As we are in the height of summer, we at Brightpoint are acutely aware of the perennial challenge of youth violence in Chicago. Choose to Change® is a partnership program between Brightpoint and Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP) that focuses on developing healthy decision-making tools by connecting affected youth with wraparound support as well as trauma-informed therapy. Our focus is on enhancing access to services that promote conscious decision-making and improve mental health. This is a critical strategy to mitigate youth violence. By implementing trauma-informed counseling, we help young people cope with adverse experiences and reduce their involvement in violent activities. This comprehensive approach recognizes that addressing the psychological well-being of youth at risk of being victims or perpetrators of violence, and both, is essential for fostering safer communities.
We see a troubling rise in youth violence during the warmer months, often linked to the increased time young people spend outside, which unfortunately leads to more conflicts. Recognizing this issue, Mayor Brandon Johnson has launched a "Summer of Peace" initiative to draw attention to efforts aimed at curbing violence and crime during these months.
Back in 2015, Brightpoint and YAP joined forces to create Choose to Change®, a program designed to reduce violence and involvement with the justice system while boosting school participation. Over the years, the Choose to Change® initiative has achieved remarkable success, with a 48% reduction in violent-crime arrests during the program and a significant increase in school attendance. Even a year and a half after leaving Choose to Change®, participants experienced 38% fewer violent crime arrests compared with their peers.
As students transition from the Choose to Change® program during the school year, they have a unique opportunity to participate in One Summer Chicago. A City of Chicago initiative that leverages their newfound skills and offers valuable employment opportunities, One Summer Chicago allows teens and young adults to gain practical work experience and develop professional skills while continuing to build trust with mentors. Youth participating in One Summer Chicago are giving back to their community while staying safe and engaged during the warmer months. Our goal is to ensure youth receive personalized strategies to develop emotional maturity and a strong work ethic not just during the summer, but throughout the entire year.
The One Summer Chicago program offers a comprehensive array of opportunities, including community service, project-based learning, and leadership development. These services, combined with the potential for personal growth, create a powerful approach to sparking change and reducing violence this summer. We believe that raising trauma awareness among participants and establishing a strong support system are key factors in addressing youth violence. This awareness and support have been shown to significantly reduce acts of violence.
It is time to break the cycle of violence that has long plagued our communities. Gun violence disproportionately affects people of color, and we must dismantle the systems that have allowed this violence to persist. In Chicago, 15 underserved communities account for 63% of homicides, even though they represent just 24% of the city’s population. To disrupt these cycles, it is imperative to partner with our communities to create solutions that effectively respond to trauma.
By focusing our efforts on providing trauma-informed wraparound services to youth in these communities, we can create a safer and more hopeful future for the youth of Chicago. We envision a city where children can grow up without the constant threat of violence, where families can feel safe and know that peace is possible. This vision is within our reach if we commit to addressing the root causes of violence and investing in the well-being of our communities with the greatest need this summer.
Díana Buitron, LCSW, Choose to Change® Program Manager
