Community coalitions aimed at reducing drug use and tackling gang issues are to be created in Bermuda — based on a successful US model.

Two experts from Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) will arrive on the Island next week to talk to Bermudians about setting up their own groups and finding solutions to escalating gun violence. The local coalitions could eventually set up a benevolent fund for young people directly affected by the gun murders and other shootings in recent months.

Drug abuse prevention agency PRIDE Bermuda is behind the scheme and is bringing in CADCA's Major General Arthur T. Dean and Kareemah Abdullah to meet members of other community organisations.

PRIDE's executive director Judith Burgess told The Royal Gazette: "The two people that are coming in are coming in to specifically speak with focus groups of persons that are interested in becoming part of the coalitions.

"We will be looking at getting persons interested in doing training. If they accept, the training will last for about a year. We have a tentative date to actually start the training the first week in November.

"It will be three weeks staggered during the year. What we are hoping to be able to build out of this is community coalitions."

Mrs. Burgess said many community groups had sprung up in Bermuda in the past year as the number of shootings had rapidly risen — but some had become "low-key" as time had gone on.

"I don't want to belittle anybody's group, for sure," she said. "What we will be doing is to successfully integrate those groups together into different coalitions.

"Any community groups that have been visible, I would say the majority of them have signed up to be a part of the focus groups. Many have signed to be a part of the training."

She said each coalition would devise its own strategic plan to address anti-social behaviour in its area. "We are not looking to have an Island-wide coalition; rather, coalitions Island-wide."

CADCA represents the interests of more than 5,000 community anti-drug coalitions in the States and Mrs. Burgess has visited several, in communities with similar populations to Bermuda.

"Last year, [getting involved with CADCA] became a part of our action plan going forward," said the charity boss. "With all the things that have happened, it has just made us move a little quicker to move the process ahead."

Community activist Gina Spence, PRIDE's volunteer and performing arts co-ordinator, said of CADCA: "Their mandate is to create community coalitions to address social ills across the board.

"They are coming to Bermuda to train Bermudians to do what I do. I'm not trained — I'm just out there in the trenches. This training will allow us to be much more effective in what we do.

"It will provide us with a model to enhance Government services and fill loopholes. We have had a lot of calls from people wanting to become trained to help.

"It's going to be about training Bermudians and creating a Bermuda model that fits Bermuda. We will become our own resources."

Mrs. Burgess said she would encourage the setting up of a benevolent fund for youth directly affected in the past year.

"That's going to be a part of our wish list and we actually have a community partner that's supportive of that."

• Visit PRIDE's website at www.pridebermuda.bm. For more on CADCA, go to www.cadca.org.