by KYW's Sonia Rincon
One effective way to curb violence in the city is to give young people an alternative to the streets. Here's an organization that gives young men and boys a place to go, things to do, and people to talk to.
The name says it all: "Concerned Black Men of Philadelphia." President Scott Bass says the community organization was founded 21 years ago by five Philadelphia police officers:
"The mission hasn't changed. They were concerned about gang violence back in 1975. Same thing today. We're dealing with youth violence and trying to find ways to deal with a generation that in some ways is lost."
In one way, literally lost.
"You can talk to kids every day, but the kids always tell us the same thing: 'Where do you want us to go?' We say, 'Don't stand on the street corner.' You know what they say? 'Where should we go?' "
That's where CBM's programs come in. They have tutors and access to an SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) prep course in their computer center, where neighborhood kids can come and do homework. There's also group mentoring.
"We talk about anything from finances to articles about gun violence. We take them on field trips. It's amazing how many kids have never been out of the City of Philadelphia."
The hope is to turn peer pressure into something positive.
"They have to go out there and tell people, 'You shouldn't do that.' Because we as adults and mentors, we can say that over and over again. But if they start seeing other kids around them start changing and doing things differently, it'll impact them."
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