Youth Awareness Initiatives

It's Not Snitchin' is a persuasive public service announcement developed by young people in Washington DC's Youth in Action Program. Youth in Action is run by the non profit organization Peaceoholics, which is funded by PSN. The PSA highlights the responsibility that youth have to protect their community by reporting crime. Youth producers enlisted Anwan Glover (also known as "Big G", a well known local actor who appeared on the cable television show, The Wire) to make a cameo appearance in the PSA.

The 30 second video can be downloaded to use locally or as creative inspiration for localyouth to create gang awareness.

Video: It's Not Snitchin'

Sembrando Paz (Sowing Peace) is a violence prevention project sponsored by PSN and run by Allianza Para un Puerto Rico sin Drogas (Alliance for a Drug Free Puerto Rico). The program offers youth a variety of prevention activities as well as vocational training. Youth in the program created a series of montages in which they acted out the consequences of making the wrong choices regarding gangs, guns and drugs. The video montages are now used in other teen workshops as a way to facilitate discussion about these choices and their consequences. The 90 second video can be downloaded here with English subtitles.

Video: Sembrando Paz 1
Video: Sembrando Paz 2
Video: Sembrando Paz 3
Video: Sembrando Paz 4

Youth Speak Up in Phoenix, Arizona was created to train and educate at-risk youth in school or community settings to reduce and prevent gun violence. Youth learn that they can decrease violence by speaking up about threats of weapon-related violence, and learn about gun laws, bystander responsibility, and options to get help in potentially violent situations.

The curriculum for the training was developed and funded under PSN by the community outreach partner Arizonians for Gun Safety (AzGS), and has been modified and improved with funding from Catholic Healthcare West Community grants. AzGS partners with two local youth serving organizations that have assisted with curriculum development and provide trainers who can connect with youth audiences. AzGS also partners with a hospital-based program working with young gunshot survivors to recruit survivors to serve as speakers in the program.

The curriculum has been offered to 600 youth since 2006 and has been taught in 20 schools. Educational posters are distributed in schools, especially while the program is being taught. A survey of youth who go through the program is being conducted to learn about youth involvement in gun violence.

Technical Assistance Resource Tools:
Youth Speak Up promotional poster in English and Spanish
Class-based curriculum
Pre-and Post-surveys
Random Gunfire Prevention
Prevent Gun Violence: Take Back Your Neighborhood PowerPoint PDF