PITTSBURGH — A new organization in Pittsburgh is offering youth mentorship opportunities aimed at reducing gun violence in the community.
Channel 11 was at the Kingsley Center on Friday for the launch of the Guns Down Minds Up program. It’s a violence prevention initiative for those 14-25, intended to equip people with tools to make better decisions before violence becomes the outcome.
Through the initiative, teens and young adults will develop skills such as emotional regulation, conflict resolution, leadership, and more.
Mentors say they hope the kids can learn from their own life experiences.
“I just want to make sure the youngins know that you can always do something different,” mentor Demetrious Fleming said. “You don’t always have to do the things that landed you here; you don’t always have to go through the same things we went through; you have the opportunity right now to do something different with your life, it ain’t got to be death, it ain’t got to be prison.”
Organizers hope more young people will take advantage of the program in the future.
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