South Bronx Youth Opportunity Initiative

The Fund for the City of New York’s South Bronx Youth Opportunity Initiative (SBYOI) will create safer communities and increase youth opportunity in Bronx Community District 3 by reducing youth gun and gang violence. SBYOI will: 1) create a cross-sector collaborative of community organizations, community stakeholders, and law enforcement to identify gaps in youth and community services and develop strategies to reduce youth violence and disrupt gang activity; 2) implement street outreach and violence intervention initiatives using CVI strategies; and 3) provide direct services to youth at risk of involvement with gun violence or gang activity.

The program model will be informed by the core strategies of OJJDP’s Comprehensive Gang Model, an evidence-based approach focused on community mobilization, opportunities provision, social intervention, suppression, and organizational change and development. Community mobilization activities will include the creation of the collaborative working group and the development of the youth advisory board. Opportunities provision will include interest-based programming, therapeutic services, and group programming. Social intervention activities will include mentorship and street outreach. Suppression activities will include coordination with law enforcement partners through the collaborative working group to monitor and develop respond to violence. Finally, organizational change and development will include the creation of a collective impact strategy with the collaborative working group.