2004 Community Partnership Awards

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CIS Gang Intervention Project

Awardee: Communities In Schools of Greater
Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley
Partner: Mary G. Keipp, Office of Instructional Development

Abstract:

Communities In Schools' work began in 1990, when CIS Executive Director Blinky Rodriguez's 16-year-old son was killed in a drive-by shooting. This tragedy inspired Blinky to dedicate his life to ending gang violence. Through a series of meetings, he negotiated The Valley Unity Peace Treaty, which was signed by over 75 gangs with over 1,000 members. The treaty successfully reduced gang-related deaths in one year, from 52 to 2. The peace treaty project became CIS San Fernando Valley, a non-profit organization in 1994. The goals of the UCLA/CIS Community Partnership are:

  1. Recruit 20 UCLA students as mentors for high-risk and gang-related youth served by CIS through existing contracts with the State, County and City.
  2. Provide specialized training on working with gang youth for the UCLA students either through our current certification program with CSUN or replicate that certification through UCLA.
  3. Pay UCLA students from the funding at $9.00 per training and mentoring hours.
  4. Have UCLA CBL assistance in enhancing CIS expertise in WIA service delivery.

The deliverable/product would be an evaluation report measuring the effectiveness of the overall program including success stories of both UCLA mentors and the youth served and improved job placements.

Press Reports

Jewish Aid Sought on Gang Problem (Jewish Journal, September 17, 2004)