Youth Advocate Programs’, Inc., (YAP™) Alternatives to Violence (ATV) West Boulevard and Beatties Ford Road teams spread holiday cheer during their Christmas Tree Lighting event on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 12. Both YAP ATV teams decorated a Christmas tree, played Christmas music, and connected with the neighborhoods they serve and strive to help protect.
YAP became the city’s first ATV partner with the Beatties Ford Road site in 2021 as part of a partnership with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, using Cure Violence Global methods. YAP was chosen as part of ATV’s expansion in 2023 to manage one of two additional sites at West Boulevard/Remount Road. YAP is a national nonprofit in 34 states and Washington, D.C., that provides community-based alternatives to youth incarceration, residential care, and neighborhood violence.
YAP ATV members are frontline violence interrupters and outreach workers in the Beatties Ford Road corridor and West Boulevard/Remount Road areas who provide intensive services for young people ages 14 to 25 who they’ve encountered through canvassing or have been identified by schools, community groups, the youth justice system and other referring partners as being at the highest risk of being engaged in violence.
From July 2023 through June 2024 the YAP ATV – West Boulevard team provided 23 program participants with wraparound support services which includes connecting them to employment, economic or educational resources; in addition to healthcare, legal, mental health or social services, had 62 violence interruptions, engaged with 1,255 key individuals, hosted 11 community events and 6 community meetings. The YAP ATV – Beatties Ford Road team provided 25 program participants with wraparound support services, had 20 violence interruptions, engaged with 1,462 key individuals, hosted 10 community events and 26 community meetings.
For more information on YAP visit yapinc.org.