Averett University joined with the City of Danville to host the Danville Regional Youth Violence Intervention Conference on Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.
The day-long event brought together a full-house of educators, law enforcement, mental health professionals, community leaders, local organizations and members of the youth community to discuss strategies, tactics and solutions for youth violence prevention.
A group of national and regional experts spoke on topics such as parenting and intervention strategies. Presentations addressed methods of reducing violence on the streets and other areas of the community.
“The Danville Regional Youth Violence Intervention Conference emphasized grassroots, community-driven efforts bringing together law enforcement, educational institutions, mental health agencies, and community organizations to confront youth and gang violence collaboratively,” said Dr. Tonitta McNeal, program director for the online business program and African and African American studies at Averett. “The partnership between Project Imagine, the City of Danville, and Averett University was essential to help build local capacity to address the complex nature of youth violence to include factors such as poverty, limited educational resources, and inadequate mental health access. We feel that the conference left an indelible mark on the city during our time of economic transformation. Participants returned to their respective agencies and localities with actionable insights promoting safety, reducing crime and improving overall quality of life for the youth and within our communities.”
Dr. McNeal introduced keynote speaker Devanshi Patel, co-founder and chief executive officer for the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy. Following opening remarks by Danville City Manager Ken Larking, Robert David, the youth and gang violence prevention manager with the City of Danville spoke about Project Imagine and its work in the community.
Also representing Averett on the day-long agenda was Dr. J. Slade Lellock, assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice, who moderated the panel “From Risk to Resilience: Tackling Youth & Gang Violence Together.”
“Helping bring Robert David’s vision to life at this conference was truly an honor,” Dr. Lellock said. “From early discussions to the planning phase, securing external grant funding, and ultimately to the big day, our team’s hard work paid off in a big way.”
“Our community is incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated and passionate people looking out for our youth. Facilitating the panel ‘From Risk to Resilience: Tackling Youth & Gang Violence Together’ was just one part of a much larger effort to create a space for action and collaborations. I’m especially proud of our Averett sociology/criminal justice students who showed up with professionalism, passion and some seriously impressive research posters. Watching them engage with community leaders, law enforcement and advocates in such a meaningful way was a powerful reminder of why this work matters.”
The jam-packed agenda featured panel discussions, break-out sessions, networking sessions and the keynote address. Averett’s admissions office and a group of the university’s students staffed information tables in the exhibit area of the facility.