Tribal Youth Program "Project Venture"

Part of the Indian Country Law Enforcement Initiative, a joint initiative of DOJ and the U.S. Department of the Interior to improve law enforcement and the administration of criminal and juvenile justice in Indian country, OJJDP's Tribal Youth Program (TYP) supports and enhances tribal efforts to prevent and control delinquency and strengthen the juvenile justice system for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth. This program is authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended and the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2009, Pub. L. 111-8.

The Pueblo of Acoma is a Federally Recognized Tribal entity which is located in Cibola County in the State of New Mexico. The Pueblo of Acoma, National Indian Youth Leadership Project (NIYLP) and New Sunrise Regional Treatment Center (NSRTC) will create a partnership providing after-school and weekend services to approximately 160 American Indian youth between the ages of 14 ' 17 year that reside on the Pueblo of Acoma and surrounding areas. The program will implement NIYLP's Project Venture curriculum, an evidenced-based/ national youth development model. This unique, culturally-appropriate, youth development mentoring model uses Elder Council members, older peer mentors, and professional staff to work with high risk youth who have been identified by the Pueblo of Acoma tribal courts as high risk due to adjudication through the judicial system. The program will also include the residents who are completing the inpatient substance abuse program at NSRTC. The partnership with NIYLP represents a broad group of stakeholders ' national, tribal, educational, and community based organizations with deep roots in target communities which will allow for quick startup. Goals are to lower delinquency and related indicators such as substance abuse, violent behavior, and truancy among Native youth, and to provide employment skills to high school peer mentors and high risk youth. Objectives are to increase the number of high risk youth receiving mentoring, and opportunities to experience adventure, skills-based activities to decrease risk factors associated with juvenile delinquency such as substance use, arrests and incarceration, violence, and truancy; as well as increased resilience and protective factors. The Pueblo of Acoma has passed a tribal resolution in support of this application. CA/NCF