ISSUE: Urban African American and Latino youth exposed to community violence can thwart successful youth development including impaired judgment, poor problem-solving skills, and disruptive behavior.
PRACTICES: Let’s Talk It Out, a conflict resolution curriculum was implemented in 12 community centers in 2017 in targeted zip codes 33168, 33142, 33147 and 33150 that the FBI cited as having the highest murder and assault rates in Miami, Florida. 245 direct contacts were made with youth ages 11-19.
Approximately 525 contact hours were recorded by teachers and volunteers working with Let’s Talk It Out.
IMPACT: 245 youth completed pre/post surveys to document outcomes.
• 196 of 245 (80%) of youth surveyed reported an increase in emotional regulation skills.
• 189 of 245 (77%) of youth reported an increase in conflict resolution skills.
• 208 of 245 (85%) of youth reported an increase in empathy skills.