New Bedford, Massachusetts - The New Bedford H.O.P.E. Collaborative announced today it will be the local host for the upcoming Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative Spring 2008 Technical Assistance Meeting, sponsored by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Northeastern University.  This meeting will consist of a series of workshops where Shannon Grant partners from across the state will discuss their best practices and most effective strategies with regard to youth violence and gang prevention.

“New Bedford has in place a very effective model to address youth violence and gang prevention through a multi-disciplinary approach that includes, prevention, intervention, suppression, and re-entry.  The H.O.P.E. Collaborative is very much looking forward to this meeting as it will be an opportunity to share and learn best practices with the other agencies from across the state who are working toward the same goals,” said Deirdre Lopes, Executive Director of the H.O.P.E. Collaborative.    

The overall focus of the meeting is on youth and the various workshops will address key components of the Shannon Community Safety Initiative including:

• Youth-Community dialogue session
• Strategies for sustaining collaboration and enhancing youth development
• Street outreach models
• Prevention services and coordinated case management
• Youth re-entry programs

The meeting will be held on Friday, March 28, 2008 from 9:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.  Shannon Grant partners and interested community service organizations must register for this workshop online at www.makepeacenb.org through the “CSI Technical Assistance” link. 

About the H.O.P.E. Collaborative:  Healthy Opportunity for Peaceful Engagement, is a network of community, faith and service agencies dedicated to combating gang/youth violence by building and sustaining safe, productive and peaceful communities through the development and implementation of strategies, programs and public policies.

Elizabeth Treadup (Mayor's Office)

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