Agreement - Goodwill Industries of Michiana - Outreach Team to Support Group Violence Intervention

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focused services for men, women and young adults who are committed to getting their lives back on track. Ability First services allow Goodwill staff to walls alongside individuals and employers as they address the unique challenges of employment for persons with cognitive or physical barriers by providing any needed job coaching, job training, advocacy or assistance with situations that may arise in the new position. The length of -'personal assistance is dependent upon the needs of both the individual and the employer. Out of School Youth is provided through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). For youth ages 15-24, the program provides services beginning with career exploration and guidance, continued support for educational attainment, opportunities for skills training in in -demand industries and occupations, and culminating with a good job along a career pathway. 9 The South Bend Group Violence Intervention (SBGVI) unites community leaders around a common goal: to stop gun violence and keep South Bend's highest risk citizens alive and out of prison. SBGVI is a partnership among 30 community leaders from lave enforcement, government, education, civil service, health-care and faith -based agencies. Based on a proven model developed by David M. Kennedy External Link, director of the National Network for Safe Communities External Link at John Jay College of Criminal.Justice, SBGVI advocates direct, sustained engagement with street groups that cause the majority of South Bend's gun violence. The strategy empowers community members to set clear moral standards against violence in their communities and reclaim a voice in the way they want to live. It coordinates the efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement to focus crime prevention efforts on the groups most associated with gun violence. SBGVI also draws on the expertise of social service providers to offer group members a path away from violence, Dire to Goodwill's mission and vision of giving back to the community and providing second chances, they were an ideal organization to house SBGVI and will be instrumental in leading the creation of the VCIOU. SBGVI has already had an impact on reducing rates of group member involved violence and the VCIOU will be an additional strategy to further decrease these rates and increase com mw ity cohesion. Conclusion The Group Violence Initiative (GVI) has been successful in many cities around the country, including in South Bend. SBGVI has made promising strides in reducing gun violence rates in South Bend and has established a strong partnership between the South Bend Police Depaitnnent and Goodwill's social services department. A missing component of the SBGVI in South Bend is a streetworker outreach component. While the police are taking steps to be more visible in the communities most affected by gun violence, there is a critical need for non -law enforcement members of the community to be present in these communities. The extant literature demonstrates the effectiveness of street outreach programs in reducing violence. While SBGVI has been a positive start to reducing gun violence rates in South Bend, more needs to be done. The next step in this effort in South Bend will be through the creation the Violent Crime Impact Outreach Unit (VCIOU). 9