Youth violence has been called an epidemic in the United States according to a report generated at the National Conference of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Current data show that homicide and suicide are the third- and fourth-leading causes of death for children ages 10-14. Within the 15-19-year-old group, they {homicide, suicide} are the second- and third-leading causes of death with young blacks and other minority groups disproportionately affected across the nation. The Sinai POWER Violence Prevention program (Peers of the Westside Encouraging Response) addresses violence among African-American youth in Chicago, Illinois by helping 4th-5th grade students to develop non-violent attitudes towards themselves and their peers, as well as to enhance problem-solving skills needed to avoid unsafe situations. To achieve this, a diverse group of high school students from Chicago Public Schools is trained to implement a violence prevention curriculum within existing after-school programs by using various skits and role plays. The program encourages young people to act as positive change agents in creating safer environments as it pertains to the avoidance, use or misuse of handguns. Peer educators utilize the Straight Talk About Risks curriculum designed through the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence in order to convey key concepts related to the prevalence of handgun violence in America, especially within urban settings. Presenters will describe the evolution of various program components that include the design of youth leadership strategies, the implementation of a peer jury and the integration of mentoring activities.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will understand the challenges of designing and implementing a school-based violence prevention program, be aware of justice issues that pertain to urban youth and gain knowledge on utilizing effective youth leadership strategies in developing peer role models.
Keywords: Peer Education, Violence Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.