Winnipeg's gang prevention campaign has been renewed

Winnipeg police say a gang prevention campaign launched last summer has already brought in dozens of anonymous texts from young people seeking help.

The WPS campaign, aimed at inner-city youth, features three short videos that debunk myths about gang life, including drugs, sexual exploitation and gun violence.

WPS adds that videos use the look and feel of video games to reach younger viewers. They also provided a 24/7 phone number for The Link: Youth and Family Supports for young people seeking help.

“We've had a great response to the 'Gang Life is No Life' videos, especially when they came out last summer,” says Kerry Irwin-Ross, CEO of The Link. “We were amazed that the concept resonated with young people and that they felt safe texting Link for help.”

Together with The Link, the initiative is led and funded by the Manitoba Association of Chiefs of Police (MACP) Organized Crime Committee and Manitoba Justice.

The link notes that youth texts to the hotline peaked in August with 61 conversations out of 49 unique phone calls.

Additionally, the digital campaign resulted in 150 conversations from 109 unique phone calls. Social media ads also received 11.68 million impressions, driving more than 45,000 clicks to the Gang Life is No Life homepage on The Link.

“The campaign allowed young people to anonymously connect directly to The Link at any time of the day. This resulted in over 150 referrals in a short period of time,” said Inspector Elton Hall, WPS Organized Crime Unit Commander and Chairman of the Organized Crime Committee.

“It's a new way to connect with young people, and the results are amazing,” he added. “We look forward to sharing this platform and our success with other law enforcement agencies across the country and across the U.S.”

WPS says project funding will be renewed in 2024 and 2025 depending on the success of the initiative.