The Center’s focus is two fold – working with the City of Lynchburg and the Safe Neighborhood Task Force (SNTF) in its Youth Gang initiative and working with Lynchburg City Schools in its Alternative Education program at the Amelia Pride Center.
Youth Gang Initiative
Working in collaboration with the SNTF, COPC staff, Dr. Tom Seaman and Dr. Kim McCabe comprise the team, which will be researching four initiatives to assist in developing a thorough understanding of the youth gang problem in Lynchburg. Specifically the team will conduct an analysis of the demographics of the City’s gang problem, determine the geographic distribution: gang turf and gang activities (criminal and non-criminal); identify and describe the types of gangs that exist in the City; and give an explanation and analysis of the causes of youth gangs in the City.
The team will also serve as the program’s evaluator and will assist in the development and administration of an asset assessment survey for the various resource organizations in the community to assess what services and resources are available and in place at present and see what percentage or capacity of services are being utilized. The team will also assist in the development of a management information system to document and track target youth and their progress.
Alternative Education
The second part of the Youth Development initiative is the Young Champions Program and it involves working with the eighth grade class at the Amelia Pride Center. We are directly working with 12 young people who are at risk for continuing school difficulties with the goal of modifying future outcomes. The Young Champions Program exists to help the students develop the skills necessary to transition back to a traditional classroom setting through adventure education.
Goals/Objectives upon completion of the program are that the student will be able to:
- Identify the difference between positive and negative risk taking;
- Have the confidence needed to overcome challenging situations;
- Work successfully with a team of other students;
- Identify personal strengths and weaknesses;
- Realize the importance of accepting ownership of mistakes made;
- Trust and seek support from peers and adults when the need arises;
- Communicate with peers and adults in a positive manner; and
- Set and accomplish personal goals.
For most of these students, failure in this school setting could result in permanent expulsion. Our goal is to help these students be successful not only in this school setting but also most importantly in their home school setting.