Developing Partnerships to Advance Youth Violence Prevention in Puerto Rico: The Role of an Academic Center of Excellence

Abstract

This article presents and discusses strategies implemented by the University of Puerto Rico Center for Hispanic Youth Violence Prevention (CHYVP) to facilitate community mobilization to reduce youth violence in a high-risk Latino community. Participatory communication strategies were used to enhance mobilization and to develop community partnerships. Short-term outcomes included overcoming resistance and distrust, active community dialogue and consensus building, the development of a school–community task force, the identification of priorities, the negotiation of conflicts, the implementation of a common action plan, and the commitment of government officials to adopt community recommendations. Challenges included gaining trust, inadequate coordination among partners, diversity within the community, dealing with prejudice, enhancing male participation, working at the community’s pace, party politics, and the effect of the loss of funding and its impact on the community. A participatory communication process can help to mobilize Latino communities to prevent and reduce youth violence.