Violence Intervention and Prevention
NorthStar Learning Centers is home to three Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) programs — the HEAL Center, New Bedford Shannon (NBS), and the Safe & Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) — which provide young adults between the ages of 10-24 with healing-informed services
The Shannon Community Safety Initiative
The goal of the Shannon Community Safety Initiative (NBS) is to prevent the onset or escalation of gang involvement and serious delinquency among moderate- and high-risk youth ages 10–24 in New Bedford.
The program features a Street Outreach/Case Management Team that provides a comprehensive range of prevention and intervention services to support the city’s most at-risk youth. The team is also available to respond to critical incidents of youth violence when requested.
Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI)
The Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) is a targeted youth violence intervention program operating in 14 Massachusetts cities with the highest rates of young adult crime. SSYI focuses on a small group of youth, ages 17–24, identified as “proven risk” or “impact players.”
Outreach workers build relationships with these individuals and offer opportunities to redirect their lives through educational, employment, and behavioral health services. The program combines public health and public safety approaches to prevent and reduce youth violence.
The Heal Center
The HEAL Center, an initiative of NorthStar Learning Centers, Inc., is supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Gun Violence Prevention, Intervention, Treatment, and Recovery services.
The HEAL Center provides intensive, culturally responsive, trauma-informed prevention and intervention services, including wraparound care and mental/behavioral health support. Strategically located in the West End of New Bedford, the HEAL Center serves as a community mobilization and healing space.
Core Services Across All Three Programs
All three initiatives provide comprehensive support in key areas:
Behavioral and mental health support
Educational assistance and skill-building
Housing support
Financial literacy and employment services
Transportation assistance
Human trafficking awareness and training
Core Services Across All Three Programs
All three initiatives provide comprehensive support in key areas: