influential members of society. https://gvpf.org/