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In Response to Violence: Initiatives and Resources

The strong outpouring of community response to violence shows how much we all care about the issue and about youth. Violence is bigger than any one organization or network; it is important to work together, share resources, and support each other! In the below list you will find:

  • Some of the citywide initiatives developing in response to violence.
  • Some resources that may help your own community and programs prevent and respond to violence.

A strong citywide network of youth and youth workers is also based on sharing information about local community efforts. We are working on a list of some of the local responses to violence. Please contact us to let us know what you, your community, or your program is doing to address violence! Please also contact us if you are aware of any other citywide initiatives, or to give us updated information about the ones listed below.


In Brief


United Youth and Youth Workers of Boston

Web Site: http://citywide.youthworkersalliance.org
E-mail: unitedyouthworkers@yahoo.com
Phone: 617-425-2081 for general information; 617-442-3343, x227 about the Summer Jobs Campaign.

United Youth and Youth Workers of Boston formed after the summer of 2004, in response to the violence of that summer. Youth and youth workers had long recognized that one of the main causes of violence was the lack of stable funding for youth programs. Over the past five years, we watched as cuts in funding shut down youth programs, eliminated opportunities and jobs for teens, and forced youth workers with strong relationships to youth to leave youth work. Now, the negative effects of these funding cuts are clearer than ever.

Recognizing that a long-term strategy to preventing violence must include sustained support for youth, youth workers, and youth programs, in 2005 we identified priorities for youth and youth workers across the city: youth jobs (summer and year-round); long-term, stable funding for youth programs; living wages for youth workers; and youth leadership. These priorities are crucial for preventing violence in the long term. But youth and youth workers view the priorities as more than preventing problems — they are also about building strengths, and supporting youth to truly thrive in our communities.

Since the United Youth and Youth Workers of Boston formed in 2004, hundreds of youth and youth workers from across the city have participated in making our issues known and our voice heard! Most recently, at a City Council hearing on youth violence, youth and youth workers filled the chambers of the City Council to voice the need for strong funding for youth jobs, improved support of teen programs, and healthier youth/police relationships. Please visit the rest of this site and contact us to learn more and get involved!


ABCD SummerWorks, Boston Youth Fund, and Private Industry Council

Web Sites: http://www.summerworks.net/, http://www.bostonyouthzone.com/teenzone/employment/byf/, http://bostonpic.org/
Phone Numbers: 617-357-6000 (ABCD), 617-635-4202 (BYF), 617-423-3755 (PIC)

ABCD, BYF, and PIC are the three largest resources for youth summer jobs in the City of Boston. Community-based organizations interested in becoming partner work sites should contact the different agencies to apply. Youth interested in obtaining a summer job through these agencies should take the appropriate step(s) below:

  • ABCD: Visit a local ABCD site (an online listing is available here) and obtain an application form. Return the application form along with proper documentation. ABCD is open to low-income youth ages 14-21.
  • BYF: Youth can only obtain a job through BYF if they called the Hopeline during Februrary school vacation. BYF is open to Boston residents ages 15-17.
  • PIC: Youth should speak with the PIC career counselor based at their high school.

Black Ministerial Alliance High Risk Youth Network

Web Site: http://www.bostonyouthnet.org/
E-mail: ebass@bmaboston.org
Phone: 617-445-2737 x13

The Black Ministerial Alliance (BMA) is convening a high risk youth network for faith-based organizations and community-based organizations that work with high risk youth. They maintain a resource website at http://www.bostonyouthnet.org/, including a youth service directory and community calendar. In addition, they meet once a month on a Friday from 1:00-4:00 pm at the Reggie Lewis Center; the next meeting is March 24, 2006.

The three main focuses of the high risk youth network are:

  • Identifying gaps in youth services,
  • Setting common city-wide and measurable goals for youth development services, and
  • increasing jobs for youth.

Boston Centers for Youth and Families

Web Site: http://www.cityofboston.gov/bcyf/
E-mail: BCYF@cityofboston.gov
Phone: 617-635-4920

Robert Lewis, Executive Director of Boston Center for Youth and Families (BCYF), held a youth forum at the Tobin Community Center in December. Based on ideas that youth discussed there, BCYF is implementing safety nights for youth, and it is supporting non-profit organizations who want to hold youth forums about violence. Contact Sandy at BCYF if you are interested in hosting a youth forum!

