EMBRACING THE CHALLENGE

OUR COMMITMENT| At the Boston Ten Point Coalition we are convinced that together we can end patterns of violence in Boston. To do this it is critically important for the health of Boston communities that faith-based institutions, leaders and representatives from all corners of our communities cooperate in city-wide crime reduction efforts and youth intervention. Read about our “Community Cluster Model” below to learn more about the innovative ways BTPC is partnering for a better future.

OUR CHALLENGE| Boston is a city of great promise and prosperity, but also a city challenged by poverty and inequity. Amongst the 50 states, Massachusetts has ranked high in household inequality, and Boston in particular ranked high in inequality among 50 of the largest cities in the United States. In areas where these inequities are concentrated youth are at higher risk of adopting non-productive or even destructive behavior patterns. As a grassroots group BTPC serves youth living in Boston areas that contain pockets of poverty, as a result an overwhelming majority of the populations we serve; a.) are living at or below 125% of the federal poverty level or; B.) are living in public housing developments. A small yet significant portion of the youth we serve are “couch surfing” in friends’ homes and are homeless.

While the youth and neighborhoods we serve have strong, loving and resilient families, data shows that persistent violence can destabilize the fragile fabric of struggling communities. This is what makes the unique work of the Boston Ten Point Coalition so important. We address often overlooked and socially complex youth dangers that are gateways to conflict, and inequity. Our collective solutions uplifts community at its foundation and harnesses the human resources needed to address the multitude of challenges that impact the lives of our youth and communities.

OUR IMPACT |

• Our focus is our communities “troubled youth,” youth that other agencies most frequently are unable to serve.

• We operate in collaboration with other community-based, governmental, and private sector institutions that are also committed to the revitalization of the families and communities in which our youth are raised.

• Our capacity to serve is multi-layered and as an organization that is rooted in faith, we help to promote the notion of faith leadership going beyond the congregation to serve the broader community.

BRIDGING FAITH

BTPC serves youth and families regardless of religion, but faith has played a central role in the founding of the organization and access to faith communities provides great benefits to the populations we serve. Faith communities breed a sense of hope and offer the nurturing yet structured principles and environment that many youth need. Our affiliations across faith are just one example of how the diversity of the partnerships within our coalition provide youth with avenues of support that our non-profit alone could not provide. We believe this kind of collective aspiration defines BTPC and is what makes the “Boston Miracle” continue to work. Below are some of the sectors that reinforce our work.

7 Schools/Colleges

5 Community Centers

8 Green Spaces

47 Faith Institutions

54 Organizations

OUR PROGRAMS

THE GANG MEDIATION INITIATIVE engages youth involved in a shooting, or other violence, to determine the root cause of the conflict. BTPC staff builds trusting relationships between the individuals/gang members, mediate discussions between warring parties, and negotiate long-term cease fires and now, we link youth to the services they need to rebuild their lives, re-kindle hope and leave their gang life in the past.
THE COMMUNITY CLUSTER approach to positive youth development: a) engages key stakeholders in resolving community problems, and b) provides access to services and the follow-up and coaching youth need to transition out of gang or high risk cultures an into more promising life-styles.
NEIGHBORHOOD MOBILIZATION: BTPC trains Coalition members and organizes faith-and community-based leaders to host community gatherings and to walk through “hot-spots” (areas of high rates of violence identified by the police) to develop relationships between residents, churches and nonprofits to diffuse tensions, enable residents to meet each other and to build trusting relationships with BTPC staff.
VOICES 4 PEACE is a joint project bringing both BTPC’s and BMA’s civic engagement efforts together, through community planning and an organizing effort conducted through BTPC’s monthly meetings, where information gathered from law enforcement agencies and social service organizations enables Coalition members to discuss trends and areas of concerns in the City of Boston. This process not only provides faith and community leaders with information, it also provides a “voice” for youth and community residents to participate in the process of planning peaceful solutions to youth violence in their neighborhoods.