Prevention Programs
Open Door's most important goal is to prevent kids from ever joining gangs and therefore has developed successful programs that focus on prevention among elementary aged children. These programs are tailored for schools, corporations, other non-profit agencies, law enforcement agencies and civic groups. The programs seek to educate as many as possible and are designed to involve all segments of our community in the education of gang-related violence. Services for 2007 were initiated and authorized by Open Door's Board of Directors, the Executive Director; 189 volunteers, providing 4,474 volunteer hours.
These programs include: After School Education, Bonding and Character program (AEBC)
This program is designed to reach out to school children ages five through twelve. The activities are conducted in Denver Public Schools (DPS) facilities
in cooperation with the DPS Foundation and United Way. Activities consist of an after-school snack followed by homework assistance, mentoring and
recreational activities. At the end of every session, a strong emphasis is put on self-discipline, self-improvement and character education that
help the children to make positive choices when confronted by negative influences. Wyatt Edison Charter School donate their space and materials to Open Door
to provide after-school prevention programming twice weekly to the elementary school children. The average daily attendance is in the high ninety percent.
To date, there are 157 students in the after school program.In addition, every effort is made to communicate with parents and guardians and develop strong relationships with entire families. Monthly parent meetings are held in an effort to build relationships and educate parents and guardians. Food baskets and Christmas presents are also provided to all involved families. The program provides transportation home to ensure the safety of those who participate, as well as, occasional excursions to sporting and special events within the metropolitan Denver area on evenings, vacations, and weekends.
Open Door has established an excellent relationship with Colorado Christian University. The University places students with Open Door to work in the elementary schools. This has provided the agency with the ability to provide increased individual attention to the children. Parents of the program are also key volunteers. The agency provides opportunities that can be performed at the school or at home if the parents work during program hours.
For more information on getting involved with this program, please call
Summer Day Camp and Teen Program
The Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives Summer Day Camp and Teen Program will consist of a three-dimensional service to youth and families of children ages, five to eighteen years old living in the northeast Denver community. It will include:
b) a residential camping experience; and,
c) employment and job training for teens.
For more information on getting involved with this program, please call
The Daily Program
This program is designed to serve elementary age
children who need day care, supervision and enrichment activities. This particular need has escalated in the past few years due to welfare reform
which dictates that parents who receive social assistance must seek employment, attend school, or do both. The need is further fueled by the number of aging
grandparents who are caring for their grandchildren.It is our intention to expand our existing Summer Program from 30 children to 45 children. The program components would continue to include literacy support, spiritual growth, excursions, recreational outings and special events. By providing a well-rounded program, the children develop positive attitudes, experience the world outside of their neighborhood and enjoy a summer full of fun activities, safe from negative influences.
For more information on getting involved with this program, please call
Residential Camping Experience
Experience has taught us that there is no better way to develop a strong bond and the trust of a child, then to
spend time with him or her in a situation away from their environment and
outside of their comfort zone. In past summers, we have taken children along
with staff members for a week at Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je, a camp in the Rocky Mountains,
approximately 90 miles west of Denver. We have found upon return from these
camp experiences, that the children respond to the staff in a more positive
and trusting manner. These relationships result in redirection. It is our
plan to send more children along with a staff member, to additional camp
sessions each summer.For more information on getting involved with this program, please call
Employment and Job Training for Teens
It is our plan to provide employment and training for ten middle and high school students. These teenagers will be recruited in each spring and will participate in a six-week training program that will include working in the After School, Education, Bonding & Character Program (AEBC). During this time they will be paid and go through job training, learning the following skills:
- How to complete job applications and preparing for interviews
- How to relate and communicate with younger children
- How to dress appropriately for work
- How to relate to a supervisor in a positive manner
- How to work with other employees as a team
- How to develop positive work ethics
For more information on getting involved with this program, please call
Youth Resource Unit
The Youth Resource Unit consists of four to six young adults recruited from within the community served by Open Door. The primary function of the unit will be to serve as an extension of the After School and Summer Program reaching out to the families of the children Open Door serves in an effort to identify problems away from school that could lead to gang involvement or other negative activities. They will also be responsible for reaching out and following up on youth that were involved with Open Door but have moved on to middle school.
