Charlotte, N.C. – Mecklenburg County Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. hosted an Open House on Oct. 26 to welcome program participants, their families, and members of the Beatties Ford Road neighborhood.
The event allowed the community to meet members of Charlotte’s YAP staff including those from the national nonprofit’s Mecklenburg County Youth Justice program and the organization’s Violence Intervention (Alternatives to Violence or ATV) program team.
The YAP Youth Justice Program partners with the court system, where through referrals, program participants get a neighborhood-based Advocate who champions for them and their families, guiding them to achieve positive outcomes. The program is led by Director Malik Glover and Assistant Director India Harrison.
The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, in collaboration with Cure Violence Global (CVG) and YAP launched ATV a year ago in response to reducing violence in the Beatties Ford Road corridor. ATV Site Supervisor Earl Owens and that program’s team members, all of whom are deeply rooted as volunteers and activists on the Beatties Ford Road corridor, were also in attendance.
The Charlotte team is available for support and can help connect youth, families and residents to economic, educational, and emotional tools to achieve positive goals. The afternoon included light refreshments, neighborly support, and an opportunity to view YAP’s new office location on Beatties Ford Road.
YAP is a national nonprofit in 33 states and the District of Columbia that provides community-based services as a more effective and racially equitable alternative to youth incarceration and congregate residential care. YAP combines its wraparound services model with other evidence-based approaches to also provide alternatives to neighborhood violence.
To learn more about YAP visit yapinc.org and follow the nonprofit on Twitter @YAPInc.
