Mayor Jorge O. Elorza announced today that the Nonviolence Institute has been selected to "manage a citywide nonviolence training initiative for Providence residents, intended to enhance participants’ conflict resolution skills and proactively identify interpersonal conflicts between individuals and groups at risk of escalating to violence." This partnership allows NVI to expand on two successful training initiatives:
SEED (Skills Enrichment Education and Development) is a monthly program for youth ages 15-24 who are referred by the NVI Outreach Team and Providence schools, group homes, and community agencies. ​
This nonviolence-focused job training program is designed for in-risk youths who learn crucial skills in a safe and inclusive space, including:
How to solve conflicts without using violence
How to think critically about nonviolence in today’s world
How to encourage others to practice and study nonviolence
Understanding mental health and wellness and its relation to nonviolence
The intersections of nonviolence and social justice
Beloved Community Workshops will be held each month throughout 2022 and into 2023 at different Providence Community Libraries. These adult group trainings will provide an introduction to the principles of nonviolence, not just in a physical sense, but also in the way we talk and interact with family, friends, and strangers, as well as how we talk to ourselves. Participants will learn and practice nonviolence skills such as:
Mindfulless
Mental health awareness
Personal development
Discussion of race, class equity and justice
Stipends for both trainings are available to Providence residents to cover participation or barriers to access, such as covering childcare for an individual to attend.
Please call Juan Carter at (401) 785-2320, ext. 111 or email juan@nonviolenceinstitute.org with questions, to refer a participant, or to sign up for a Workshop.
The second component in the City's anti-violence strategy is the selection of Mentor Rhode Island to lead youth mentorship program. They will center their efforts on "organizations that focus on transitional years, including the transition from elementary and middle school to higher grades, older teenagers and young adults, and on areas of the city where programs do not currently exist."
The application deadline is February 14, 2022 at 5pm. To apply or learn more about Mentor Rhode Island’s request for proposals, visit mentorri.org/relationships-at-the-center.
The third component is the expansion of Providence's youth jobs program. The City has partnered with eight organizations to offer over 450 year-round youth job placements, all paying $15 per hour. Young people ages 14-24 who are Providence residents can learn more here: providenceri.gov/economical/youthjobs. Partner organizations include:
Reentry Campus Program
Federal Hill House WEX
Federal Hill House SL
Refugee Dream Center
Inspiring Minds
Comprehensive Community Action Program
Boys and Girls Club of Providence
Providence Housing Authority
Community Action Partnership of Providence County
We are proud and excited to have been selected by the City to join in this important effort to address the root causes of violence and create a safer and more just community where members can learn, work, and succeed.