Community Violence Intervention Collaborative
Uplifting White House successes on public safety
The Challenge
Create a coordinated communications strategy for the White House’s Community Violence Intervention Collaborative (CVIC)—an under-the-radar initiative that connected mayors of the 16 largest cities in the country to build effective public safety infrastructure—in a challenging media environment characterized by negative narratives on crime and diminished local press corps.
The Strategy
By promoting CVIC’s innovative training and technical assistance (TTA) program for local community violence organizations to build solid organizing infrastructure, secure a sustainable and diversified funding stream, and optimize their use of data and technology, Slingshot was able to shine a light on CVIC’s efforts. These include a first-of-a-kind certification program for best practices when conducting street outreach and violence interruption for non-traditional practitioners such as former gang members and ex-convicts.
Community violence intervention has been increasingly embraced by mainstream reporters and is being championed by mayors across the country. By briefing reporters on CVIC’s work and impact, Slingshot was able to decrease media skepticism of community violence intervention programs, leading to more favorable coverage of CVIC and an embrace of the program by mayors all over the country. This has facilitated greater outreach and coordination between community violence intervention programs in different cities, as well as new relationships with other stakeholders, such as law enforcement agencies.
The Result
Media Impact
AP
Gun violence leads community groups to take bolder action
The Root
White House: Try "Violent Interrupters" as A Crime-Fighting Solution
Politico
Inside the White House gun violence initiative they say is actually working