Agency lands $1.6M grant to combat youth violence
Program pushes college, careers
A Milwaukee nonprofit group announced Tuesday it has received a $1.6 million federal grant to combat youth violence in the city.
The four-year grant awarded to the Center for Self-Sufficiency will focus on working with Milwaukee high school students on violence prevention and staying on a path toward higher education and careers.
All of the estimated 75 students in the program will also be enrolled in a pre-college enrichment program operated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the university, the Milwaukee Police Department and the group Community Advocates will be partners in the program.
Police Chief Edward Flynn said MPD’s involvement is key to building community relationships.
“Many of our interactions have to be negative because of the dreadful impact of crime on young men and young women in disadvantaged neighborhoods,” Flynn said. “(We want them) to not only learn more about us, but also engage with us, but also provide a positive experience with the people in their neighborhoods.”
The program, funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will emphasize mentorship in work readiness and healthy relationships.
“We have a duty to keep our young people safe from harm and to create a pathway for them to move toward a brighter future,” said Sam Coleman, chief of staff to Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton.
Students in the program will become involved during their freshman year of high school and have an opportunity to stay connected until they graduate from college, if they choose to attend UW-Madison. Students will be eligible for a four-year scholarship, said Carl Wesley, president of the Center for Self-Sufficiency.
Hamilton said while no one program presents a single solution, violence affecting young people in the city such as the recent shooting of 6-year-old Justin Evans shows the need for new approaches.
“It’s bringing partnerships around the youth of this city that’s going to work in diverting a lot of the violence that we see in the city of Milwaukee.” Flynn agreed. “We get it right here and other cities in the country will be replicating the Milwaukee experience,” Flynn said.