Fourth annual Minneapolis Youth Violence Prevention Week begins March 18
Minneapolis Youth Violence Prevention Week—held March 18-22—is a chance for kids and adults to take part in reducing youth violence in the city. The week is part of a national public education initiative featuring activities and events to call attention to the issue of youth violence, identify strategies to combat this public health epidemic, and promote the positive role youth and adults can have in making their communities and schools safer.
The City of Minneapolis, in collaboration withPeaceMaker Minnesota,Minneapolis Public Schools, and Minneapolis Youth Congress is urging the public and local agencies of all types to participate in Minneapolis Youth Violence Prevention Week. The week’s activities, include:
- Agencies that work with youth can use a special youth violence prevention toolkit to incorporate activities in their programs that will help create a safer city for young people.
- Anyone can nominate a Minneapolis student or teacher for the Minneapolis PeaceMakerAward. This award is an opportunity to recognize people who are making a difference in Minneapolis to address youth violence and foster community peace. Winners will receive an award and cash prizes ranging from $250 to $1000 for their school.
Youth violence is the second leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Reducing youth violence requires a collaborative approach joining City and State agencies, community-based organizations, and residents toward a common vision. As part of its youth violence prevention efforts, in 2006, the City declared youth violence to be a public health concern and formally launched the "Blueprint for Action" in 2008 with these goals: connect every youth with a trusted adult; intervene at the first sign that youth are at risk for violence; restore youth who have gone down the wrong path; and, unlearn the culture of violence in our community.
For more information about how you can participate in the Minneapolis Youth Violence Prevention Week, PeaceMaker award program, and tool kit, visit http://www.minneapolismn.gov/health/yvp/preventionweek.
Published Mar. 14, 2013