Youth-Led Mini Grants
Background
IVPA strongly advocates for youth in decision-making and leadership roles. This grant offers a unique opportunity for young people, in partnership with adults and community agencies, to develop or enhance innovative youth violence prevention programming. The purpose of this grant is to support efforts that give youth the opportunity to identify needs and create projects that will address and prevent youth violence. In addition, the grant encourages youth leadership and youth collaboration with community agencies that provide services for youth.
Area 1: Northeastern Illinois
13th Judicial Circuit Court Family Violence Prevention Council
Ottawa, LaSalle County
Phone:(815)431-0630
Fax: (815)431-0637
Email: susan.bursztsky@mchsi.com
Website: http://www.familyviolence13.org
Founded in 2002, the Supporting Players is a youth drama troupe sponsored by the Council. The troupe writes and performs skits focusing on topics related to violence prevention, including teen dating violence, sexual assault, suicide, bullying, peer pressure, alcohol & drug use, and drinking and driving. This year the troupe plans to expand the number of schools involved with the Supporting Players troupes as well as provide at least 20 presentations to their peers.
Holy Family Parish
Cook County
Phone:(847)623-2655
Fax:(847)623-9479
Email: lramirez.holyfamily@hotmail.com
The youth leaders at Holy Family Parish in Waukegan are using the Choose Respect Playbook, developed by the Centers for Disease Control, to increase awareness amongst their peers of teen dating violence and the importance of healthy relationships.
Suicide Prevention Services
Kane, Kendall, and DuPage Counties
Phone:(630)482-9699
Fax:(630)482-9669
Email: spsinfo@spsfv.org
The teens affiliated with the Yellow Ribbon Program plan to continue empowering their peers by increasing awareness of the warning signs of suicide, providing training and materials on how to help a suicidal youth, and engaging adults as supporters of the initiative.
Area 3: West Central Illinois
Illini Central School
Logan, Mason, and Tazwell Counties
Phone:(217)482-3252
Fax:(217)482-3323
Email: rdowning@illinicentral.org
Website: http://www.illinicentral.org
The Illini Central Community Unit School District #189 has developed the program S.A.F.E. (Students & Staff Advocating For a Secure Environment), to help students in grades 6-12 learn the importance of violence prevention. Throughout the 2009 school year the theme of anti-bullying will be promoted through speakers, brochures, and professional presentations for the students.
Pathways
Coles, Douglas, Moultrie, Shelby, Edgar, Effingham, Cumberland and Clark Counties
Phone:(217)238-8383
Fax:(217)235-2228
Email: apenderg@lakeland.cc.il.us
The youth group at Pathways plans to develop a project addressing teen dating violence. They will to create a power point presentation they will show to other youth as well as local interested organizations, such as a domestic violence shelter and a sexual assault service agency. They will be cooperating with a prevention service called I-Sing-The-Body-Electric to create a teen dating violence workshop that incorporates the arts.
Redmon Lee Youth and Adult Association
Adams County
Phone:(217)228-1106
Fax:(217)228-1106
Email: sistayung@sbcglobal.net
The students with this project will develop a music video that educates their peers on teen dating violence and conflict resolution. The students will write and create a music video, with the input of local violence prevention agencies.
Area 4: Eastern Central Illinois
Project Oz
McLean County
Phone:(309)827-0377
Fax:(309)829-8877
Email: ellen@projectoz.org
Website: http://www.projectoz.org
Project Oz HYPE Program (Helping Youth Progress and Excel) and the Normal West Student Council are working together to address school violence. Rachel’s Challenge will be invited to facilitate a school-wide assembly and training for 170 students on violence prevention.
Area 6: Southeastern Illinois
Shawnee Heath Services: Adolescent Health Center
Carbondale and Jackson Counties
Phone:(618)529-2621
Fax:(618)529-1288
Email: ewhite@shsdc.org
The Teen Peace group has two projects for the year. The first project is a mentoring program for girls and boys in 1st-3rd grade. The mentoring program will be held at the Boys and Girls Club once a month. The second project is a youth summit for teenagers to educate on violence and violence prevention.
Area 7: Cook County
Alternatives, Inc. Chicago
Cook County
Phone:(773)506-7474
Fax:(773)506-9420
Email: zkorotko@alternatives.org
Website: http://www.alternativesyouth.org/
The youth group, Connect Force, will perform a positive Hip Hop show that teaches and promotes violence prevention. The show will include break-dance, music and spoken word. After the show the students will hold a discussion on how to prevent violence within their community.
Archi-Treasures
Cook County
Phone:(773)772-4416
Fax:(773)712-4418
Email: info@architreasures.org
Website: http://www.architreasures.org
Archi-treasures is an arts-based community development organization reducing social isolation by creating grassroots partnerships to build public spaces, empowering individuals to shape their future and the future of their community. Students have formed the Barbara Jean Wright Courts Movie Team (BJWC). This group of students is working on creating a documentary on violence within their community. They plan on interviewing individuals from the age of 12 and up, as well as holding discussion groups about violence prevention.
Aunt Martha’s Youth Services Park Forest
Cook County
Phone:(708)679-8217
Fax:(708)679-0425
Email: brogers@auntmarthas.org
Website: http://www.auntmarthas.org
Students plan on creating a performing arts show to promote non-violence. The show will include a talent show of singing, rapping, and dancing. The show will be performed at local schools and community centers to promote non-violence and violence prevention.
Build, Inc.
Cook County
Phone:(773)227-2880
Fax:(773)227-3012
Email: build@buildchicago.org
Website: http://www.buildchicago.org
The members of BUILD’s Youth Council will develop a series of trainings that will take place throughout the year and a conference in August called “Unity Amongst All” to promote cultural awareness and unity as a form of violence prevention. Youth from throughout the community will be invited to challenge sexism, classism, racism and gang violence in an effort to create positive, non-violent solutions to hatred and bigotry.
Community TV Network
Cook County
Phone:(773)278-8500
Fax:(773)278-8635
Email: ctvnchicago@yahoo.com
CTVN seeks to empower children and young adults in Chicago while teaching them to identify, address, and resolve issues through the use and understanding of digital media arts. Students will create a short documentary that will address the issues of violence, particularly in the West Side of Chicago. The documentary will interview people within the community to get personal stories of the effects of violence.
Family Focus
Cook County
Phone:(847)475-7570
Fax:(847)475-7590
Email: sandy.williams@family-focus.org
Website: http://www.family-focus.org
The youth at Family Focus plan to address gang violence through a video project. Youth in the community will be interviewed by their peers about how gang violence has affected their lives. The video will also incorporate hip hop and song with non-violent messaging.
Howard Brown Health Center
Cook County
Phone:(773)388-1600
Fax:(773)388-8887
Email: joeh@howardbrown.org
Website: http://www.howardbrown.org
Howard Brown is one of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) organizations. Peer Advocates from the Howard Brown Broadway Youth Center will engage other youth in dialogue that promotes the Center as a safe space free of arguments and physical violence. The youth also will create an art project that promotes violence prevention, tolerance, sensitivity training and life skills.
Loyola University
Cook County
Phone:(773)508-2471
Fax:(773)508-8942
Email: ors@luc.edu
Website: http://www.luc.edu
In partnership with the After School Matters program Stand-Up! Help Out; students from Loyola University will develop a video for children called The ABC’s of a Violence-Free Life, talk about violence prevention in elementary schools, develop surveys to learn what young students think about violence prevention and educate parents on how to talk to their children about violence prevention.
Maywood Fine Arts Association
Cook County
Phone:(708)865-0301
Fax:(708)410-1355
Email: maywoodfinearts@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.maywoodfinearts.org
Maywood Fine Arts Association (MFAA) is dedicated to providing high quality arts instruction at a very low cost to the children of Maywood and surrounding communities. Students at MFAA will develop Get Off the Streets and On Your Feet, a program that uses dance as an alternative to violent and anti-social activities. The students will present dance workshops to other youth that incorporate violence prevention messaging and education.
