YOUTH GANG PREVENTION INITIATIVE

Program Overview

Due to the recent homicides and gang violence in Portsmouth, Virginia among the City's youth, EBF developed an OJJDP Model for a Youth Gang Prevention Initiative. The Model calls for five core strategies to be delivered through an integrated approach from a team of community agencies and organizations. The Model focuses primarily on gang members under 22 years of age.

Consistent with the Model, EBF established a Steering Committee (Committee) to mobilize community resources and advise on the direction of the program. The Committee consists of decision-makers from agencies and organizations that have an interest in or responsibility for addressing the community's gang problem. Moreover, the Committee is charged with advancing a comprehensive response in which community and faith-based organizations, law enforcement, schools, and local government agencies work to develop policy goals and strategies that use best practices to address youth violence.
EBF has a Youth Gang Prevention program coordinator to help the EBF director to work with the Committee, execute the Implementation Plan, and serve as the primary contact for the initiative. Based on the Committee's review of the initial data assessment they developed an implementation plan that will focus resources and outreach in the target area where gangs are committing the most violent crime.

The remaining steps of the Model include selecting agencies to serve on the Intervention Team and teaming with Street Outreach Workers. The Intervention Team manages gang-involved youth to address their individual circumstances. The Team creates a case management plan for each gang member to receive services, while simultaneously addressing social deficits and negative behaviors. This approach helps gang-involved youth leave gangs and facilitates positive change within the community.

Cost Info

Student and Volunteer Success Stories

We are proud to announce that we are operating and are enjoying a partnership with the Tidewater Youth Services Foundation where we are able to connect with their youth weekly. The groups which are once a week consist of anger management, gang prevention, mentoring one on one, job skills, and life coaching. One of the four groups is an “Exposure" field trip where we take the youth on an outing away from their residential placement. Tonight's outing, we were able to take the young men to the AMF bowling alley. Great times!!! S/o to the team!!! #inspire

Mr. Stu did a fabulous job last night with our gentlemen in group. “Letter to myself". The youth were able to write a letter to themselves, 30 years from now. It was touching to hear their letters ! Our young men pledged to themselves that they would do better and will recover from mistakes they made in their childhood. #powerful #gangprevention #inspire #ebf Tidewater Youth Services Foundation

Good afternoon! Today, we would like to thank and honor the Edward Brown Foundation.

George and his staff run a Gang Initiative Group for our youth once a week. The youth learn about proper relationships, how to be a gentleman, how to plan for their future, different coping mechanisms and why it is best to apply yourself to become the best version of themselves. Once a month, the youth are also able to participate in a prosocial activity within the community, for example: movies, bowling, go-carting, etc.

Thank you all for taking the time and helping us shape our youth into the best self they can be!

#TYSF #TYSFoundation #TYSC #TYSCommission #GivingSecondChances #IndependentLivingSkills