The 24 street workers in BCYF have been assigned to areas in the city that have been identified as main areas that need more services in order to cut down on increasing violence and crime. In addition, BCYF is working within individual neighborhoods to partner with non-profits to strengthen how community centers and other youth organizations better serve youth. Please contact BCYF for more information on how to get involved.


Boston Police Department

Web Sites: http://bpdnews.com and http://www.ci.boston.ma.us/police/
Phone: 617-343-4200

Superintendent Paul Joyce and the Boston Police Department (BPD) have been attending various community meetings to discuss the Police Department's strategy for the next year. Joyce says that as the Police Department focuses on various areas, the police want to partner with the community so that the strategy combines enforcement, intervention, and prevention, rather than being just enforcement alone. In the upcoming months, the Police Department will work on a strategy to strengthen communication between police and community organizations. The Boston Police Department has also partnered with community organizations in various neighborhoods in the "BSMART" initiative to strengthen communication and coordination between different agencies.

The Boston Police Department also recently launched a news web site at http://bpdnews.com. Visit the web site for crime statistics, including a map of homocides in 2005. It is also where BPD releases official information about recent incidents, if you need another source to turn to when you hear about an incident.


Children's Trauma Recovery Foundation

Web Site: http://www.childrenstrauma.org/
Phone: 617-731-3200

The Children's Trauma Recovery Foundation provides trauma trainings, offers support for building local trauma response networks, and has a lead response team that responds to traumatic incidents.


Coalition for Community Safety

Phone: Contact individual Gloria Fox or Shirley Owens-Hicks at 617-722-2000 (Statehouse), or contact Charles C. Yancey or Felix Arroyo at 617-635-3040 (City Council)

State and city legislators have sponsored two community meetings at the Roxbury YMCA to discuss community recommendations about stopping violence. They will have a follow-up meeting on March 25 at 3:00 pm in the Student Building of Roxbury Community College (2nd Floor). Sponsors include State Senator Dianne Wilkerson; Boston City Councillors Charles C. Yancey, Chuck Turner, Felix Arroyo, and Sam Yoon; and State Representatives Gloria Fox, Shirley Owens-Hicks, Byron Rushing, Marie St. Fluer, and Linda Dorcena Forey.


Louis D. Brown Peace Institute

Phone: 617-825-1917

The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute was founded in 1994 in memory of Louis D. Brown, a 15-year old peacemaker killed in a shooting in 1993. The Institute works to promote peace, healing, and reconciliation for survivors of violence and perpetrators of violence. It holds workshops, makes resource referrals, and also produces items like the peace buttons in memory of loved ones.


Peace Boston 2006

E-mail: PeaceBoston2006@comcast.net

Peace Boston works to bring together the youth, hip hop, youth development, and faith-based communities, together with government officials. It has worked to make the purple ribbon the official symbol of peace in Boston and in Massachusetts. In December, they held a community vigil in Codman Square, and in January, they and Antonio Ansaldi released a new "Start Peace" shirt (available at Antonio Ansaldi's at 501 Washington Street in Codman Square).


Teen Empowerment: Positive Action Agenda and 14th Annual Youth Peace Conference

Web Site: http://www.teenempowerment.org/
E-mail: mary@teenempowerment.org for information about the Peace Conference
Phone: 617-536-4266

Teen Empowerment is developing a "positive action agenda" in response to increased violence. In addition, they are holding their 14th annual youth peace conference this spring on May 20, 2006.


TenPoint Coalition Action And Trainings

Web Site: http://www.bostontenpoint.org/
Phone: 617-524-4331

The Boston TenPoint Coalition is an ecumenical group of Christian clergy and lay leaders working to mobilize the Christian community around issues affecting Black and Latino youth.

In December, the TenPoint Coalition held a community meeting to discuss a plan for a community response to violence. In January, they held trainings for community members to begin implementing a plan to train 1000 volunteers to do street work to mentor youth hanging on the streets.

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