In My Shoes

In My Shoes is a powerful violence prevention program that presents the unique angle of individuals with permanent disability as a result of gun and gang violence. During each presentation, peer facilitators who have acquired spinal cord or brain injury as a result of street violence, speak frankly with at-risk youth about the consequences of negative behavior, as well as making positive choices, including pursuing education and employment. Peer facilitators, most of whom are former gang members, share similar backgrounds and experiences with the at-risk youth. The power of their experiences profoundly moves listeners, giving them an understanding of the aftermath of permanent disability as no able-bodied teacher or civic leader can. The program targets youth who are most likely to be permanently injured by gun violence, including youth in low-income neighborhoods with high gang activity. For more information, see www.sinai.org/rehabilitation/outpatient/violence_prevention.asp.

Costs: The cost to administer a presentation is $108, which covers the pay of two peer facilitators, and the cost of a workshop is $435, which covers the salaries of five peer facilitators. Additional funding will be directly applied to the cost of implementing workshops and presentations.

La Causa

A 30 year community staple in the South Chicago neighborhood, La Causa Community Committee focuses on youth development and delinquency prevention in its summer camp program. Attended by local elementary school students and guided by former participants of the program, the summer camp provides activities such as volleyball, softball and swimming. The summer camp provides gang, drug and alcohol education in partnership with local advocacy groups and other volunteers. La Causa staff strives to give young people options for their future that outside of violent pathways. The summer camp program highlights the positive attributes of becoming physically fit as well as the stability and discipline that team sports can provide. The children also are prompted to use positive exchanges with one another. Please ask PSN outreach coordinator for more info.

Costs: Fiscal goal is to raise $15,000 for operating costs which include supplies, consultants, rentals, transportation, and program aides.

Holy Cross/IHM Parish

Located in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, Holy Cross offers broad out-of-school programming for juveniles, which extends opportunities for informal and active learning. The program offers the children and youth, ages 6-18, emotional and motivational support for their development as they grow to take on new roles and responsibilities in the community. The program centers on the training of adults and parents who show interest in accompanying and guiding the youth through programs in the areas of study skills, homework supports, recreation, arts and growth in life skills. For the past fifteen years, youth workers have engaged in networking efforts to network with neighborhood entities to respond to the needs of area youth. For more information, see www.hcihm.org.

Costs: Kid’s Café, an outreach effort to provide meals to neighborhood youth costs $30 to provide a home cooked meal to 75 youth every weekday.

Youth Mentoring Groups: A $200 donation supplies the materials (games, educational supplies, manual arts materials, etc.) needed by one group for an entire year. Holy Cross currently holds 5 mentoring groups during the year.

Alliance for Community Peace (ACP)

ACP is a not-for-profit, faith-based organization offering structured activities and opportunities for at-risk youth in the Cabrini-Green neighborhood. Their mission serves to improve academic performance, build self-esteem and confidence, enhance social, personal interaction and decision-making skills through supervised learning activities, and develop meaningful work experiences leading to success in adulthood. ACP offers year-round after school services with over 125 students participating on a daily basis. Due to their interventions, school attendance has increased with 80% of their youth participants. For more information, see http://www.allianceforcommunitypeace.org.

Costs: The cost of providing structured activities, meals, special events and transportation annually to one neighborhood youth is $1000. ACP currently serves 300 youth on a yearly basis.

SGA Youth & Family Services

SGA is dedicated to improving the lives of Chicago youth since its founding in 1911. SGA specializes in mental health, case management, and prevention programs that help young people avoid risks and overcome obstacles so they can reach their fullest potential. Their services strengthen families, improve communities and help children grow to become contributing members of society. School-based services is their largest programming area, serving more than 2,300 at-risk students at 11 schools during the 2007 fiscal year. Additionally, they service students at 12 other public schools through programs under their Juvenile Justice, Substance Abuse Prevention and Family Life & Teen Parenting service areas. For more information, see http://www.sga-youth.org/.

Juvenile Intervention Support Center

The Juvenile Intervention Support Center (JISC) is multi-agency approach to combating youth violence. This new initiative, which involves the City of Chicago Department of Children and Youth Services, the Chicago Police Department, CPS, Cook County State’s Attorney Office, Chicago Public Defender’s Office and Chicago Metropolis 20/20, incorporates the utilization of prevention programs for at –risk youth. Additionally the JISC coordinates graduated sanctions and treatment alternatives that include prevention, immediate intervention, intermediate sanctions, and community-based corrections for juveniles all within the teachings of Balance and Restorative Justice. During JISC’s participation with PSN, their goals focused on increasing outreach services to youth through counseling sessions, weekly home visits and recreation activities. In addition, JISC provided anti-gang and anti-gun trainings to children and their families participating in Head Start programs located in the Englewood and Back of the Yards neighborhoods. Please ask PSN outreach coordinator for more info.

UCAN

Unique among social service agencies, Uhlich Children's Advantage Network offers a full continuum of care for juveniles including but not limited to a Residential Treatment Facility, a therapeutic day school, extensive community programs, support for pregnant or parenting teens, foster care/adoption placement, vocational training, and internships for promising former wards of the state. This network of care facilities and programs enables UCAN to move clients from one program to another as their needs change, yet spares them the transitions and gaps caused by moves from one agency to another.

