Red Deer RCMP's Victim Services department has launched a colouring contest that will keep kids entertained and get the conversation going.

Suzanne Couturier, a court support worker with RD Victim services, said it's a fun way to introduce what Victim Services can do for those in need and start an age-appropriate dialogue.

She said it's important to be able to talk to kids about options they have if they feel unsafe or have been victimized in some way.

"A lot of kids maybe don't know what Victim Services is but if they have those questions, then their parents can check out our website or give us a call and we can explain a little bit more about what we do," Couturier said. 

The contest has two portions: a colouring contest for kids under 7, and a short answer portion for kids 8-12 on what the RCMP means in their community.

"We're just hoping that kids will be able to be creative and have a little bit of an outlet and have some fun. We know that school is starting up soon and there is a lot of uncertainty as far as what's going to happen in the future, so this is something exciting that kids can look forward to, especially with those prizes involved," she said. 

The two photos for the younger kids' colouring contest are based on two very special supports that are available for people who access the service.

One is a service pup named Harley and the other is a robot named ArDee. Couturier said these two are helpful as parts of the Victim Services toolkit because they offer different ways for people to disclose or feel supported through a difficult time. 

Harley is Couturier's partner pup - a Service Facility Dog. 

"He gets to come to work with me and works with anybody who just needs a little bit of extra support and he does a great job with that. He does a lot of work with kiddos just because we find that a lot of kids really respond to a non-verbal support system - he can provide that for kids and adults," Courturier explained, adding that Service Dogs are trained to help absorb stress, fear, and anxiety. Harley even sits with witnesses throughout court proceedings when needed.

The robot, Ard-E, is another tool that kids can interact with in a fun way and it allows them a judgment-free object to disclose to. 

Victim Services is a program that works with citizens of Red Deer and area as they move through the processes and steps from when a crime takes place, reporting that crime, to accessing mental health supports or court proceedings.

Couturier said that the program is there to make sure people aren't alone and to make sure they feel supported and able to access services, resources and information that is related to what they are going through. 

The contest runs from August 1 to 31, 2020, with winners to be announced on September 8th.

Prizes are valued at approximately $150 in each age group and include:

            Age 7 and under:   Boogie Board Tablet, an assortment of gift cards and other goodies

            Age 8 to 12:  Tablet, headphones, and other goodies

You can download the creativity sheets here.