[ad_1]
Aurora city leaders said young people, barely even teenagers, are increasingly getting involved in violence – they hope a new youth center can offer alternate paths.
AURORA, Colo. — The City of Aurora is asking for ideas from the community, as city leaders build out a new program working to prevent youth violence.
City council approved the Aurora Youth Violence Prevention Program in 2022, to address rising issues of crime among teenagers and young people. Soon, the city plans to create a first-of-its-kind in Aurora – a youth center, with a focus on at-risk kids.
“One thing we’ve seen in trends of youth violence has gotten younger, 13-14 years old now engaged in auto theft, robberies things of that nature,” said Ruben Medina, Ward 3 city council member and an advocate for the project.
Now, city leaders have launched a survey that asks community members to share their ideas about what they want included in that center.
“We don’t have a building right now, we’re looking at opportunities where we can do that and rent the space currently, and initiate some programs in there right now,” Medina said. “Any feedback they might have, some ideas on programming, some opportunities for youth to be engaged. It’s pretty open – there’s nothing specific we’re looking at.”
Medina said the council wants to hear from the community and kids too.
“If we have this empowerment center, as we’re calling it, what kind of activities would attract young people? What kind of things would they like to see? Would they be supervised activities? Would they be open activities? Things of that nature.”
He already has some suggestions: a podcast studio, poetry, arts programming and sports – just to name a few. But the city wants to hear from the public – and not just parents. They invite young people to submit their ideas, too.
The survey is available on the city’s website and at libraries, in multiple languages. It will be open until Friday, March 29.
Medina said the city is already working with Aurora Public Schools, hoping to introduce some of the violence prevention programming into school buildings first, and later transition into the youth center.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Education stories from 9NEWS
[ad_2]
Source link
