Outreach and Youth Workers, Adolescent Violence Reduction Partnership

Posted by on November 11, 2005

City Seeks Street Outreach and Youth Worker Services in 12th and 25th Police Districts

Mayor Street has announced a the major new initiative: the Adolescent Violence Reduction Partnership (AVRP). AVRP represents a major expansion of the City’s efforts to reach out directly to the highest-risk youth, especially in the 10-15 age range. In the first phase of its operation, AVRP will target youth residing in the 12th Police District in Southwest Philadelphia and the 25th Police District in North Philadelphia and Kensington, which have among the highest incidence of serious juvenile crime in the city. It is expected that AVRP will expand to other areas of the city in fiscal year 2006-2007.

AVRP has been designed on the basis of best-practice research identifying models and approaches that have proven results in protecting youth aged 10-15 from becoming perpetrators or victims of violence.

In the initial stage of this process, the City is seeking to support agencies that can provide street outreach to high-risk youth in these two police districts. The City is also seeking to support Youth Workers, who will be assigned to mentor, support and otherwise supervise youth participating in intensive AVRP services in the times when the youth is not participating in the formal program.

From January 1-June 30, 2006, the City will initiate the Community Engagement and Support Services function of AVRP. This function is critical to our effort, because AVRP is not only about protecting the individual children served by the more intensive programs, but is also about helping neighborhoods and communities be safer for children and families to live in.

The Request for Qualifications for AVRP Community Engagament and Youth Worker services is available at the City of Philadelphia website at http://www.phila.gov. Follow the link in the "Features" section. Only organizations currently providing youth services in those two police districts should apply.

If you have questions, please email (no phone calls please) Marjorie Anderson at Marjorie.L.Anderson@phila.gov.