Addressing Risk Factors of Violence and Victimization for Black Youth

Brief Description

The Addressing Risk Factors of Violence and Victimization for Black Youth project supports youth and families in educational workshops on violence and mental health. Youth will also build a youth-led digital network and digital media library. The youth-led network will create and run social development programs centered around youth from most vulnerable populations and will be a safe space network for youth mentorship with peer leaders and survivors of violence. The digital media library of violence prevention campaign, commercials and recurring events will increase public awareness to reduce violence. The platforms will grow the network’s brand to empower youth leadership and generate jobs for youth after the project ends.

Goals

The main goals of the project are to:

• Increase youth and family engagement to mental health supports; and
• Increase access to pro-social activities.

Clientele

The project targets at-risk Black youth between 12-29 years old in Toronto, Ontario. Youth will be from most vulnerable populations (MVP) at high-risk of sexual and substance use behaviours, gun and gang violence, youth in conflict with the law, youth involved with, or transitioning out of child welfare, homeless youth, and youth Not in Education or Employment (NEET).

Core Components

The Addressing Risk Factors of Violence and Victimization for Black Youth project is a youth-led program that is family and community-focused, and include youth and family educational workshops on a variety of programs and services to improve community response to youth violence and victimization. Additionally, supports are based on culturally appropriate approaches for Black youth. Further the program incorporates pro-social activities (i.e., youth-led digital network to empower youth to be the media’s voice for their stories), prevention awareness (i.e., digital media library of violence prevention campaign commercials and recurring events to increase public awareness to reduce violence) and supports for families (i.e., engage youth and families in educational workshops on violence and mental health).

Implementation Information

Some of the critical elements for the implementation of this program or initiative include the following:

• Organizational requirements: The organization should ensure that the program aligns with one or more of the following principles:
  • Best practices recognized as effective for supporting youth at risk of violence and victimization;
  • Culturally appropriate to youth and communities served;
  • Client-centered and youth engaged (i.e., youth are at the center of all aspects of the program and uses strategies to involve and empower youth to address, plan and make decisions about issues that effect them);
  • Strengths-based and trauma-informed (i.e., recognizes, supports and builds on the strengths, skills and protective factors of youth, reflects an understanding of trauma and the impact of traumatic experiences); and
  • Family and community based (i.e., includes and integrates family and/or community support in addressing the needs of the youth and fostering strengths, facilitates and/or leverages community partnerships and/or service coordination to provide effective services to youth).
• Partnerships: Limited information on this topic.
• Training and technical assistance: Limited information on this topic.
• Risk assessment tools: Limited information on this topic.
• Materials & resources: Limited information on this topic.

International Endorsements

The most recognized classification systems of evidence-based crime prevention programs have classified this program or initiative as follows:

• Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development: Not applicable.
• Crime Solutions/OJJDP Model Program Guide: Not applicable.
• SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Not applicable.
• Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy: Not applicable.

Gathering Canadian Knowledge

Canadian Implementation Sites

The project delivered by Uzima Women Relief Group International is a pilot project funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services in Ontario. The program began implementation in 2021-22 and funding will expire on March 31, 2024.

Main Findings from Canadian Outcome Evaluation Studies

No information available.

Cost Information

No information available.

References

There is no Canadian reference available at this time.

For more information on this program, contact:

Uzima Women Relief Group International

100 Consilium Place, Suite 200

Toronto, ON M1H 3E3

Telephone: (647) 748-8870

E-mail: info@uzimawomeninternational.org

Website: https://www.uzimawomeninternational.org/