Brightpoint is excited to share results of a recent study on the Choose to Change® (C2C®) program, a collaboration between Brightpoint and Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP). Choose to Change® is a school- and community-based program combining wraparound mentoring and trauma-informed group mental health services for students in communities disproportionately affected by gun violence. The study, conducted by the University of Chicago Crime Lab, was done through a randomized controlled trial. Results show that C2C® participants are 39% less likely to be arrested for a violent crime within two years. The program’s impact lasts well beyond that—up to three years later, youth saw a 23% reduction in overall arrests and a 28% reduction in violent crime arrests.
The C2C® program was created to address gun violence and support youth who are disconnected from school, a group that is often out of reach for traditional social services. At Brightpoint, we provide trauma-informed wraparound services to youth in these communities to help youth process traumatic experiences, develop healthy decision-making and coping skills, and reclaim a sense of control and hope for the future. Through mentorship from community advocates, youth also receive services, such as food security and housing support, which help reinforce the life skills they are learning. The study was conducted to show how programs like C2C® can provide evidence-based solutions to reduce violence and create safer communities.
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