Building Supportive Communities (BSC) teaches the principles of Health Realization to reduce stress and reveal innate health. Youth and parent participants in BSC will learn positive decision-making skills, increase their self-respect and respect of others, make good choices in a tough situation, and have more ways to express themselves positively. 

The program goal is to decrease school truancy and violence, and domestic conflict and violence in Minneapolis’ most economically disadvantaged schools and neighborhoods. 

Activities include weekly support groups for both parents of the youth involved in Project Potential, and the youth themselves.  Activities also include phone coaching for parents and youth, School Resiliency Trainings for staff and students, and Community Resiliency Trainings. 

The following support groups take place on a weekly basis:

• Parent Support Groups

• Youth Resiliency Support Groups for Project Potential

• Phone Coaching for Parents and Youth

• School Resiliency Trainings for staff and students

• Community Resiliency Trainings and Link Staff and Volunteer Trainings.

In 2007,

The Building Supportive Communities Program Manager worked to decrease negative behaviors by focusing on youth, parental and community empowerment.  368 youth and adults were served. 106 Trainings were held, as well as 58 Support Groups, 63 Mentoring Sessions, and 38 Community Meetings. 

Participants of trainings felt they were on top of things, saw options for dealing with stress in healthy ways, were less upset because things happened unexpectedly, and felt increasingly that things were going their way.  

The Minnesota Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs is a sponsoring agency of the Building Supportive Communities Program. Building Supportive Communities also receives support from the Park Nicollet Foundation.

The Link is an Equal Opportunity Employer.