Youth Safety and Violence Prevention

The Y works every day to transform lives and communities. With violence on the rise in Chicago, the Y is provides leadership and initiatives that help make our neighborhoods safe.

Through a unique combination of collaborative community organizing, education and training, family wellness programs, and intensive youth and family outreach. The Y is focused on keeping children safe, mitigating the exposure to violence, and supporting youth who are working to reclaim their lives after gang or criminal behavior.

Youth Safety and Violence Prevention Program

Our Youth Safety and Violence Prevention Program integrates evidence-based violence prevention, intervention and reduction strategies throughout the Y’s existing programming, including Early Education and Care, Community Schools Initiative sites, teen programming at the Y membership centers, and as part of the Reentry and Street Intervention Programs.

Street Intervention Program

The Street Intervention Program (SIP) was created in 1990 as a response to growing violence among Chicago street gangs. This globally-recognized program has a strong presence in 11 of Chicago’s at-risk communities.

SIP workers mediate gang disputes, promoting non-violent solutions to interpersonal and group conflicts. SIP meets youth at school during the day and on street corners at night. Their goal is to increase young people’s self-esteem by providing after school programs and tutoring sessions.

SIP workers use grass roots knowledge and experience to conduct school workshops that promote critical thinking, conflict resolution and reflection on the reality of inner city neighborhoods. This program also enables parents, teachers and school administrators to identify gangs, gang symbols and gang practices.

One of the most important aspects of the SIP is having a strong presence in the communities it serves. With the help of teachers and community organizations, SIP workers personally get to know neighborhood children and identify those at risk of becoming involved in gang situations. 

Currently, SIP has a presence in:

  • Logan Square
  • Humboldt Park
  • Little Village
  • Pilsen
  • Avondale
  • Back of the Yards
  • Belmont-Cragin
  • Englewood
  • Hermosa
  • North Lawndale
  • West Town

For more information, please call our Metro office at 312.932.1200