The one step further, INC. Gate city coalition program (GCC) provides a lasting, permanent, and noticeable change to the city of greensboro and guilford county, north carolinas need for violence…

The one step further, INC. Gate city coalition program (GCC) provides a lasting, permanent, and noticeable change to the city of greensboro and guilford county, north carolinas need for violence prevention and intervention. Utilizing a cure violence-similar health model approach, GCC addresses violent acts on the premise that violence is a learned behavior that can be prevented using disease control methods. In order to achieve its short and long term goals, GCC implements a three-prong approach to violence prevention by detecting and interrupting transmission of violent acts; providing ongoing behavior change and support to those at highest risk; and mobilizing the community to change norms that allow, encourage, and exacerbate violence in chronically violent neighborhoods to healthy norms that reject the use of violence. GCC improves the livability and strength of high-risk targeted guilford county neighborhoods, increases public safety through violence prevention activities, and encourages community cohesiveness through youth mentoring efforts and community sustainability activities. The program provides the following services: community mobilization, outreach, violence interruption activities, public education, gang reduction activities, mediation/arbitration, rapid on-site response to reports of gun violence or homicides, community engagement activities which promote nonviolence, and support services such as employment, housing, and education assistance. GCC targets individuals ages 14-25 at high risk of involvement in shootings and homicides. In order to be served by the program, prospective clients must meet a minimum of four (4) of the following: a. Member of a gang known to be actively involved in violence; b. History of criminal activity including crimes against persons; c. Leader of a gang actively involved in violence; d. Pending or prior arrest(s) for weapons offenses; e. Victim of a recent shooting; or f. Recently released from prison. The gate city coalition program presently operates in two high-risk greater greensboro target areas (the smith homes public housing community/martin luther king, JR. Street corridor and the merritt drive/overland heights drive and hickory trails public housing community). GCC will expand service delivery to a third target area in january 2024.