City programs to help keep kids safe this summer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The school year is coming to a close, and crime typically heats up during warmer months.
As recent gun violence strikes at places where kids want and deserve to feel safe, Memphis Mayor Paul Young and his administration are ramping up their work to cool off crime.
Last year, more children faced a juvenile charge than the year before. While there weren’t as many who faced a serious charge, there were still more than 300 nabbed for an aggravated assault, aggravated robbery or carjacking.
One teen was shot and killed behind a community center last month. Days later, a block party, held without a permit, at Orange Mound Park turned into a mass shooting. It left two dead, including a teenager.
Many are concerned about what to expect this summer as conversation has heated up, once again, among politicians.
“Where are these guns coming from? How are they getting so much access to these guns?” Memphis Councilwoman Yolanda Cooper-Sutton demanded at a recent council meeting.
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WREG Investigators have been digging deeper into problems that lead children down the wrong path, and what action is being taken.
The mayor’s administration tells us it is working on possible solutions.
“Absolutely. I think it’s a combination of a lot of things,” said Brian Harris, who is in charge of the Office of Memphis Youth Services.
“One of the things I did was do my own focus groups at community centers. I would go, for example, to Glenview and pull the young people to the side and say, ‘Hey, what do you want to see differently?'” he said.
He said for the past several months, he listened, refocused and revamped. His main goal, especially as school gets out, is to offer and keep kids engaged in positive programming.
“Yes, you will see some of these new initiatives live in the communities this summer for our children,” Harris said.
That includes 2,200 slots at the community center summer camps, plus free programming at parks where kids don’t have to register. They can just show up and sign in.
There are Friday events all set for families to enjoy food, music and games, and Memphis Parks Department is working to open every pool and splash pad.
They’re working on new gaming rooms at three community centers and talked to more nonprofits about new plans to reach the youth.
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The Office of Youth Services has also been working with MPD and Memphis Parks on ways to collaborate and provide more programs.
Harris said he’s put extra attention on the MPLOY Program where teens are paid while being exposed to a possible career path. He said more business partners signed up this year, and for the first time, he’s allowed the kids to pre-select their career field.
“If you have a passion for medicine, you may be paired with a hospital or a doctor’s office where you can intern and see what they do on a day to day to help you align what you want to be,” he explained.
Growing evidence shows summer youth employment programs have worked to reduce violence especially when they target at risk-youth, youth with histories of violence or to low-income students of color. It gives them new experiences, job skills and provides an income.
Harris said the programming will continue to expand throughout the year. His hopes to expose more kids to museums, parks and places that are outside their neighborhood while also focusing on community service and entrepreneurship.
He said he had 22 years of corporate experience in director-type roles. They helped pave his path — a path that suddenly pivoted a few years ago when he became a teacher at Westwood High, near where he grew up.
“It was one of the best decisions of my life, because it exposed me to truly what our young people deal with,” he said.
He wants to show children the path they’re on now can change, something he believes they’ll realize as they are introduced to more opportunity.
“The more we expose, the more we align and invest and don’t look at young people as a problem. Look at them as an opportunity,” he said.
To find out more about summer programming:
There are 2,200 slots at the Community Center Summer Camps. All slots are full, but the city is asking that people join the waitlist in case spots open up. For more information, click here.
Play Your Park Summer Program will provide meals along with a variety of games and activities for kids to enjoy throughout different parks in Memphis. You don’t have to register. You can’t show up and sign in. Details below:
Family Fun Fridays are all set at different parks every Friday. There will be basketball tournaments, open swim, games, bounce houses, DJ’s and entertainment, crafts and food.
There are other opportunities for youth including golf camp, yoga, soccer training, skateboard competitions, basketball and more. For a full list of programming: click here.
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