Tulare County Gang Resistance Education & Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Project

The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program is a life-skills competency program designed to provide students with the skills they need to avoid gang pressure and youth violence. G.R.E.A.T.'s violence prevention curriculum helps students develop values and practice behaviors that will assist them to avoid destructive activities. The G.R.E.A.T. program coordinates with federal, regional, state and local agencies, as well as individuals from community and civic groups. The goal of the G.R.E.A.T. program is to train law enforcement officers in a school-based curriculum in which the officers provide instruction to school-aged children in life skill competencies, gang awareness, and anti-violence techniques. Training in the core G.R.E.A.T. program is provided to officers from any state or local law enforcement agency.

Tulare County will use its grant award to implement all four components of the G.R.E.A.T. program at six schools, serving close to 2,000 youth, and has purposely selected five K-8 schools in order to provide continuity on these campuses. The hope is that this continuity will reduce probation officer commute time, thus allowing more time on campus with the children and their teachers. Program funds will support two probation officers who will dedicate 100% of their time teaching G.R.E.A.T. In addition, Tulare County will partner with Community Services and Employment Training, Inc., (C-SET), a large, well managed community-based organization, to provide a summer camp component for 120 youth. The families component will serve approximately 280 parents and children.

CA/NCF