Local news- Press Release
Danville Virginia - Second class completes credible messenger training 29 December 2023 ( news )
Danville , state Virginia ( By Press Release office)
Dec 29,2023
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The second class of the City of Danville’s credible messenger program has completed the first phase of training , which included learning various tools and strategies to guide at - risk youths toward productive lives .
Credible messengers are individuals with relevant life experiences whose role is to help youth transform attitudes and behaviors around violence .
“What we are doing with this program is reaching out to individuals who thought they could not be a part of the work that is being done ( to mentor at - risk youths ) , ” Robert David , violence prevention manager for the City of Danville , said . “Through this program you can become part of improving your own community and improving the city . ”
Shalontay Adams and Cindi Poteat completed the first phase of training earlier this month .
Adams is a student at Danville Community College , where she is studying criminal justice . She plans to complete her degree and use the credible messenger training to become a legal social worker . She has sons that have participated in Project Imagine .
“I like what Project Imagine brings to the community , so I wanted to be a part of it , ” Adams said . “I want to help our youth develop a positive perception of what they can bring to the community . ”
Poteat has served as a youth advocate and liaison for 25 years . She currently works as a care coordinator for the REACH program , which addresses health disparities by connecting citizens with resources and services .
“I am so excited about this program , ” Poteat said . “The struggles for many youths , and their parents as well , are real . This mentoring program can meet them where they are . That is why I am so excited . ”
The credible messenger training is an initiative of the City of Danville’s Project Imagine community violence collaborative . Training is held quarterly . The first class graduated earlier this year and consisted of three Returning Citizens ( previously incarcerated ) .
David said a trained credible messenger can be employed by governmental , educational , and non - profit agencies to serve as mentors to youths , outreach workers , and violence interrupters . A violence interrupter is an individual that engages with citizens in the community to stop retaliation following a shooting .
The first phase consists of 12 hours of training in the following areas:
Asset development for youths , which involves conducting strength - based assessments using the Clifton Strengths tools to guide youths toward productive lives . River District Consulting will provide this training .
Childhood adversity and how experiences affect a youth’s development and their response to stress . Danville Pittsylvania Community Services will provide this training using the Adverse Childhood Experiences ( ACEs ) course .
Resilience training , which teaches youths how to move from failure to success . David will provide this training using a curriculum that he has developed .
Effecting change as a credible messenger . Curtis Artis , violence prevention assistant manager for Project Imagine , will provide this training .
Certification in “Stop the Bleed” first aid . The Danville Area Training Center will provide this training .
Adams and Poteat said they plan to participate in the second phase of training , which consists of shadowing Project Imagine outreach workers for a minimum of 20 hours .
“With these 20 hours , they can go to a mentor agency or school system and show that they have training , ” David said . “We have a lot of mentor agencies that deal with high - risk youth . So , there are a lot of opportunities . ”
This workforce development initiative for returning citizens is an expansion of Project Imagine , which has received national recognition . In November , David received the 2023 Youth Workforce Professional of the Year Award from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals .
In January of this year , David was named among the “Top 100 Influencers in Local Government" in 2022 by the nonprofit Engaging Local Government Leaders .
In 2020 , David was named a winner of the Frederic Milton Thrasher Award by the National Gang Crime Research Center . The award recognizes his accomplishments in gang prevention and intervention .
The collaborative received the President’s Award from the Virginia Municipal League in October 2019 .
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