Gangs 101: The Basics

Street gangs are an ever-changing and continuous growing society that poses a threat to our youth.  Though unorganized they have a global influence on society, culture and economics.  The war is no longer just in the streets; it’s in our schools, at your front door and in many homes.  Youth are at higher risk of joining a gang if they engage in delinquent behaviors, are aggressive or violent, have an unstable home environment, experience many problems at school, associate with or be-friend other gang-involved youth, or live in communities where they feel unsafe.  Therefore, to protect our youth, the gang situation must be addressed from a holistic perspective.  It takes everyone working together to implement layers of protective circles so strong that no youth falls prey to the gangster influence and propaganda.  We must have strong families and communities to combat this age-old evil that continues to drain us of one of our greatest natural resources…our youth.  Parents, teachers and community providers must embrace every opportunity to learn how to manage disruptive behavior and improve interpersonal skills in our young citizens.  Communities must be proactive and acknowledge the potential for gang activity even when it is not prevalent.  Born of FTC’s CEO’s deep-seated passion to call communities to action on a problem that is literally killing our future (our youth) and contributing to the family institution’s destruction this Gang Awareness Series incorporates FTC’s unique methodology for sharing prevention and intervention strategies.

The Basic Gangs workshop is chocked full of information relative to gang awareness, identification and recognition from an historical perspective and current trends.  Participants will leave with a new-found sense of empowerment.  Each participant will be presented with tools to help them adequately develop themselves for effective warfare against street gangs within their community keeping in mind that street gangs are extremely fluid and adapt to their environment from area-to-area.  The facilitator will cover information on how to identify traditional street gangs by their physical appearance, traditions, activities, etc.; their allies; and/or enemies.  This interactive workshop will invite participants to establish and/or become actively involved in strengthening their communities to launch an assault on street gangs causing them to withdraw.  Like-minded individuals and/or groups will have a prime opportunity to join the “gang” that is effectively addressing the needs of today’s youth by networking and teaming together to create safer communities.

Government Officials, Educators, Administrators, Law Enforcement Personnel, Juvenile Justice Professionals, Medical Professionals, Mental & Behavioral Health Professionals, Counselors, Social Workers, Parents, Family Members, Anyone Who Works With Youth

It is strongly suggested that groups participate in the Gangs 101:  The Basics workshop prior to experiencing the Advanced Gang Identification and Recognition workshop.

After this workshop participants will be able to:

CONTACT HOURS AND SCHEDULE

This workshop ideally is designed to facilitate 4 – 8 hours of instruction.

AUDIO/VISUAL NEEDS

1. Gangs 101:  The Basic Handout
2. Gangs 101:  The Basics PowerPoint CD ($25)
3. Gangs Pre-test
4. Note Pad/Pen (provide own)