10/07/2026
Two years ago, a collaborative group of educators, community violence interrupters, parents, students, business leaders, and public safety officials started meeting regularly.
๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด, โ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฝ ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ?โ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ, โ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด?โ They understood that students who feel connected to school experience lower rates of violence, bullying, victimization, and mental health challenges.
After years of talking with students, interviewing community members, examining local research and behavioral science, that group has released a brief called โ๐ข๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐.โ
The brief challenges every reader to consider one simple question: What is one small shift you can make to help a young person feel seen, valued, and like they belong?
Over the next month, our team, along with our colleagues from that collaborative group, will highlight insights from the brief and encourage you to make one small shift!
Link here: https://www.cisofchicago.org/one-small-shift-brief/
*This report was created by the Violence Prevention Catalyst Team: Communities In Schools of Chicago, Together Chicago, Prismatic, Guitars Over Guns Organization, Henderson Elementary School, PDM Journey Coaching, Helix Education, Illinois Network of Charter Schools, Alice Jordan, BUILD Inc., The Grace Network, Jose Santiago, and Let Go-Be Great.
