Developing a comprehensive approach to youth violence prevention in a small city

A Center for Academic Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention was established in 1999 at Virginia Commonwealth University, in the small city of Richmond, Virginia. The social context of Richmond provides many challenges and assets for preventing youth violence, including high levels of youth exposure to violence and exemplary role models for resiliency. In this paper, the conceptual framework used to guide Center activities is explained first, followed by an accounting of the initial activities for developing a community mobilization process. Next, examples are presented of how the core theme of "Strengthening the Voices of Stakeholders" was implemented at the levels of grassroots/taxpayer, organizations, and systems/policy. A university policy strategy for involving more sectors of the University in community partnerships to prevent youth violence and promote positive early childhood development is then described. The paper closes with an assessment of the mobilization efforts to date and a sketch of new plans for the future.