Navajo G.R.E.A.T. Program

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.

The Navajo Nation Department of Law Enforcement will use the grant funds to teach the G.R.E.A.T Program in elementary school (nearly 500 students in the 4th and 5th grade), middle school (more than 850 6th and 7th grade students), and to continue the implementation of the summer (200 children) and family (50 families) components in the Window Rock Unified School and Chinle School Districts. The G.R.E.A.T. Program will be supported by a unique partnership of agencies able to provide technical assistance, training, intelligence, recruitment, publicity, and other specialized services to the Department and the local school districts. The partnership comprises the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, Navajo Law Enforcement, Navajo Criminal Investigators, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Diné Nation, Navajo Tribal Designated Housing Providers, Department of Indian Health Services, Navajo Division of Social and Behavioral Health, and traditional health providers. The Chief of Police will select and assign the officer(s) to the program and the Division of Public Safety will have direct responsibility for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of G.R.E.A.T. program activities, including the responsibility for assisting the partners in the exchange of information and coordination of technical assistance. A sustainability plan will be developed to identify potential funding sources, e.g., businesses, organizations, prevention programs, and foundations.

CA/NCF