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Article Excerpt from the Telegram & Gazette: Friday, November 30, 2007 By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF WORCESTER—In a meeting at the YWCA of Central Massachusetts at Salem Square, members of U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern’s Task Force on Youth Violence announced they received state money to give the wave of change momentum. The task force applied for grant money in the fall through the state Department of Public Health’s Prevention of Youth Violence through Promotion of Positive Youth Development Grant Program, and received two totally $174,000.
The two grants will be used by the community organizations involved in the task force to increase services to youth, expand programs, evaluate services and continue the collaboration of groups aimed at curbing violence in the city. “Sadly, the recent tragic shooting deaths of several young people in our community have highlighted why this work is so important and why what we’re trying to do is so urgent,” Mr. McGovern said in a room full of local organization representatives and lawmakers. The city experienced a lull in violent crime over the summer after several stabbings and shootings in the first few months of the year. However, there have been some serious violent crimes the past couple of months, including the killing of two men in a North Ashland Street apartment earlier this month. City Manager Michael V. O’Brien, who spoke yesterday, said the Youth Opportunities Office, intended to provide youth services and programs, should be up and running in the spring.There are better ways to deliver services to people in need and help youths who want to work and “take the right path” but are hampered by criminal records, Mr. O’Brien said. The YouthNet collaborative, under the fiscal agency of YOU Inc., will use the $154,000 grant for several purposes: •Increase the YouthNet coordinator position to full time for the school year. •Hire a full-time case manager to enhance key partnerships and align services for youth in the most high-risk environments. •Engage in core training on the root causes of youth violence through a series of trainings on structural racism and youth development. •Run the youth worker training institute to provide professional development for youth workers. •Expand transportation from Worcester middle public schools to YouthNet to improve access to positive youth development programming. •Develop and complete an outcome evaluation. The $20,000 grant will be used by the Henry Lee Willis Center to identify points of change and create prevention programs.
Building Brighter Futures with YouthAn initiative that is designed to increase meaningful job opportunities and career potential for low income youth between 16 and 19 years. With business, government, non-profit and youth partners, this initiative is leveraging systemic change in youth employment practices and resources city-wide. Women’s InitiativeAn initiative that engages the time, talent and treasure of women to make a positive impact on the lives of women and children. The current focus on middle school girls has women mobilizing and educating the community on the rising occurrence of violence in the lives of girls. Two new dynamic programs are currently funded by the generosity of members of the Women’s Initiative. Together for KidsAn initiative that addresses the increasing incidence of challenging behaviors in pre-school settings through a collaborative process that places mental health clinicians directly in childcare settings. These staff work with children, their families and staff as necessary. | ||
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