ABOUT THE VILLAGE INITIATIVE
In Pulaski County Arkansas as well as many other locales across the U.S., African-American, Hispanic and other minority youth come into contact with the juvenile justice system at rates disproportionately higher than they represent in the population. This disproportionate minority contact (DMC) with the system has far-reaching consequences, not just for our youth but for society as a whole.
The VILLAGE Initiative has created a unique combination of governmental agencies, educational institutions, faith-based providers, civic organizations and caring individuals who have come together to address and prevent the involvement and over-representation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
• Pulaski County Youth Services (Lead agency of the VILLAGE Initiative)
• 100 Black Men of Greater Little Rock
• Little Rock School District
• Little Rock Workforce Investment
• Philander Smith College
• Pulaski County Juvenile Detention Center
• Pulaski County Sheriff's Department
• VIP Sports Mentoring Program
• The Young Group, Inc.
• Young Black Professionals of Arkansas
• Caring adults serving as youth mentors and volunteer workers
MENTORING SITES
• Antioch Full Gospel Baptist Church
• Gaines Street Baptist Church
• Metropolitan Career-Technical Center
• Performing Arts Institute at 34th Street Baptist Church
"It takes a village to raise a child." — African proverb