"Barrios Unidos" Project

OJJDP seeks applicants to establish mentoring programs that offer a mixture of core services and engage youth with activities that enable them to practice healthy behaviors within a positive pro-social peer group. The target population should be youth at risk of gang activity, delinquency, and youth violence. This program should develop and strengthen protective factors against gang involvement and other problem behaviors. It can be based in a school or community setting. Successful applicants will include organizations, local school districts, and communities dealing with demonstrated gang problems who are a part of a communitywide strategy to combat gang activity. This initiative is authorized under the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2009, Pub. L. 111-8.

Luz Academy of Tucson DBA Luz Southside Coalition is proposing the implementation of the Barrios Unidos Mentoring Program to reduce gang involvement, delinquency, and truancy among at-risk youth from Apollo Middle School, located on the Southside of Tucson. Barrios Unidos has the following goals: 1) to reduce vulnerability to gang prevention, delinquency, and violence among students in sixth through eighth grade; 2) to implement the Barrios Unidos gang prevention strategies adapted from the BUILD program; and 3) to establish and enhance the partnerships supporting the Barrios Unidos Mentoring Program. Objectives include: 1) recruit, train, and retain 20 adult mentors and 20 at-risk youth to be mentored; 2) sustain the mentor pairs for at least two years; 3) for program participants to participate in two community service projects; 4) for the Barrios Unidos Advisory Committee to provide leadership and direction of program implementation; and 5) the Advisory Committee will support four cultural, drug and alcohol-free events. The anticipated outcomes for this mentoring program include a reduction in disciplinary referrals, violence, new offenses/re-offenses, anti-social behavior, and an increase in school attachment.

CA/NCF