Young Black men are the group most impacted by gun violence, and ManUpPHL focused on that demographic, serving men between the ages of 18 and 35. We offered mentoring and employment opportunities, but as the COVID pandemic set in, we moved our mentoring services online, while continuing to work on the street. We worked with Health Partners to deliver personal protective equipment, partnered with Shoprite to deliver gift cards, and worked with the SHARE Food program to distribute food packages.
In April 2021, when we resumed in-person mentoring, ManUpPHL launched Listening to the Streets, an initiative that pays participants $15 an hour to attend 8 mentoring sessions. Participants receive lessons on character, conflict resolution, job readiness and more. They participate in a group therapy session with a professional therapist. Most importantly, they share their experience and ideas around the causes, effects and solutions for gun violence. Our team connects participants to resources and employment opportunities, and our mentors work with them on an ongoing basis to help them change their lives.
ManUpPHL’s gun violence study, which was co-authored by ManUpPHL Board Chairman Brian Ellis, is based on the input we gleaned from our first three Listening to the Streets groups. Thanks to strategic partnerships with numerous organizations, ManUpPHL’s Listening to the Streets initiative continues to grow.