At-Risk Youth: A Project for Africa

March 10-15, 2018

About Africa:

In March 2018, representatives from Middle East North Africa will come to Jacksonville to discuss how to help at-risk youths. Currently, North African countries are facing increasing rates of death from noncommunicable diseases (NDCs). Risk of developing NCDs increases substantially with the usage of tobacco, consumption of alcohol, unhealthy diet habits, and insufficient exercise, all of which are typically introduced at young ages and continued on into adulthood in North African countries [1]. The goal of this trip is to find ways to combat delinquency in at-risk youths and promote good behavior in order to lessen the risk of developing NDCs.

In Jacksonville, the representatives from Africa will meet with various organizations and people to learn how they can combat delinquency and encourage positive behavior in African adolescents. Leaders from Africa will meet with people working with the Jacksonville Police Athletic League to discuss how they create positive relationships between members of Jacksonville Law Enforcement and youth in order to encourage good behavior. They will also meet with members of PACE, a group dedicated to helping young girls that are identified as independent and troubled. Meeting with this organization will provide insight on how to reduce criminal activity and promote academic and employment success in young girls. Other organizations that these leaders will meet with include ICARE, OHN, The Parent Academy of Duval County Public Schools, Duval Juvenile Detention Center, the National Gang Center in Tallahassee, and Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program. These organizations will further their discussions on how to prevent misbehavior in adolescents.

Following their study tour in Jacksonville, the group will travel to San Diego, California and Detroit, Michigan, which will supplement the experiences and exposure gained on site visits and meetings in northeast Florida.

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1. http://www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2015/ncd-risk-youth-africa.aspx