Roca Lynn: Targeted Intervention to Reduce School Violence

Through this grant, Roca’s Central American Youth program in partnership with Lynn Public Schools, will engage over 100 young people per year through prevention services and provide intensive intervention to 50 of Lynn’s highest risk 15-18-year-old young people who are at the center of youth violence and gang activity. Roca’s model for reducing violence centers on delivering targeted services grounded in cognitive-based therapy which is key to addressing trauma, and includes a combination of tools designed to help young people feel safe and develop the tools they need to manage their own trauma and make more positive decisions. Roca will use these tools to not only to directly serve young people, but will also work to build the capacity of Lynn Public Schools to more effectively manage student and teacher trauma and reduce violence within its schools. Specifically, through this project, Roca and Lynn Public Schools will form and regularly convene an Advisory Committee; work with Lynn Public Schools to create and annually update a School Safety Strategic Plan; provide Lynn Public Schools staff and other partners with training on brain science, cognitive behavioral therapy and Peacemaking Circles and provide coaching to help integrate these tools into the school setting; provide customized cognitive behavioral therapy driven service to meet the needs of each young person that will include engaging young people in in-school violence prevention services, utilizing Peacemaking Circles and other restorative justice tools to help build bridges between young people and police; and engaging with families to provide critical supports that will provide young people and their families with the structure they need to avoid violence whenever possible.