UCAN and Project Safe Neighborhoods partnered to bring Chicago Public School students an innovative youth violence prevention program: Hands Without Guns—Chicago. Operated by Uhlich Children's Advantage Network, Hands Without Guns—Chicago is dedicated to reducing violence through educational workshops, youth projects and community awareness. By teaching values and influencing attitudes, Hands Without Guns - Chicago strives to guide children toward a future that is free of the fear and pain associated with violence. Students gain awareness of the issues and consequences related to gun violence in interactive workshops and discussions. For more information, see www.ucanchicago.org.

Costs: classroom-based violence prevention workshops: 6 hours per classroom, 25-30 students per class; 2-3 classrooms taught, 60-90 unduplicated youth: $6000

Violence interruption curriculum for youth involved in the juvenile justice system: 12-15 youth served, 8 hours of curriculum: $4000

One-day presentation to staff, teachers, leaders: 15-35 participants, 2 hour session: $800

Community-youth basketball tournament for 13-18-year-olds; youth and police officers together to promote mentoring, build relationships; one-day tournament with lunch, awards and trophies: $5000.

Peace and Education Coalition

The Peace and Education Coalition of the Back of the Yards, New City (PEC) organizes community resources to assist children and their families in great need. The Coalition is made up of the public schools, churches, parks, businesses, law enforcement, elected officials, and not-for-profits who meet monthly to reflect on and respond to the needs of families and children in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, on the near southwest side of Chicago. For more information, see www.peaceandeducation.org.

Events: The Annual Scholarship Fund Raiser to support PEC College students will be held on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 at US Cellular Field Stadium Club.

Enlace Chicago (formerly LVCDC)

Enlace Chicago is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of the residents of the Little Village Community by fostering a physically safe and healthy environment in which to live and by championing opportunities for educational advancement and economic development. Enlace Chicago is the lead convener of the Violence Prevention Collaborative and Latino Juvenile Justice Network. The Violence Prevention Collaborative is a collective of deeply committed organizations and individuals working toward a just and peaceful community through organizing, advocating and coordinating programs that seek to reduce violence and address issues of economic and social justice. The collaborative also integrates and leads similar projects or collaborations including the Latino Juvenile Justice Network which is sponsored by the National Council of La Raza with support from the MacArthur Foundation. Enlace Chicago also implements the Safety Net Works prevention/intervention program and CeaseFire in Little Village. For more information, see http://www.lvcdc.org.

Events: Healing the Hood featuring: peace march, b-ball on the block, alderman dunk tank, recreation activities, and food on 6/13/09.

Southlawn United Methodist Church

Southlawn United Methodist Church, in collaboration with CAPS, other neighborhood churches and the Block Club, planned and implemented three activities during summer 2008 that promoted family involvement in safe and positive environments. The team organized a Family Game Night, a Fall Community Festival and a Movie Night. The Fall Community Festival drew a crowd of approximately 250 community members. With PSN funding, Southlawn United Methodist Church was able to provide food as well as the entertainment of a live band, a Disc Jokey (DJ), a clown, a jumping gym and the Jesse White Tumbling team. The Family Game Night and Movie Night were also well attended and local residents enjoyed having an opportunity to come together as a community.

Costs: Entertainment/food costs associated with Summer Community Festival: $3000

Movie Night in the Park with a theater size movie screen: $1570

Free Spirit Media

Free Spirit Media (FSM) partners with schools and organizations to provide education, access, and opportunity in media production to under-served urban youth in the Lawndale neighborhood. Through hands-on production of their own video programs, participants build skills in communication, critical and independent thinking, teamwork, and the use of technology. Believing that youth voices and visions are a critical element of American culture, Free Spirit Media actively showcases student work through telecasts, festivals, and screenings. FSM will be running three programs with jobs for 85 high school kids this summer. These are: FSM-HoopsHIGH sports broadcasting which will be in the parks covering basketball, FSM-Umoja Community Builders which will be doing a media campaign about nutrition, exercise, and health, and FSM-Perspectives of Teens in Chicago which will be producing news packages. For more information, see http://www.freespiritmedia.org.

Costs: Production by teens of a public service announcement: $5000

Production of a HoopsHIGH basketball broadcast for CAN t.v. on Saturdays at 8pm: $2000

Southwest Youth Collaborative

The Southwest Youth Collaborative, located in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood has touched the lives of many people in different ways. Their mission is to unleash the potential of youth from diverse racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds to become actively contributing members of society through initiatives that engage young people in working toward a better world.

To this end, their programs work to build self-esteem, personal and social growth, cooperation, leadership, cross-cultural understanding, and community awareness. At the same time, their organizing efforts work to build youth and community power in decision-making processes affecting children, youth, and families. Their holistic approach to youth development integrates a range of educational, cultural, recreational, and vocational activities which challenge young people to grow as individuals and become active members of their community. For more information, see http://www.swyc.org.

Events: CYIC Social Justice Student Expo on May 22nd

Westside Health Authority

The Westside Health Authority (WHA) serves the Austin neighborhood by developing the capacity of its residents to improve the well-being of their community. During summer 2009, WHA will implement youth leadership programs in the Austin Safety Net Works (ASNW), a grassroots youth violence prevention coalition in the Austin neighborhood. Coalition members will engage youth involved in gang and street culture to create and implement their own peace-making strategies. The program will conclude summer programming with a youth-led symposium whereby local stakeholders will discuss how to sustain advocacy campaigns and pilot peace-making strategies. For more information, see http://www.healthauthority.org.

For more information on how you can support our community partners, please contact the PSN Outreach Coordinator, Ben Ekelund, at bekelu2@uic.edu