Steele Creek Youth Network
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. 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 resiliency 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 60 houses of faith and over 60 non-profit organizations and government agencies. 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 mission of SCYN is to prevent and reduce youth violence in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. There are three primary goals and several objectives in place to accomplish these goals. They are listed below:
GOALS
(1) Address and eradicate negative risk factors.
OBJECTIVES
§ Increase youth’s sense of belonging
§ Increase the number of alternative activities and programs for youth;
§ Increase the number of positive role models for youth;
§ Increase youth’s self-efficacy.
(2) Educate about and increase protective factors.
OBJECTIVES
§ Increase economic opportunities for youth, especially job training and placement;
§ Increase youth’s hope for the future;
§ Create opportunities for youth to participate in activities where they have choices, decision-making power, and shared responsibilities;
§ Increase the number of adults and parents involved in SCYN programs;
§ Increase the number of community partners with SCYN.
(3) Increase awareness and knowledge of youth violence prevention and intervention strategies for youth and adults.
OBJECTIVES
§ Increase the number of Charlotte-Mecklenburg community members attending educational programs on youth violence prevention and intervention;
§ Increase the number of educational programs offered.
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;
- CMS Summer Youth Free Lunch Program;
- Dialogues; and
- Advisory Councils (Youth and Adult).
Since August 2005, SCYN has partnered with numerous houses of faith, government agencies, and non-profits to create and implement seven new youth programs. Four of those programs are currently being implemented in four Steele Creek locations. Over 6,000 youth and 500 adults have participated in SCYN-funded programs as of May 2009. These free youth programs are beginning to sustain themselves.
Since July 2005, SCYN has provided youth violence awareness education presentations to over 10,000 youth and adults in over 150 locations. The presentations are in a PowerPoint format with group discussions to make attendees more aware of youth violence prevention in Charlotte. These educational sessions are on-going. If you would like Officer Speas to come out to present to your group or organization, email or call her at the contact information listed below.
SCYN has partnered with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation during the summers of 2006-2009 to offer week-long wilderness camps for at-risk youth called Survivor Copperhead Island. The youth camp focuses on leadership and team-building skills that take place in the woods and in water. Nine SCI camps have provided youth violence alternatives to over 90 middle and high school youth. During the summer of 2009, SCI will take place June 22-26. Survivor Copperhead Island was recognized by the National Association of Counties in 2007 for being one of the most innovative and effective youth programs in the nation. For more information on SCI, contact Officer Speas at the contact information listed below.
During the summers of 2006-2009, SCYN has collaborated with the City of Charlotte’s Mayor's Youth Employment Program (MYEP) by referring hundreds of at-risk youth for the summer employment program. SCYN is partnering with MYEP and Goodwill’s Youth Job Connection during the summer 2009 to provide at-risk youth, ages 14-18 years, with job training and placement. For more information on the Youth Job Connection, visit www.youthjobconnection.com or visit Goodwill at 2122 Freedom Drive, Charlotte.
SCYN has partnered with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) summer youth free lunch program during the summers of 2006-2009 to provide free bagged lunches to over 1,800 youth, ages 18 and under, living in ten Steele Creek apartment complexes. The program allows 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 are located in and around South Boulevard, Nations Ford Road, Arrowood Road, Old Pineville Road, Archdale Drive, and Sharon Road West. Over 9,000 free lunches have been 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 so that criminal cases can be solved.
SCYN has both a Youth and an Adult Advisory Council that meets quarterly and provide recommendations for improving SCYN. They act 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.
Since the Steele Creek Youth Network began in 2005, some indices of the program’s success include, but are not limited to, the following: at-risk youth, ages 11-18 years, are participating in the weekend youth programs consistently; youth have made decisions to get out of gangs and youth violence activities; 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 role models for younger siblings and youth.
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 house of faith, non-profit or community organization, or youth can get involved, contact Officer Lisa K. Speas at 704.575.3191 or Lspeas@cmpd.org. Adult volunteers are needed for all the Friday and Saturday night youth programs.
See the schedule for the Steele Creek Youth Network weekend programs for June and July.
See the Youth Network Resource Guide for youth resources in Charlotte-Mecklenburg 2009 Youth Network Resource Guide
