Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2007, $200,000)
Youth gang violence is high on the list of community challenges in Lowell, Massachusetts. Approximately 1,500-2,000 youth out of 17,000 are currently members of street gangs. The United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) proposes to meet the needs of youth and reduce gang violence through an array of programming within the Center, ranging from the new alternative high school program, to all of the sports and cultural/performing arts activities, to professional development classes. UTEC's overall goal is to support and enhance the City of Lowell's current effort to coordinate a comprehensive gang reduction plan. Through this grant the UTEC will specifically 1)reduce delinquency by providing support to street workers who serve, monitor and report back on gang involved youth; 2)provide training and technical assistance and information sharing for collaboration of all anti-gang service providers; 3)improve prevention/ intervention activities by facilitating a series of events to improve communication between youth and police officers; and 4) reduce gang violence by providing a forum for peacemaking between rival gangs. Over the last twelve months, Lowell Police Department and its partners from every discipline throughout the City have been meeting to research and develop a comprehensive gang prevention strategy as part of the newly formed City Manager's Gang Advisory Task Force. The United Teen Equality Center has been an integral member of this new task force. CA/NCF