Schools, parents and community groups are to be equipped with a “trauma indicator checklist” to help deal with the gang risks faced by the Island’s youth.

The toolkit is one among many developed quietly and behind the scenes at the community level as part of a broader collaboration spearheaded by the Ministry of National Security. Dubbed the ICR, for inter-agency community response group, the initiative has been co-chaired by Martha Dismont of Family Centre and Kimberley Jackson of the Mirrors Programme.

According to Senator Jeff Baron, the Junior Minister of National Security, the team has worked closely with the Ministry of Education to draw up the trauma checklist, and will report to stakeholders before the end of next month.

The updates came as senators heard that a 2011 survey of students showed that 21 per cent reported attacking someone with “the intent to seriously harm”.

Eight per cent of students identified themselves as having belonged to a gang.

That study, carried out by the Department of National Drug Control, targeted 3,182 students between the ages of 12 and 18 years, in both public and private schools.

Meanwhile, Sen Baron said that second quarter crime statistics for 2014, released by the Bermuda Police Service, showed that while crime rates were at their lowest in 14 years, persons from 18 to 25 were still being arrested more than any other age group.

Avoiding overt public statements due to the sensitive nature of its work, the ICR’s community assessments have been aimed at prevailing gang cultures in the east, west and central zones of the Island, and identifying those at risk of gang membership.

Engagement starts with children as young as five.

A key component of lessening the pull toward antisocial behaviour has been providing work and work training.

As covered by The Royal Gazette, the gang mediation group Team Street Safe has partnered with the charity Habitat for Humanity in fixing up homes for needy families. The good deeds are highlighted, but the privacy of the young men involved is always paramount.

Thus far, the ICR reports securing five temporary work positions and one permanent job for individuals at risk. Two seminars have been offered by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.

With the help of a local church, bright young men have been assessed for educational prospects in and five are now engaged in GED coursework, Ms Jackson said.

The group has also put together a fast-acting “community coordinated crisis response team” to intervene swiftly and offer support in emergencies.

Ms Jackson likened it to the volunteer teams provided during natural disasters.

“We have had what I call a soft roll-out of the initiative since Christmas,” she said.

“Counsellors, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, Police and three churches have been available to support the community if needed. We are just completing the manual in preparation for training such that we have all holidays covered and an emergency team available to support the community as needed outside holiday periods.”

The initiatives have been prepared under the rubric of the Inter-Agency Gang Task Force, which is co-chaired by Sen Baron.

While policy development and public statements take place at the government level and Police work at the second tier on the enforcement level, much of the job has taken place with little fanfare on what Ms Jackson called “a grass roots movement”.

Meanwhile, Ms Dismont said an analysis in the gaps of necessary services will be delivered at a special convening of social service agencies set for September 17.

A more public initiative, the Gang Resistance and Training (GREAT) programme, was described by Sen Baron as “an immunisation against delinquency, youth violence and gang membership for children between the ages of ten and 14”.

The programme includes a six-week elementary and a 13-week middle school curriculum. Sen Baron said that since GREAT had been re-implemented in 2014, 635 students took part.

Its costs have been kept minimal, Sen Baron told the Upper House: less than $15,000 to date. There are eight GREAT officers at present.

GREAT is not implemented in private schools, but Sen Baron said he would gladly visit any school to give a sales pitch for the programme’s efficacy.

“Frankly, that comes from the 635 students that have graduated from this programme,” he added.