Weeks: community investments made to fight crime
The Government has invested more than $500,000 into community organisations in an effort to curb gang violence.
Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security, told the House of Assembly that as part of the National Violence Reduction Strategy, the ministry had offered a series of grants to address the root causes of violence.
“This includes strengthening community resilience, increasing access to mental health services, enhancing early intervention and promoting positive alternatives for our young people,” he said.
“To that end, the ministry has disbursed grant funding totalling more than $540,000 to a range of community-based organisations whose missions align with the goals of the strategy.
“These organisations include sports clubs, community support programmes, youth mentorship groups and education-focused initiatives.”
Mr Weeks said that $288,000 in grants had been provided to support sports clubs across the island to fund programmes that engage young people in “positive, skill-building activities” and create spaces for recreation, mentorship and community building.
“These clubs are not just centres for athletic excellence,” he said. “They are hubs of leadership development, social connection and resilience.
“Involvement in organised sports can reduce idle time, foster positive peer networks and increase a sense of purpose among our youth.”
Mr Weeks said $135,000 in grants had been given to community support organisations to help provide services ranging from transitional housing to trauma care.
“These groups work directly with individuals and families affected by violence and provide a bridge to stability through counselling, case management and basic needs support,” he said.
The ministry has also offered $84,000 in grants for education-focused initiatives including tutoring, career planning and vocational exposure, while almost $35,000 was offered to youth mentorship programmes to help steer children onto the right path.
“Each of these grants is more than a financial transaction,” Mr Weeks said. “It is a strategic investment in peace-building.
“These community-based programmes align with our national strategy’s emphasis on prevention, intervention and integration. They represent our belief that the people closest to the problems are also closest to the solutions.
“Violence prevention is not the work of government alone. It is a shared responsibility that requires us to work hand in hand with the community.
“Through these grants, we are resourcing trusted partners to do what they do best — engage hearts, change minds and build a safer Bermuda from the ground up.”
Mr Weeks added that the ministry was actively reviewing the outcomes of the funded programmes to determine future investments while exploring opportunities to support new community measures, particularly those focused on “mental health, education access, mentorship and trauma-informed care”.
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