2023 Shannon Grant Community Safety Summit
Written by Rosemary Volinski, Program Specialist
January 29, 2023 - Last month, more than 90 public safety personnel, community partners, and Shannon program youth participants from across the Commonwealth gathered at Boston University for the 2023 Shannon Grant Community Safety Summit. Throughout the day, participants learned about the latest trends in gang and youth violence, innovative prevention strategies, and initiatives that various partners are currently implementing.
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council and Boston University planned the statewide event on behalf of the Metro Mayors Coalition (MMC) Shannon Community Safety Initiative. The MMC is one of several sites across the Commonwealth that receives Shannon Grant funds to support its Community Safety Initiative (CSI). The CSI brings together regional law enforcement and prevention partners to combat youth violence and gang involvement through law enforcement, job training, and after-school programs, which help young people find their path to success. The MMC, partners from across eight communities, coordinate their activities and bridge communication gaps between law enforcement and violence prevention leaders, enabling them to properly identify, prevent, and address gang activity. The MMC also partners with Boston University as their Local Action Research Partner, with each site across the state engaging in similar partnerships to track program impacts and ensure the program continues to deliver the results our young people deserve.
Funding for the FY2023 Charles E. Shannon, Jr. Community Safety Initiative grant is issued through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research and supports positive youth development, recreation, case management, street outreach, education, employment, targeted suppression, and community mobilization programs.
The first session, “Innovations in Police Responses to Community Violence,” brought together law enforcement and community partner leaders to discuss innovative approaches being implemented in local departments across the state. The session panelists included Deputy Chief Mark O’Toole of the Lynn Police Department, Community Engagement Specialist Daniel Cortez of the Chelsea Police Department, and Chief Paul Oliveira of the New Bedford Police Department.
The second session, “Spreading HOPE, Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences,” was led by the Director of HOPE National Resource Center Dr. Robert Sege. Dr. Sege discussed how Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE) identifies ways that communities and systems of care can better ensure that all children have more positive experiences and that all families have support to nurture and celebrate their strengths.
After lunch, the summit concluded with a moderated discussion panel on best practices and lessons learned to build and sustain holistic community partnerships. Panelists included McKayla Macmillan, program participant from Teen Empowerment, Michael Grant and Derien Wilson-Grant of Give Music, Inc., and Officer Jamila Gales, G.R.O.W. Program of the Boston Police Department. The panelists discussed their perspectives and approaches to building and sustaining positive relationships with youth and shared examples from various programs their organizations offer to reach that goal.