About the Campaign

Keeping Kids Safe was formed in 2004 when Rhonda Shears and Shauna Filgate, Protection Social Workers with the BC Ministry of Children and Families, and Donna Leskosek, a Family Support Worker and Team Leader for Columbia Basin Family Resource Society, began talking about the increase in teens ending up in trouble and in need of services from the agencies they worked for.

When they began to contact other agencies such as Public Health, the RCMP, Mental Health, Elk Valley Addiction Services and School District #5, they found others shared their concerns. The 2003 Adolescent Health Survey of 30,500 BC youth conducted by the McCreary Centre Society served as further evidence to them that teens in the Elk Valley and South Country were frequently putting themselves at risk by using drugs and alcohol. Also alarming were the McCreary statistics regarding suicide.

At a community meeting well attended by over 50 representatives from the service providers identified, they found families needed more information about:

• drugs and alcohol
• bullying
• sexual exploitation
• suicide
• partying.

They formed the Keeping Kids Safe (KKS) committee and applied for a grant from Safe Streets, Safe Schools. KKS held their first community forum in October of 2004 to address the identified issues. It was well attended by more than 250 participants.

Following this forum, Keeping Kids Safe has continued to bring presenters and education to Elk Valley and South Country communities in British Columbia. They have formed youth committees that advise and help with initiatives. They have also partnered with other agencies to provide information on building community assets and forming youth groups and councils. In the spring of 2006 Keeping Kids Safe, applied for four grants from the UBCM. The grants are to provide education and services to Elk Valley and South Country communities around Crystal Methamphetamine. This website is a result of that funding. Additional projects have included Crystal Clear Presentations in the communities of Jaffray, Elkford, Sparwood and Fernie. More projects are pending and will be announced on this website.

It is the KKS belief that everyone must work together to build healthy communities and to help families achieve positive outcomes.

Click here to read about our community partners and generous sponsors.