O’Connor
In the O’Connor / Parma Court community in Toronto, we hosted meetings with both mothers of sons who had been killed and youth members of the community, creating key action items for putting an end to the violence. These included: finding jobs for youth, finding positive things for them to do that had some relevance and hopefulness to them (media, music, sports, dance), and getting them out of the community (easing fear, opening up opportunities). Focus 3 hired young men and women with street experience to attend community meetings, to hang out in the community on the “corner” and in fast food establishments to connect with youth of the community and existing resources in the community. These youth also worked with U-MOVE (United Mothers Opposing Violence Everywhere) building connections between U-MOVE and Focus 3 projects.Through Focus Three young people from O'Conner / Parma Court began to connect and meet youth from the other three communities, participated in national skill building events, hosted weekly youth meetings and special events for their community. Exciting developments occurred in Parma Court, for young people and the community!
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