Elements Youth Violence Prevention Program was established in 2006 and is staffed by a civilian team within the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. The program serves youth ages 8-18 and their families in New Hanover County. Elements is a free, referral-based program that implements strength-based behavior modification techniques. While at its origination, the program served high school-age youth involved in the juvenile justice system, it has evolved over the past 20 years to include prevention, intervention, and diversion strategies to build on the youth’s strengths to achieve their desired goals.
Youth spend individualized time with their assigned case manager working on goals in four key areas: academic, peer and social, family, and individualized, though goals are not limited to these four areas. The program is designed to be individualized and tailored to the unique needs of youth and families. The program works closely with schools, juvenile justice, law enforcement, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other service providers to provide wrap-around case management for the youth and families enrolled in Elements.
In addition to the individualized sessions with their case manager, youth can also participate in experiential education activities with community partners. Some of these activities include kayaking, high and low ropes courses, and teambuilding activities with Coastal Horizons; therapeutic horseback riding with Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program; training service animals with Canines for Services, and more. Spending one-on-one time with their case managers, along with participating in the experiential education activities, is intended to teach the youth a variety of skills such as coping positively in stressful situations, seeking positive friends, taking reasonable risks, solving conflicts amongst peers, strengthening relationships within their families and communities, as well as bridging the gap between law enforcement and the community.
To learn more about Elements Youth Violence Intervention, you can visit the Elements Facebook page.