Steele Creek Youth Network
The Steele Creek Youth Network (SCYN) provides at-risk youth, ages 11-18 years, with positive alternatives to youth violence through a variety of programs/activities sponsored by houses of faith and non-profit organizations. SCYN began in April 2005 with the awarding of a social capital grant from the Foundation for the Carolinas to "jump-start" the program. The goal of SCYN in its first two years was to create new youth programs in houses of faith and non-profit organizations where 1) there were previously no or minimal youth programs and 2) where there was a high incidence of juvenile and gang crimes. SCYN was termed a "pilot" youth violence prevention project and focused its attention on the Steele Creek Division (southwest Charlotte).
The key to the success of the theory-based SCYN is the relationships that have been established since its beginning. The "buy-in" into SCYN by local houses of faith and non-profits has provided the momentum for SCYN to expand rapidly and for adults in the community to volunteer to assist with SCYN youth programs. Currently, SCYN is in partnership with over 50 houses of faith and over 50 non-profit organizations, and the collaborations are growing weekly. These partnerships provide Charlotte youth with some of the following opportunities: youth violence education; sports and recreational activities; after-school and weekend programs; safe meeting places for programs; job training and placement; mentoring and role modeling with adult volunteers; tutoring and educational assistance; and, community activities and service projects, to name a few.
The specific programmatic strategies of SCYN include the following:
- Partnerships with houses of faith and non-profit organizations
- New youth programs in high crime neighborhoods
- Youth violence education to youth and adults;
- Outdoor leadership camps – Survivor Copperhead Island
- Mayor's Youth Employment Program (MYEP) - job training and placement
- Summer Youth Free Lunch Program
- Dialogues
- Advisory Councils (Youth and Adult).
Since August 2005, SCYN has partnered with houses of faith and non-profits to create and implement seven new youth programs. Five of those programs are currently being implemented in five Steele Creek locations. Over 5,000 youth and 500 adults have participated in SCYN-funded programs as of September 2007. These free youth programs are beginning to sustain themselves.
Since July 2005, SCYN has provided youth violence awareness education presentations to over 8,000 youth and adults in over 90 locations, primarily in the Steele Creek division. The presentation is a PowerPoint format with group discussions to make attendees more aware of youth violence in Charlotte. These educational sessions are on-going.
SCYN partnered with Mecklenburg Count's McDowell Nature Preserve and Copperhead Island during the summers of 2006 and 2007 to offer a week-long wilderness adventure for at-risk youth called Survivor Copperhead Island. The youth camp focused on leadership and team-building skills that were developed in the woods and in the water. Five camps have been offered during that time with 50 youths participating. In May 2007 seven of the twenty youth who participated in the 2006 Survivor Copperhead Island camps attended a follow-up camp, Survivor Stone Mountain, to continue development of their leadership skills.
The Survivor Copperhead Island camps will continue during the summer 2008, with the intention of expanding the number of camps to six. Survivor Copperhead Island was recognized by the National Association of Counties in 2007 for being one of the most innovative and effective programs in the nation.
During the summers of 2006 and 2007, SCYN collaborated with the Mayor's Youth Employment Program (MYEP) by providing over 55 at-risk youth for the summer employment program. SCYN will again partner with MYEP during the summer 2008 to provide at-risk youth, ages 16-18 years, with job training and placement.
SCYN partnered with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) summer youth free lunch program during the summers of 2006 and 2007 to provide free bagged lunches to over 800 youth ages 18 and under living in eight Steele Creek apartment complexes. The program allowed Officer Speas and local houses of faith opportunities during the lunch hour to spend time with the youth to discuss youth safety and to provide them with youth programming. The apartments were located in and around Nations Ford Road, Arrowood Road, Old Pineville Road, and Archdale Drive. Over 7,200 free lunches were provided to Steele Creek youth.
As a result of the new relationships that are being established between CMPD, faith leaders, adults, and youth, on-going dialogues are taking place between all parties. An increased sense of trust between all the parties allows for more information to be communicated, including criminal and gang activity information. This information is then forwarded to CMPD detectives and officers.
SCYN has both a Youth and an Adult Advisory Council that meet quarterly and provide recommendations for improving SCYN. They act as well as marketing agents to promote the youth programs and camps. The Youth Advisory Council is instrumental in planning the weekly youth programs that take place on Friday and Saturday nights.
For an overview of SCYN strategies, programs and number of participants since July 2005 go to SCYN Program Summary.
In the first two years of SCYN, its goal of creating and implementing new youth programs in high crime areas was accomplished. Indices of success include, but are not limited to, the following: at-risk youth, ages 11-18 years, are participating in the five new youth programs consistently; youth have made decisions to get out of gangs; youth have made decisions to get their friends and siblings out of gangs; participants continue their education after dropping out of school in prior years; youth join a house of faith and/or get involved in religious activities and programs; and, participants become leaders in their school instead of followers.
SCYN is intended to be a long-term youth violence prevention program in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Its expansion over the years will be based on the elements that have made it successful thus far including: passion for youth; relationship building; partnerships/collaborations; consistent programming; building and maintaining trust; removing barriers; inclusivity of all youth regardless of race/ethnicity, socio-economic background, or religious affiliation; programming ownership by youth; and "buy-in" from houses of faith and non-profit organizations to create and implement new youth programs and activities in other Charlotte areas where juvenile and gang crimes are high. Given the success of SCYN to date, additional funding sources will be pursued as a way to maintain its continuation.
For more information about how your religious institution, non-profit organization, or youth can get involved, contact Officer Lisa K. Speas at 704.336.8360 or lspeas@cmpd.org
See the schedule for the Steele Creek Youth Network activities for SCYN Youth Programs for
June 2008 and
July 2008.