These resource leaders will have either grown up surrounded by gang activity or have actual experiences in gang involvement and have made admirable progress overcoming these negative influences and in changing their lifestyles.
The Youth Resource Unit will function as a team in order to achieve the programmatic goals set forth by Open Door. All members of the unit will participate in an orientation and training period to ensure that they understand clearly the policies and procedures governing all staff of Open Door. They will also receive training on relationship building and intervention strategies.
All members of the unit will assist with the After School and Summer Programs.
- They will become acquainted with all of the children in an effort to develop strong relationships and rapport.
- They will do home visits and maintain positive communications between the families.
- Unit members will be available to partner with Rev. Kelly when necessary to stifle potential violence or confrontations.
- They will also serve as monitors for crowd control at special events, such as the Juneteenth celebration and the MLK day parade.
- Lastly, they will partner with Rev. Kelly or other staff members to do group presentations for schools, service clubs, churches, and other venues.
Public Education
Community
Education is provided through speaking engagements to civic organizations,
churches, schools, and businesses. Open Door provides educational information
for the general public, making at least two presentations per week. The
purpose of this program is to increase the awareness of gang activity
and solicit assistance in prevention. Presentations made to schools and
other youth groups are designed to reduce gang recruitment activities.
Former gang members volunteer their time to participate in these prevention
activities. One of the goals of this program is to give younger children
the information and tools they need to resist the pressures to join gangs
and participation in drug-related activities.
Communities experiencing youth issues can access consultation services
free of charge. These services assist the community in understanding the
issues they are confronting and in accessing available resources.
During 2007, we made 93 presentations to schools,
churches and other community agencies.
For more information on getting involved with this program, please call
The Cool Cars Program
A new focus of Open Door has been the inclusion of the "Cool Cars" Project which includes low-riders, racecars and racing
bikes. Open Door has teamed up with the Eternity Car Club and the Fox Racing Team to establish certitude in an effort to reach
younger children in elementary and middle schools. Rev. Kelly believes that one of the keys to keeping youths out of
gangs is to reach them when they're young and impressionable.
"We want to plant the seeds in their lives." Children of today are into both audio and video entertainment as a way to
pacify the voids in their lives. The "Cool Cars" Project exposes the children to the flamboyant world of automobiles
and bikes, breaks down barriers and opens up channels of communication.
For more information on getting involved with this program, please call
Prevention, Crisis Intervention and Mediation
This program is used to curb gang violence
and cool tense situations. Open Door engages in crisis intervention and
facilitates negotiations between opposing gangs, thus preventing bloodshed.
Prevention also is a part of work with active youth gang members through
seminars with parents. During 2007 we responded to 15 incidents, involving
69 victims of gang crimes.
Support Services
Support Services are used both individually and in groups
in order to divert youth from street gangs. The Open Door staff has developed
ongoing counseling programs for those youth who attempt to resist joining
or wish to leave gangs. Counseling is also provided to victims of gang crime,
families, friends and relative of those hurt, killed or impristioned. Support
services include alternative activities for gang members and other youth at
risk.
During 2007 we provided 3,899 units of counseling sessions
involving 299 new clients, 3,455 units of group sessions involving 149 new
clients, and 6,410 units of alternative activities involving 419 new clients.
We also received an estimated 181 support requests made through informal
telephone contacts.
For more information on getting involved with this program, please call
Family and Victim Support
ODGYA also is a part of work with active youth gang members through seminars and counseling with parents. Counseling is also provided to victims of gang crime, families, friends, and relatives of those hurt, killed, or imprisoned. Reverend Kelly has also provided tools for coping with grief and has presided over more than his share of funerals.
For more information on getting involved with this program, please call
Other Services
Tattoo Removal Program
For more information on getting involved with this program, please call