Violence Prevention Initiative
In 1993, the California Wellness Foundation and other California funders, including the California Endowment, funded the Violence Prevention Initiative (VPI), a five-year statewide youth violence prevention project, which was extended for another five years in 1998. Throughout the 10 years of the VPI, we were intensively involved in consulting with and coaching members of the 18 community organizations funded to do grassroots violence prevention projects in their communities, the youth served by those organizations, violence prevention researchers, academic fellows, community fellows and state policy advocates.
Media advocacy planning
We assisted community organizations in developing their media advocacy strategies for everything from encouraging local merchants not to display beer promotions that feature kid-friendly Halloween imagery to pressing for a statewide ban on junk guns.
Media monitoring
We monitored newspapers for articles on violence trends, criminal justice and firearms issues, prevention programs, and other violence prevention related news, and disseminated them to VPI grantees along with suggestions about how to respond to problematic coverage. With this information, advocates were able to add their voices to the policy debate.
Strategic consultation
Throughout the VPI, we consulted with VPI grantees on their media strategies. We helped people practice for key interviews with reporters and gave feedback on materials such as op-ed drafts and letters to the editor. By participating intensively in the statewide VPI policy meetings, we were well-prepared to coach VPI members on using media opportunities strategically to advance specific violence-prevention policies.
Training
Through intensive media training sessions, we taught advocates how to develop a media strategy, pitch prevention related stories to reporters, and answer the most challenging questions. The outcome has been a trained and experienced cadre of sophisticated advocates for violence prevention.