Jamori Manders saw a classmate was being punched and kicked on the playground, and demanded the bullies cut it out.

To his surprise they did.

“I felt proud of myself when they let the person go,” he said.

The 11-year-old learned conflict resolution through the Gang Resistance Education and Training programme at TN Tatem Middle School.

Sontee Wilson took a walk and counted to ten when she started getting mad at a friend.

“I feel like GREAT has taught me how to deal with things,” the 11-year-old said.

Se’Lah Ray, 12, also defended a classmate being attacked by bullies.

“She came up with an answer in math class that hardly anyone had,” she said. “Children were laughing at her. I had the same answer and I stood up for her. It turned out that she and I were the only ones with the right answer, and the teacher applauded us. That felt great.”

Jamori, Sontee and Se’Lah graduated from GREAT this month, along with about 100 other M1 students. They’d started the programme back in September.

GREAT was introduced in the 1990s but cancelled due to a lack of funds. It was reintroduced to some government schools in September 2013.

About 500 students have participated so far. TN Tatem came on line last September.

The middle school’s deputy principal Christopher Swan said he has definitely seen a positive change.

“The programme encourages students to report negative behaviour,” he said. “At first there was a lot of tattling, with students coming to my office to report things like littering. Now they are resolving their problems on their own, more and more.”

Mr Swan said his students loved the programme which involves a lot of role playing, talking and creative projects.

“They really have fun,” he said. The course is taught by members of the police Community Action Team. Coordinator Sergeant Shakisha Minors said youth violence and involvement with gangs is a real problem in the community.

“We have found that gang allegiance starts in primary school,” she said. “We are seeing children as young as five years old who know the whole history of the gangs and what is going on in various trials.”

It’s often because they have family members who are in gangs, she said.

Sgt Minors explained that children become involved with gangs for many reasons — family safety, fears for personal safety, movies that glory negative behaviour and companionship are among them.

Many people assume that gang members come from bad homes. Sgt Minors said that’s not always the case.

“I have worked in gang targeting units,” she said. “I knew of one person who came from a family with good finances. Their parents owned their own home and the gang member went to a private school. There was no reason for him to really join a gang. Sometimes the youth in Bermuda feel they are bored and have nothing to do. Outside the stimulation of school they don’t have any other fulfillment.”

She said parents need to do three things to fight back: stay involved, snoop, and supervise as much as possible.

“I tell parents: ‘You need to get them involved in extra-curricular activities’,” she said.

“You need to find something for them to do during that time when parents are working, and on weekends. Some families feel that their children can come and go as they please with no consequences to their actions. There is no reason for youth to be out on the street at night with no supervision.”

She said if you can’t be there for your child because of work commitments, find another caring adult who can help.

“We tell the children that they are their own persons,” said instructor Pc Valerius Jean Louis. “No one can make the decision but them. It boils down to making the right choice.”

Parents with daughters are not off the hook. Many high profile gang shootings are committed by males but females are also involved.

“We have found that females can be a safe haven for gang members,” Sgt Minors said. “The women become the alibi if the gang member is involved in criminal activity. Females often hold onto guns, money, drugs and stolen items. Unfortunately, we don’t know who each gang member is dating. They are an avenue for gang members to use, basically.”

Pc Jean Louis believes that women often play a major role in gangs.

“Sometimes the female is the instigator of violence,” he said. “A rival gang member might approach her and say something, and then she will tell her brother or boyfriend what the rival said. They will see this as disrespect and trouble starts from there.”

The GREAT team believes they are making a positive impact.

“People who did the GREAT programme some years ago have indicated that the programme has been very beneficial to them because it helped them find the path to a more a productive life,” said Pc Jean Louis. “I know a lot of schools are now requesting the GREAT programme being taught in the school because they see the benefits.”