Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • California's overhaul of prison education programs a blueprint for others

    In the six years after California prisons became the first in the nation to offer college classes in nearly every prison, thousands of incarcerated people have enrolled in classes and have outperformed free-world students in grades and passing rates. While such programs have been shown to reduce crimes committed by those released from prison, the ultimate goal of California’s program is to see the benefits ripple through communities that the formerly incarcerated go home to.

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  • ‘I'm not the only one who has a mom in jail': Camp reunites locked-up mothers with their kids

    Wisconsin’s Camp Reunite is bringing together women experiencing incarceration with their children. The camp was hosted at Taycheedah, a correctional facility in Fond du Lac, WI, and while the kids were there had less security and more carnival games. Parental incarceration has a strong effect on children and on the parent/child bond, something Camp Reunite hopes to help repair.

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  • What Gun Violence Prevention Looks Like When It Focuses on the Communities Hurt the Most

    Across the United States, gun violence prevention initiatives are finally turning their attention to the urban communities hit hardest and supporting community-driven approaches. In the past, financial support has gone to linear, legislative approaches to gun control that often favor white communities, but the tides are turning. Funding has shifted to focus on initiatives that provide trauma recovery centers, hospital-based centers, and programs that provide communities hit the hardest with mentorship, job training, and therapy – all initiatives that have proven to help break the cycle of gun violence.

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  • Social Media for...Good?

    After providing emotional support to peers who were struggling with suicidal thoughts, a college student in Philadelphia created a Twitter group "to prevent suicide and raise awareness for mental health." Although not a replacement for professional help, the Buddy Project has provided support for 230,000 people worldwide and raised $36,000 for mental health and recovery centers.

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  • Dayton schools call family engagement weak point, push new strategies

    Dayton Public Schools came to terms with the fact that they needed to improve family engagement and went about addressing it. This article was written 18 months after they first started and reports on its successes and failures. Solutions include hiring new administrative staff, creating community-friendly events, and “parent engagers” who cold-call residents to talk about the district. Admist all of the changes, the schools still feel like they have a lot more work to do.

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  • The hip hop school taking on Medellin's mean streets

    Learning the art of hip-hop provides youth with an alternative to the violence and despair that characterize disadvantaged neighborhoods. In Medellin, Colombia, a program called 4 Elementos teaches kids dance, Dj’ing, rap, and graffiti in a structured way, providing a creative outlet. Hosted in the high school of one the cities most troubled neighborhoods, the program began as an initiative of the Colombian hip-hop group, Crew Peligrosos. Having already reached thousands of kids, the program is looking to expand across Colombia with support from the ABC Foundation.

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  • Nevada teens find community as they navigate homelessness and adulthood together

    Clark County, Nevada has one of the largest populations of unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness - fifth in the nation after San Jose, New York, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Shelters like the Shannon West Homeless Youth center in Las Vegas do more just provide shelter and essential services, they also provide necessary space for youth to connect and support each other.

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  • How grassroots partnerships are working toward long-term food security

    Overcoming the causes of social isolation plays a crucial role in combating food insecurity. From faith-based community meals paired with job programs in Branson, to food recycling initiatives that tap into local markets in Kansas, multiple organizations across Missouri and the United States are developing solutions oriented toward local needs. In some cases, such as the work of Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard in Bloomington, IN, building community leads to political advocacy and civic engagement.

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  • Preaching Faith in Democracy

    Shared expressions of community and fellowship are fostering a non-partisan approach to civic engagement. The nonprofit Citizen University, based in Seattle, Washington, provides small grants to trained community leaders who host Civic Saturdays. The meetings take place across the country in libraries, town centers, and at small businesses. Groups gather to share song, poetry, and to discuss political concepts as ideas on a spectrum, rather than in opposition to one another.

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  • The schoolchildren confronting speeding motorists

    In London, a new initiative called Junior Roadwatch is engaging children as traffic safety enforcers. Around one particularly busy and dangerous section of road, drivers who are caught speeding have two options: get a ticket or be questioned by a group of school-aged children. While newly developed, the initiative, devised by The Met Police and Transport for London, has stopped over 90 individuals for speeding, all of whom chose to answer questions from children about the consequences of their actions.

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