The YVPN Mission Statement:
"The Youth Violence Prevention Network (YVPN) is a daily love, nonviolence, and forgiveness campaign to address and prevent all forms of violence."
"The Youth Violence Prevention Network (YVPN) is a daily love, nonviolence, and forgiveness campaign to address and prevent all forms of violence."
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The Youth Violence Prevention Network is a ministry of Freedom Church of Seattle organized on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday, January 20, 2008. We were formed in direct response to the murders of young people in hopes of diffusing the violent tension surrounding the slayings as well as intervening to provide prevention methods to at-risk youth and young adults.
The YVPN is a nonprofit organization, led by young people that address the practical and systemic reasons why there is violence in King County and surrounding areas. Since our formation we have hit the streets in a daily love campaign reaching out to the under-served and over looked youth population ages 8-35. YVPN has received the Seattle Centers 2009 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Award for our efforts to prevent youth violence.
The Youth Violence Prevention Network has developed over 137 solutions to youth violence.
Youth Violence Prevention Network's Goals
GOAL ONE:
Organize real support for youth and young adults, ages 5 and up, to fulfill their goals, dreams, and visions.
GOAL TWO:
Share the importance of nonviolence in our community.
GOAL THREE:
Establish a network of young people and adults who will address the systemic and practical issues related to violence in our community.
12 Ways to Address Youth Violence
- This is a daily campaign. We must do all we can to prevent violence. We have to love, support, and encourage young people to fulfill their goals and dreams. This is a movement, not a reactionary response. This daily movement must not stop. This is a daily love campaign that starts with God. Young and old, we must seek first the kingdom of God (Mathew 6:33). Helping young people to love and serve God is the first step in this daily movement.
- We have to reach all young people, especially African American males in the community, and help them to do the "right thing" for their lives. Everyone needs a moral compass to guide them. We must have a proactive policy of authentic, relationship building with young people.
- We must passionately promote the principles of personal responsibility and non-violence.
- We must passionately promote strong families and extended families that love, support, and protect their children. We must always support the families who have been impacted by violence and involve them in the work.
- Young people, with supportive adults, must lead the way in addressing the hatred, anger, envy, ego, vengeance, and all the personal and social issues (including the mass media) that contribute to youth violence.
- We must provide historical context to help young people understand the violence that is built into our society.
- There must be honest, collaborative work between youth -focused organizations, faith based institutions, community leaders and activists, political leaders, police, the media, and concerned citizens, compassionate churches, working together in this broad-based coalition, is a critical part of the solution in the African American Community. We must have a very visible, united campaign.
- Public and private funders must be serious about supporting this work.
- We must help young people understand the cause of their anger and "beefs" and how to effectively deal with conflict resolution. We must never underestimate the power of love and forgiveness.
- There is a very serious discipline of "closing our mouths" not to escalate conflict and spread strife, gossip and division.
- There must be significantly more jobs, business, and educational opportunities for young people.
- We must address the issue of drugs alcohol and how they mask the serious issues underneath substance abuse and can trigger spontaneous violence.
Donate to the Youth Violence Prevention Network