Police and community partners are working to stop youth from getting into gangs, plus helping them transition out.

That strategy was shared at a community meeting Wednesday night, aiming to reduce gang violence in Ottawa during an unusually violent year.

“Once somebody identifies they want to get out of a gang, (we want) to help them exit and get them a job,” said Ottawa police chief Charles Bordeleau.

“Make sure they have an education so they can become productive members of our community.”

“My mom always talks about me those things, my dad too, and they say it’s not a good thing to enter in,” said 12-year-old Carl Bajalo, living in Ottawa’s south-end Ledbury-Banff neighbourhood.

“If you enter in you're in big trouble, because it’s like when you go mafia - you have to stay there forever.”

His family’s neighbourhood has changed from the hotbed of gang activity it was a few years ago, according to the family.

Resident Sue Clayton said community involvement has made a big difference in turning that neighbourhood around.

“Now it seems like everyone is fighting back, like we don't want that (any) more,” she said. “We’re taking hold of our community.”

Ottawa police say there are about 15 street gangs in the city, made up of about 470 members and centred on dealing crack cocaine and other drugs.

The number of shootings in Ottawa this year surpassed 2011’s total in mid-July, with more than half of them identified as gang-related at that time.

Those involved in fighting gang activity and violence said they have a long road ahead to achieve their goals.

“Our goal is to get input and engagement from the public,” said Nancy Worsfold, executive director of Crime Prevention Ottawa. “(There are) no quick fixes, easy answers, we need to engage the entire community.”

“I think the long-term solution is to try and curtail young kids from migrating towards a life of gang activity at a young age,” Bordeleau said.

Part two of the symposium is happening Thursday night, with potential strategies coming from the meeting released at the end of November.

With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Claudia Cautillo