Maywood Youth Mentoring Programs Inc.
Cook County
Phone: (708) 343-9600
Fax: (708) 343-9604
Email: Barbara.cole@maywoodsafetynetworks.org
Website: http://www.maywoodsafetynetworks.org
The youth at Maywood Youth Mentoring Programs will organize and implement a Community Day of Peace, where individuals who have lost their life due to violence will be honored, and a Youth Lock-In where violence prevention will be presented in a variety of creative ways.
New Spiritual Light M.B. Church
Cook County
Phone: (773) 734-5483
Fax: (773) 374-8374
Email: newspiritual@sbcglobal.net
The youth at New Spiritual Light M.B. Church will create a Mentoring and Conflict Resolution Workshop to educate youth on dealing with difficult situations in a positive and non-violent manner. The goals of the workshop are to ultimately decrease youth violence and promote youth involvement in the South Shore community.
Polish American Association
Cook County
Phone: (773) 282-8206
Fax: (773) 282-1324
Email: paa@polish.org
Website: http://www.polish.org
Youth at the Polish American Association will be trained on mentoring and violence prevention in preparation for working with young children at a summer camp for Polish speaking children. The eighteen students will run workshops for the campers that help the children understand how to prevent and stop violent behaviors. The camp and workshops will continue for six weeks throughout the summer.
Sankofa Safe Child Initiative
Cook County
Phone: (773) 542-8634
Fax: (773) 542-9817
Email: wsafechild@sbcglobal.net
Website: http://www.sankofasafechild.org
Youth at Sankofa plan to write plays and skits that address conflict resolution. The plays will inform other students on how to stop arguing with friends, family and others around them. The students hope to increase awareness of how violence prevention and conflict resolution can make their community a safer place.
Triton College
Cook County
Phone:(708)456-0300
Fax:(708)583-3102
Email: asharris@triton.edu
Website: http://www.triton.edu
Students at Triton College will recruit and work with youth through a Robotics Workshop. The summer program will help local youth develop the interpersonal skills needed to avoid conflict and violent situations. The goal of this program is to create an interactive, problem-solving environment where students can learn and share opportunities in robot making and engineering.
Village of Matteson Police Department
Cook County
Phone: (708) 748-4085
Fax: (708) 748-7364
Email: nburnson@vil.matteson.il.us
Members of the Matteson Police Cadet Youth Explorer (high school students) will mentor students each week at Colin Powell Middle School through the Students for a Safe School Club. Every Tuesday and Thursday they will meet to discuss the topics of gangs, bullying and sexual harassment.
Youth Crossroads Inc.
Cook County
Phone:(708)484-7400
Fax:(708)484-7492
Email: jessicas@youthcrossroads.org
Website: http://www.youthcrossroads.org
Members of Youth Crossroads plan to create and distribute a local directory of services, create a teen-produced documentary and conduct a series of teen-led workshops that highlight the importance of preventing teen dating violence in the Cicero and Berwyn communities.
Youth Organizations Umbrella Inc.
Cook County
Phone:(847)866-1200
Fax:(847)866-9143
Email: valery.krieg@youevanston.org
Website: http://www.youevanston.org
Students from Youth Organizations Umbrella will create an initiative called Diverse Evanston Walks United (DEWU). DEWU will develop a short film based on skits developed by the students on violence prevention. The short will be dispersed to all the schools in Evanston. The students will also facilitate violence prevention training workshops at area schools.
Youth Service Project Inc.
Cook County
Phone:(773)772-6270
Fax:(773)772-8755
Email: kmocasio@youthserviceproject.org
The youth leaders at YSP are using the Choose Respect Playbook, developed by the Centers for Disease Control, to increase awareness amongst their peers of teen dating violence and the importance of healthy relationships.
