Charlotte, North Carolina Forum on Youth Gangs and Violence Youth from the PSN-sponsored Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) were engaged in the design, organization, and facilitation of Charlotte's first and second annual youth-led Forums on Youth Gangs and Youth Violence, held in 2007and 2008.Youth from neighborhoods with chronic gang and gun violence were invited to attend the forum. YLA youth-led workshop include discussions on young children and gang awareness, relationship building, messages about gangs in movies, and alternatives to gangs. They also engaged other youth to express themselves in rap sessions and through performances of spoken word, rap music, art, and stepping. In addition, youth leaders facilitated games that challenged youth to think about alternatives to gang involvement, such as conflict resolution role plays, team and relationship building exercises, and gang resistance training.

In a post-forum reflection session, YLA youth talked about how it felt to lead other youth to make positive choices, what they learned from the experience, and what they would do differently in terms of organization and running the forum. Participant evaluations overwhelmingly supported additional opportunities for youth to speak out and take action on gang issues.

Technical Assistance Resource Tools:
Podcast: Second Annual Forum on Youth Gangs and Violence mp3 file
Sample work plan
Sample funding proposal